What standards do you see used the most in your center?
What curriculum is used in your center? How and why was it selected?
Is the curriculum aligned to any standards?
Are your teachers implementing their curriculum and using the standards?
How do you know?
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Standards and Curriculum
activity sheet
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
Birth to Three
School Readiness
Performance
Standards
Physical Health
Physical Health
Physical Health
Approaches to
Learning
Approaches to
Learning
Approaches to
Learning
Social and
Emotional
Social and
Emotional
Social and
Emotional
Development
Language and
Communication
Language and
Communication
Cognitive
Development and
General
Knowledge
Motor
Development
VPK
Language and
Communication
Cognitive
Development and Emergent Literacy
General
Knowledge
Mathematical and
Scientific Thinking
Motor
Development
Social Studies
and The Arts
Motor
Development
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Performance Standards
Domains handout
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
Directions: Use the Teacher’s Guide provided with your curriculum, a class
schedule from one of your teachers, and the Florida Voluntary
Prekindergarten Education Standards (2008) to complete this activity.
What is the name of your curriculum?
What are the eight domains of development in the VPK standards? Does
your curriculum address each of these domains?
Does your curriculum address each of these domains?
Select one literacy lesson from your Teacher’s Guide and identify the VPK
standard that most closely aligns with your literacy lesson. Write the
benchmark and the page number of the standard.
Select one mathematics lesson from your Teacher’s Guide and identify the
VPK standard that most closely aligns with your mathematics lesson. Write
the benchmark and the page number of the standard.
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Aligning Standards and
Curriculum activity sheet
If your curriculum has a sample schedule, how much time do they
recommend spending on mathematics, social studies, and science?
Using your teacher schedule, how much of the instructional day is spent on
mathematics, social studies, and science?
Are your teachers spending the recommended time on mathematics, social
studies, and science? Why do you think this is?
What support do you feel your teachers need to meet the recommended
instructional time in mathematics, social studies, and science?
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Aligning Standards and
Curriculum activity sheet
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
1. How does your lesson align with the curriculum?
2. What is the sequence of learning objectives being taught?
3. What do you hope the children will know and be able to
do as a result of this lesson?
4. How will you know if the children know and are able to do
what you intended?
5. When children are off-task how do you engage them in
activities?
6. What would you like me to look for when I visit for the
observation?
Adapted from: Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching,
Charlotte Danielson 2nd Edition.
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Questions for a PreObservation Conference handout
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
%
%
%
IV.A.1 Listening – Gains meaning by listening. (p. 65)
IV.D.2 Sentences and Structure – Connects phrases and sentences to
build ideas. (p. 75)
VII.A(b)1 Social Studies – Begins to understand family needs, roles, and
relationships. (p. 182)
% Concepts related to birthdays.
% Words go together to make sentences.
%
%
%
%
Listen to teacher’s prompting and respond appropriately.
Contribute to a class concept map by stating concepts and making
connections.
Participate in a circle time discussion, adding information in multiple
phrases.
10-12 minutes
1. Explain concept mapping, birthday topic, and “thinking about what you’re
thinking about.”
2. Ask the children what they think about when they think about birthdays.
3. Prompt the children to make connections between birthday concepts (e.g.
we eat cake; candles go on top of the cake, etc.).
4. Arrange the concepts in the concept map on the floor using pictures and
pipe cleaner “connectors.”
5. Make notes to create picture and verb pages that are not pre-created to
add to the concept map.
6. Restate the concept map and what the children say repeatedly.
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Lesson Plan handout
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
What was the focus of the lesson?
What VPK domain did the lesson address?
What do you think the purpose of the lesson was?
Do you think students were engaged?
What do you see the teacher doing?
What are you thinking about as you watch the lesson?
What do you wonder about the lesson, the teacher, and/or the
children?
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: A Teacher in Action activity sheet
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
Provide descriptions of
observations (related to what was
said or done)
%
Discuss personal qualities
%
Use “You” statements
%
Discuss ideas
%
Judge
%
Use “I” statements
%
Criticize - “Your lesson was poor.”
%
Label – “You’re inexperienced.”
%
Analyze motives rather than listen
– “You are taking your anger out
on…”
%
Use evaluative praise – “You are
terrific.”
%
Order – “You must…” “You have
to…”
%
Threaten – “If you don’t…”
%
Advise – “What I would do…”
%
Lecture – “Here is why you are
wrong…”
%
%
%
%
%
%
Use specific and concrete language
of things observed
Focus on behaviors that can be
modified
Ask for the teacher’s reaction,
including children’s responses
Use open-ended questions to get
information and/or perceptions
Listen and respond with sympathy
%
Maintain or enhance self-esteem
%
Discuss possible future steps
%
Agree on specific actions to be
taken
%
Get commitment from the teacher
%
Paraphrase/summarize what has
been said in ways that reflect
feeling and content discussed
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: The Dos and Don’ts of PostObservation Conferencing handout
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
1. Do you feel the lesson was successful? Why?
2. Did the children learn what you intended? How do you know?
3. Did you modify your lesson plan? If yes, what prompted you to
change your plan?
4. Would you teach this lesson the same way next time? Why or
why not?
5. If not, how would you modify the lesson?
Notes for Feedback:
Adapted from: Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching,
Charlotte Danielson 2nd Edition.
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Questions for a PostObservation Conference handout
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part
of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are
still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.
Classroom Walk Through Checklist
Teacher’s Name_______________________________
Date ________
Length of Visit________________________________
Teacher Signature:___________________________________________
Planning
Lesson goals and objectives are clearly written and communicated to children.
Lesson Topic _______________________________
Meets Center Standards
Supporting Comments
Alternatives are planned to meet individual needs.
Time allocation is appropriate for the lesson.
The daily plan follows a sequence or progression.
Teaching strategies are appropriate for the lesson.
Teacher includes methods for checking children’s progress in a timely manner.
Instruction
Lesson followed stated plan with variations when appropriate.
Time management, transitions, and pacing were evident.
Children participated and were engaged in the lesson.
The teacher demonstrated knowledge of subject matter.
The teacher gave clear directions to children and used appropriate language.
Children’s performance and progress were assessed.
Interaction between the teacher and children was warm and encouraged learning.
Classroom Management
Materials were appropriate and well-organized.
Expectations of student behavior were communicated positively, monitored, and reinforced.
The physical environment and arrangement of furniture were conducive to instruction and safety.
The classroom educational environment stimulated learning.
Students were on task.
Observation Comments:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ELELS Instructional Alignment Session Eight: Classroom Walk Through Checklist activity sheet
The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part of the
Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies or imply
endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are still in development
and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind.