Tier 1 Instructional Tools & Strategies (Grade 4) by DUSD Curriculum & Instruction

DUSDCandI — 2025-07-24 19:30:26 UTC

Warm Ups

2025-07-24 19:30:26 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)

CCS 4th Grade

2025-08-07 16:22:51 UTC

metacognitive strategies- thinking out loud to show process and understanding

annotations done together

Science Lab:

2025-08-07 16:23:02 UTC

We activate their learning by introducing what will be learned and accompany it with a quick engagement video.

CCS 4th Grade

2025-08-07 16:23:49 UTC

implementation of Core 5

Exit Tickets

2025-08-07 16:24:54 UTC

At the end of each math lesson students complete an exit ticket to assess whether or not they got it or need more support.

Green El

2025-08-07 16:25:06 UTC

R.A.C.E Response and CFA's, whiteboards, google classroom (writing samples), Brisk

Four Corners

2025-08-07 16:26:21 UTC

Students reflect on their opinion and have to defend / support / share their thinking with their peers.

Science Lab:

2025-08-07 16:26:41 UTC

99% of our instruction is hands on; almost all kids can learn kinesthetically despite learning challenges.

Collaborative Reading Strategies

2025-08-07 16:27:03 UTC

Paired Reading, collaborative jigsaw on Padlet to share out in Social Studies.

Start individual, then partner, then group to build learning and offer opportunities to catch misconceptions or confusion.

Pass the pen or you work in an assigned color. You have to talk in order to "do the assignment"

Small Groups

2025-08-07 16:27:49 UTC

Students are organized in heterogeneous grouping. Norms are set so that everyone should contribute. This can be done by assigning a different colored marker for each person in their group.

Flexible Grouping

2025-08-07 16:31:01 UTC

Students are pulled in a group dependent upon their answers on the exit slip from the previous math lesson.

FRED 4th

2025-08-07 16:32:00 UTC

GLAD strategies

Visual Instruction Plans (VIP)

2025-08-07 16:32:44 UTC

I use VIPs mostly for math to help students from getting stuck on steps to harder problems (like long division or multiplication)

https://www.google.com/search?q=fred+jones+vip&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1174US1174&oq=fred+jones+vip&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABjvBTIKCAIQABiABBiiBDIKCAMQABiABBiiBDIHCAQQABjvBTIGCAUQRRhAMgYIBhBFGEAyBggHEEUYQNIBCDMxMzFqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:943d4ba2,vid:MInPwzg6TiQ,st:0

FRED 4th

2025-08-07 16:32:46 UTC

Turn and talk

sendebarati — 2025-08-07 16:35:26 UTC

Warm ups are the best !

Goal setting is also helpful. They help each other and talk about which goal will be helpful for that session. Keeps them engaged ! They also create a visual chart and can be pretty hard on themselves.

sendebarati — 2025-08-07 16:36:43 UTC

Genius Time

Students can share their skills without the pressure of grading and getting judged on.

They can be called a genius of whatever they are good at..can be awesome listener

MES

2025-08-07 16:36:58 UTC

Teachable Tunes- song lyrics from appropriate but popular music that the kids know turned into close reading

Disney Short Videos

2025-08-07 16:41:34 UTC

Practicing literacy skills on Disney/Pixar short videos before we use them on texts. They often have little to no dialogue so all students can access the content (similar to the Eureka Squared launch videos)