Tier 1 Instructional Tools & Strategies (Gr 9-12 ELA/ELD) by DUSD Curriculum & Instruction

DUSDCandI — 2025-07-25 00:06:33 UTC

Warm Ups

2025-07-25 00:06:33 UTC

I have used "Which one doesn't belong?" - I put up 4 of anything (can be used across content areas), and students have to decide which one doesn't belong. This helps to activate learning and builds on prior knowledge.

Math example: 3, 6, 8, and 12 - (multiple answers for this one)

Exit Tickets

2025-08-07 16:24:22 UTC

I use exit tickets to check to see if students are understanding the content. It also allows students to reflect on their own understanding of the material. "Do I actually know what I am supposed to know?"

Multiple discussion types

2025-08-07 16:24:33 UTC

4 corners

think-pair-share

philosophical chairs

Socratic Seminars

All include writing before and/or after the discussion

2025-08-07 16:24:45 UTC

Graphic Organizers (KWL, Timeline etc)

Assessments

2025-08-07 16:25:00 UTC

I give assessments as frequently as I can throughout the unit to identify where students are at consistently. I also ensure that assessments provide the students the opportunity to show what they know in the way that works best for them. For example, do they need to write the reading comprehension assessment? Or can they answer the questions verbally?

R.A.F.T.

2025-08-07 16:25:04 UTC

Assessment where teacher identifies Role/Audience/Format/Themes for a piece of literature and students come up with a project that demonstrates the learning

EX: Of Mice & Men

Role: George, Crooks, Curly, Slim

Audience: Lenny, Crooks, Curly, Curly's Wife, The Boss

Format: Farmhand guide (rule book), annotated music list, annotated bib, graphic novel

Theme: Isolation, Ableism, Personal Vs Group Responsibility, Domestic Assault

One-Pagers

2025-08-07 16:25:41 UTC

I've had students produce one-pagers in a variety of activities (individual, expert groups, review, etc). Students create images, pull quotes, respond, and reflect on their learning. After, the one-pagers are shared with the class via a large binder, posted on the wall, or presentations.

Screeners - Data - Objectives

2025-08-07 16:25:47 UTC

Use screeners/assessments to provide staff and students data on skills to evaluate next steps, set goals, clear objectives measured with student friendly rubrics - check lists

Graphic Organizers

youngsmabrandon — 2025-08-07 16:26:45 UTC

I use outlines and guided notes for everything I am using in the classroom. This helps coordinate what they need to know and gets ideas on the page before they have to start putting that knowledge into practice.

Brandon & Celine

Annotation

2025-08-07 16:27:11 UTC

Metacognitive strategies allow students of all levels to participate in small and full class discussions and engage in comprehending material at their level

2025-08-07 16:27:18 UTC

I would like to follow paired reading to promote fluency and comprehension

Annotating and Marking Texts

2025-08-07 16:27:22 UTC

I use annotating with students by making copies of texts that are longer and more complicated. Students highlight, use shapes, take notes on their interpretations and thoughts, and jot down questions as they read the text three times. Then I have them go back to their annotation before an assessment.

Games

2025-08-07 16:27:25 UTC

As a way to break up the monotony in routine I'll incorporate games such as jeopardylabs, kahoot, and blooket as ways for students to review key concepts. These can increase student buy in. In my experience these activities will improve engagement but would not be good for the introduction of new ideas.

Annotating & Marking Texts

2025-08-07 16:27:40 UTC

Especially for early American Lit. (1600s-1800s) I provide paper or digital copies of shorter texts to students and provide structured annotation techniques. Specifically for these texts, it helps students understand unfamiliar language: they can focus on finding the meanings of new words, dissecting the meaning of key passages, asking questions about what they don't understand, and ultimately distilling the author's main point/argument/image.

Do Nows

2025-08-07 16:27:54 UTC

Each day of the week my students have a consistent do now that they do. This means that they know exactly what they should be doing when they walk in the classroom, and gives us something fun and engaging to kick things off with.

2025-08-07 16:28:41 UTC

Would like to implement think-pair-share to engage the students in cooperative learning activity.

Annotating and Marking Texts/Warm Ups

2025-08-07 16:28:53 UTC

Students always have time read and mark up texts in English class. I have a lot of Post Its around the room for students to use in our novels and for certain sections of reading, I hand out Post Its and give them a focus for their annotations. I also have warm up for my students every day. It is usually reading but some units have some sort of a prompt before reading. Regardless of what it is, students come in and find their warm up on the board. They know to start it on their own.

Critical thinking

2025-08-07 16:29:54 UTC

Reflection - what do they think and why - explain - cite source - all opinions and perspectives welcome but back up stance with evidence - allows all voices and makes students aware of how one topic can elicit many different points of view

SLP

2025-08-07 16:30:01 UTC

Reviewing student work samples and collaborating with general education teachers has been key for me to determine what diagnostic tools to use for our students who are served by or may need special education interventions.

Reading

2025-08-07 16:30:10 UTC

We do all reading in class together, sometimes out loud and sometimes silently. This ensures that everyone has done the reading, and allows us to pause to have discussions together as we are experiencing the novel/text. It also allows me to catch any challenging vocab/concepts in the moment to ensure everyone is getting what we're reading.

Multi-part Lesson Planning with different modalities of Learning

2025-08-07 16:30:36 UTC

This example is from my tech theater classes.

Lectures with slides and note taking sheets. Teaches vocab, important safety, and introduces.

Labs intentionally designed to be slow/inefficient (but always safe)

This allows students to understand why we use the tools in a certain way (adjusting torque, standing over a job instead of siting and leaning over it, etc.)

Class reflection and discussion of best practices. Discussion of perceived short cuts and why some are acceptable and others aren't. (Using a table saw instead of a circular saw because you set the measurement once using the fence and make many cuts, not using a drill - especially the battery end - as a hammer)

2025-08-07 16:31:15 UTC

Graphic organizers, summarizing and note taking.

Student Choice

2025-08-07 16:31:53 UTC

Students can choose how to demonstrate understanding from bank of options - fosters autonomy

Vocab Review

2025-08-07 16:34:55 UTC

Blooket or Quizlet Live vocab reviews are a fun warm up to get students engaged right out the gate.

Anonymous Peer Review

2025-08-07 16:35:23 UTC

After Ss turn in their draft of a written assessment I remove their names, give them a #, attach a rubric, checklist, and anonymous draft & have students complete two rounds of peer editing. Some Ss get more than others, but I've found it very helpful for the majority of the class!

Mini-nars!

2025-08-07 16:35:44 UTC

Students engage in Socratic seminar discussions in smaller groups of 6-7 people. This takes the pressure off of speaking in front of the entire class. Students refer to each other as "seminions." Teacher monitors (eavesdrops) on each team! :)

Quote Analysis

2025-08-07 16:37:44 UTC

Students should choose 2-3 quotes from the chapter and provide context (first), then analyze why they chose the quote/what it says about the character, plot, etc.

For students who did required reading, the activity is super easy. For those who didn't read/ only read a summary, the activity forces students to engage with the text :)