MIDAS Teacher Module #5

• Apply the Instruction and Assessment Cycle to support students who moved from the alternate to the general assessment in accessing grade-level standards.
• Integrate multiple assessment measures and instructional strategies to address individual student needs while maintaining grade-level expectations.

In Module 1, we introduced the Instruction and Assessment Cycle as a framework for supporting student learning.

In Module 2, we focused on “Where am I going?”—establishing clear learning goals and essential outcomes for each unit and lesson.

In Module 3, we explored “Where am I now?”—using multiple measures to understand student progress.

In Module 4, we looked at “Where to next?”—using school-wide and classroom assessment data to make instructional decisions that enhance student learning.

Now, in Module 5, we provide examples of elementary, middle school, and high school students who moved from the alternate to the general assessment and how their instructional teams used the Instruction and Assessment Cycle to inform their instruction and services to increase student achievement.

Integrating AI into Instructional Planning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play a valuable role in supporting teams to plan instruction for an entire class and individual students simultaneously. In these examples, we used AI to generate helpful insights that we could review, refine, or use to inspire our thinking. For example, we followed this prompting sequence when we integrated AI into writing Kathryn’s example:

• Shared: the grade-level science standard(s) that applied to the unit
• Asked: What are the MOST essential concepts and skills within this standard? Distill them to the fewest words.
• Introduced: information about the student, including her learning strengths and gaps, and her instructional and assessment history
• Asked: Given this student profile, what would success look like for a student who learns based achieving the essential concepts/learnings in this unit?
• Asked: What are the barriers in the learning environment that could interfere with this student's learning these concepts?
• Shared: Her benchmark and classroom assessment data results
• Asked: How could the team plan the instruction for this unit for the whole class and the individual student?

These AI prompts are not intended as a step-by-step guide, but rather as an example of how we structured and sequenced them to generate meaningful information.

Some general rules if you are using AI for idea generation and lesson planning:

• Ensure that you maintain student confidentiality. Do not include students' names or any identifying information in the information entered in AI.
• If you have the option, do not allow AI to save the information that you enter. This way, student information does not become part of the larger universe of information that AI pulls from.
• Remember AI can “hallucinate” and make up facts to fill in the blanks. To counter this, double-check that what was suggested by AI aligns with the facts that you know about the student.

1. Juan
   1. Elementary school: Grade 5
   2. Content: Literacy
2. Kathryn
   1. Middle school: Grade 7
   2. Content: Science
3. Arnie
   1. High school: Grade 10
   2. Content: Geometry

Student: Juan | Grade: 5

Student Overview

Juan is a fifth-grade multilingual learner with Down syndrome. He was born in the U.S. and diagnosed with Down syndrome after birth. He is the youngest child of three. The parents speak Spanish at home, though Juan speaks English with his siblings. Juan enjoys school and is socially interactive, using spoken language with his peers.

Educational History

Pre-K

• No preschool experience
• Early Childhood Screening identified potential developmental concerns with school readiness delays.
• Juan was screened for English language proficiency

K-5

• In kindergarten, Juan was referred by the general education classroom teacher to be evaluated for special education services.
• Based on the evaluation results, Juan was found eligible under developmental cognitive disability and began special education and other related services in a self-contained special education classroom.
• In kindergarten, Juan was also referred and found eligible to receive English language development (ELD) services as a multilingual learner.
• In 3rd and 4th grade, Juan met most of his standard-based IEP goals and participated in the state's alternate assessments.
• Based on the previous data, the IEP team completed a re-evaluation at the beginning of Juan's 5th-grade year. The re-evaluation information, alternate assessment proficiency levels from 3rd and 4th grade, and IEP data assisted the IEP team in determining that a change of instructional standards and placement was necessary. The IEP team agreed to create a transition plan to move Juan from the alternate academic achievement standards to the general academic achievement standards.

5th Grade Reading Literary Unit Plan (Reading and Writing)

State Standard

Determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges; summarize the text.

Unit Essential Learnings

• Reading comprehension and critical thinking
• Elements in a story include plot, theme, character development, and point of view.
• Details that support the main idea to read and comprehend
• Retell a story chronologically

Demonstration of Understanding

All students will show understanding by:

• Participating in text-to-self connections from the read-aloud activity of a novel
• Writing a summary of the story using specific and unique vocabulary and reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries)

Instructional Approach

Juan, as a fifth-grade multilingual learner with Down syndrome, needs direct instruction and the ability to access the fifth-grade reading standards (e.g., analyzing characters, understanding theme, citing textual evidence, etc.) and content language. This requires collaborative input from the general education, special education, and multilingual learner teachers. Here’s an example of their possible roles in the instruction of Juan.

