Date: ______________________ Reviewer: ____________________________________________ School: ________________________________

Use the observation tool below as a reference for best practices. You may use this during the visit or directly after by noting items from the observations.

 Yes – Observed  No – Not Observed  NA - Not Applicable (i.e. You are observing Lesson Closure - teacher would not be introducing the Learning Objective.)

Classroom 1 Classroom 2 Classroom 3 Classroom 4 Classroom 5 Classroom 6 TOTAL

Instructional Practice Rm# ______ Rm# ______ Rm# ______ Rm# ______ Rm# ______ Rm# ______
Grade_____ Grade_____ Grade_____ Grade_____ Grade_____ Grade_____
Class______ Class______ Class______ Class______ Class______ Class______
Lesson Introduction: Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Y N NA
1 Learning Objective, aligned to CCLS, is 1
posted and stated to include the “what,
why, how, & when”
2 Learning Objective guides the lesson. 2

3 Learning Objective is directly related to 3

the independent practice & homework.

4 New concepts are tied to students’ prior 4

skills and knowledge.
5 Vocabulary is taught or previous terms are 5
reviewed.
Active Teaching:
6 Instruction is explicit and scaffolded. 6

7 Teacher uses multiple representations i.e. 7

video clips, visuals, graphic organizers,
manipulatives, symbols, formulas, etc.
8 Teacher uses strategies to support all 8
students: sequenced and scaffolded skills,
chunking, modeling, think aloud.
9 Teacher conducts frequent, short 9
formative assessments; i.e. thumbs up,
white boards, pair/share, hand signals,
short problems - not Q&A of only a few
students.
10 Teacher adjusts instruction based on data 10
from frequent formative assessments,
student response, and student work.
11 Teacher guides students through task, 11
moves through the classroom, and checks
on student work.
12 A majority of the lesson is spent reading, 12
speaking, or writing about text(s).
Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Yes No NA Y N NA
13 Teacher maintains steady pace and allows 13
3 to 5 seconds wait time for students to
process responses/questions/directions.
14 Teacher provides explicit and frequent 14
feedback to help students revise their
work – feedback moves from what is
wrong to why an answer is wrong.
15 Questions and tasks aligned to CCLS and 15
require students to cite evidence from the
text.
16 The teacher uses explanations, 16
representations, and/or examples to
make the mathematics of the lesson
explicit. (CCLS Math)
17 Questions include higher-order, include ALL 17
students and are sequenced.
18 Students are engaged: persist in efforts to 18
read, speak, write, calculate with
demanding grade-level text(s) and content
and participate in the lesson.
19 Students are working and talking about 19
their thinking with peers / coop. learning.
20 Student work and materials are 20
differentiated for independent and/or
group work and use a variety of complex
materials aligned to CCLS.
Lesson Closure:
21 Learning Objective is restated and checked 21
for completion.
22 Teacher conducts a short formative 22
assessment of students’ understanding;
i.e. exit cards.
23 Teachers collaborate to deliver 23
interdisciplinary curricula- arts,
technology, and enrichment activities.

24 Lesson plans are aligned to the CCLS and 24

include accommodations – modifications
for individual SWDs/ELLs

25 Students have learning goals based on 25

grade-level benchmarks and monitor their
progress in achieving their goals.
**Student(s) = ALL students Sharon A. Melfi 2014 SESIS
Use the following areas to record additional evidence. (i.e. Direct quotes of teacher and student statements and interactions, evidence of higher-order questions being asked…)
Classroom 1

Classroom 2

Classroom 3

Classroom 4

Classroom 5

Classroom 6