Purpose Built Schools Atlanta
Middle School ELA Core Block Observation Template
School:
Number of Students:
Teacher:
Date:
Indicators (Common Core Instruction):
1. Standard/ Learning goals are communicated:
 Standard posted  Standard referenced  Students use language of the standard
 Students communicate learning goal/s  Not Evident  Unable to determine
2. Lesson Component Observed:
 Welcome  Launch  Learn  Land  Wrap  Deep Dive
 Opportunities for Additional Practice  Not evident  Unable to determine
3. Grouping Format:
 Whole group  Small Group  Paired  Individual
 Combination of Formats
4. Student Engagement Level:
 Highly engaged – authentically engaged
 Well managed – willingly compliant, ritually engaged
 Somewhat engaged – most students participate in the assigned tasks
 Off task – students actively reject the assigned task or substitute
another activity
 Routines and procedures for a safe and orderly environment show students take
ownership and responsibility for learning
5. Implementation Practices/ Pacing:
 Pace is appropriate
 Provides instruction at the time designated for Core instruction
 Maximizes the amount of time students are engaged in Core learning tasks
 Practices are aligned to the stated standard/learning goal
 Follows the selected program’s lessons with integrity
 Provides corrective feedback and positive reinforcement
 Not evident
6. Focus on a High Quality Text(s):
 Lesson is focused on a text or multiple texts
Texts are at or above the complexity level expected for the grade
 Text(s) exhibit exceptional craft and thought and/or utilized to provide useful
information for teaching standard(s)
 Not evident
7. Text Dependent Questions and Tasks:
 Students are engaged in reading, writing, speaking and/or listening about complex
text throughout the lesson block
 Addresses the text by attending to its structure, concepts, ideas, events and details
 Requires students to cite evidence from the text and demonstrate understanding
 Supports students with the building and facilitation of academic language
 Guides students in delving deeper into text and graphics
 Not evident
8. Differentiation and Scaffolding:
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Uses flexible grouping strategies to accommodate learning needs/goals
Scaffolds tasks as needed to meet the diverse learning needs of students
Varies tasks to allow students to demonstrate understanding of content
Incorporates strategies/practices to support students with grappling complex text
Provides support on building students’ academic vocabulary and grammar skills
Not evident
8. Vocabulary Instruction (Deep Dive):
 Word description provided
 Students use vocabulary in activities
 Students restate (in their own words)  Students “play” games with vocabulary
 Students talk to each other about vocabulary
 Students create Non-Linguistic Representation
 Not evident
9. Grammar Instruction (Deep Dive):
 Rules for concepts are taught
 Students create own examples of concept
 Examples of concept are provided  Students applies concept(s) in writing
 Not Evident
Grade:
Time:
Notes:
Glows/Recommendations/ Next Steps:
Enter Notes/Additional Items
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