Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (FFT)
Background: Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (FFT) delineates and defines quality teaching via 22 components and 76 elements organized into Four Domains of Teaching Responsibility: Planning & Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. It is a wholistic evaluative tool but provides guidelines for how a teacher may plan lessons effectively ahead of time. Below is an SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) LevelUp Reader lesson plan with each component aligned to Danielson’s Domain 1: Planning and Preparation.
Sample Lesson
Grade: 3
Content: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Resources/Materials:
Additional Resources:
| Introduction(1c: Selecting Instructional Goals)(1d: Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources) | Introduce an “I Can” statement, “I can take on a new challenge,” and tell students that this is what they will be learning about this week.Briefly teach the vocabulary word challenge (something hard to do that is difficult enough to be interesting). Give the students some think time to answer the question, “What’s something you’ve done in your life that was a challenge and you succeeded? How did you succeed?” Ask for volunteers to share their experiences.Connect to the reading: “Alice the Armadillo is about to take on a new challenge, too. Let’s see what happens.” |
| Model(1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy) | Read Alice the Armadillo aloud, engaging in answering text-based questions as a group. In particular, ask students to identify the moment when Alice makes up her mind to take on a new challenge, and what she does as a result. |
| Exploration(1e: Designing Coherent Instruction) | Review and use the “Glossary” section with the students. Explain/review that this is like a helpful dictionary in each book. There are often helpful sections like this in informational books, and students can use them as tools to find information they need. You may also choose to review the topics and teach/review the use of the Index. |
| Practice(1e: Designing Coherent Instruction) (1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of Students) | Have students write about a challenge they would like to take on in the future. This could be trying a new sport or hobby, traveling to a new place, or reading a new book. Why would they like to take on this new challenge for themselves?If students would benefit from a simpler read that reinforces the same concepts before writing, have students read The Double Dutch Challenge. |
| Assessment and Reflection(1f: Designing Student Assessments) | In notebooks, have students write about a challenge they would like to take on in the future. This could be trying a new sport or hobby, traveling to a new place, or reading a new book. Why would they like to take on this new challenge for themselves? Conference with students about their notebook entries. Analyze responses for mastery of the concept or the need for more practice. |
Considerations for Distance or Hybrid Environments:
Group read-alouds are easily accomplished in a hybrid or distance learning environment using the LevelUp Reader e-books. If students need reinforcement or extension of an SEL concept, the series “Animal Fair Values” covers such important SEL topics as responsibility, courage, and self-control and can be individually assigned via the LevelUp Reader platform.