Collaborative Shared Instructional Focus

The instructional focus will center on:

• Access to grade-level, standards-based curriculum for Juan
• High leverage practices, including differentiation to meet his academic, cognitive, language, and social-emotional needs
• Inclusive practices that promote participation with peers
• Language development across the content areas
• IEP goal alignment with academic and functional instruction

Ex: Instructional Approach of a Read-Aloud Literacy Activity

Juan’s Individualized Learning Goal (Aligned to Grade 5 Standards):

With visual and verbal support, Juan will identify key details and main ideas in grade-level texts, embedding UDL considerations and guided instruction.

Material: Wonder by R. J. Palacio is a popular novel about a young boy, Auggie, who has a facial difference, as he navigates school challenges and makes new friends. The story has universal themes like empathy, kindness, and perseverance, which are important for students like Juan.

Let's discuss how to use Wonder in literacy activities with Juan, especially on reading comprehension, vocabulary building, and writing.

• Pre-Reading Activities: Setting the Context - Introduce key concepts and vocabulary
  • Activity Ideas:
    • Visual aids
    • Simple definitions
    • Flashcards- e.g., word “surgery”/other side “picture of a doctor
    • Practice in short sentences or repeat, e.g., Auggie has had surgery to help him with his face
    • Discuss theme - what kindness means, e.g., show pictures of different people helping each other, smiling, or comforting someone, and ask, "What do you think is happening in this picture?"
    • Follow-up: "Can you think of a time when someone was kind to you?" This helps connect the theme to personal experiences.
• Read-Aloud with Interactive Components- Encourage asking questions, making predictions, and reflecting on the book's themes
  • Activity Ideas:
    • Discuss character traits:
      • "How do you think Auggie feels about going to school?"
      • "What do you think makes a good friend?"
      • Visual Support: Use pictures of characters and have Juan match the name with the picture. You can add simple sentences about each character: “This is Auggie. He is brave.”
    • Predicting the Story: Before each section, look at the cover title and predict what will happen:
      • How do you think Auggie feels today?
      • After reading, discuss whether the predictions were correct, and discuss any surprises or new things learned.
    • Using Visuals: While reading, pause and show pictures or use interactive tools (like a whiteboard or chart) to help illustrate key events.
      • Ex: When Auggie first goes to school, you can reinforce the setting with a picture of a school or a child with a backpack.
• Writing Activities - Connect with the story and express thoughts
  • Activity Ideas:
    • Journal Prompts Based on Characters’ Emotions: Write or draw about how a character feels in that part of the story after reading a chapter.
      • Ex: "How do you think Auggie feels when meeting his new classmates? Draw how you think he feels."
      • Help complete sentence starters like: "Auggie feels _______ because _______."
      • Word Bank with relevant vocabulary from the book that he can use to express ideas and access new vocabulary. Ex: “friendship,” “brave,” “kindness,” or “smile.”
• Vocabulary and Comprehension Activities - Build vocabulary and ensure comprehension to understand the theme better
  • Activity Ideas:
    • Character Descriptions: After reading about a character, create a word cloud for that character. Write words that describe their feelings, actions, or appearance.
      • Ex: Create a list of words or phrases that describe Auggie (with your help if needed) and write short sentences about each.
    • Sequencing: After reading a chapter or section, ask to sequence key events from the story.
      • Ex: Provide three pictures representing events from the chapter, and have Juan put them in order.
      • Ex: Use sentence strips to help arrange the events correctly, such as “Auggie meets his new friends” and “Auggie faces his first day at school.”
    • Personal Connections between events in Wonder and one's own life
      • Ex: Has something similar ever happened to you at school? How do you think Auggie feels in this part of the story?”
    • Visual Journal: Draw or write about feelings and connect them to the book’s themes to deepen understanding of the story.
• Post-Reading Activities - Reinforce literacy skills while exploring the book’s themes
  • Activity Ideas:
    • Creating a Friendship Poster or Drawing: Use words and pictures from the story of Auggie with his friends and labeling the qualities that make them good friends (e.g., kind, helpful, brave).
      • Ex: "What makes a good friend?" Juan can draw or write about how Auggie’s friends helped him feel included
    • Generalization of Skills: Apply learned concepts across different subjects or settings.

Assessment Data Analysis

Benchmark Assessment Data

Strength Areas

• Communicates verbally, both spoken and written
• Reads and understands short sentences without visuals
• Uses spoken and written English and spoken Spanish

Gap Areas

• Reading comprehension of longer, complex passages.
• Using specific vocabulary
• Writing summaries in an organized structure.

Reliability Considerations

• Consistency of Data: If the same tool was used consistently across time and with other students. If Juan shows consistent growth across multiple data points (e.g., progress monitoring, classroom observations, formative assessments), the team is more likely to feel confident in the data's reliability.
• Appropriateness of the Assessment: Were assessment conditions appropriate and similar to other assessments (e.g., no distractions, proper time given)?: Information about the benchmark literacy assessment administration did not indicate if it was designed or adapted for students with cognitive disabilities and multilingual backgrounds. Results may not be reliable for Juan.
• Alignment with IEP Goals: The benchmark data should align with classroom performance, teacher observations, and previous assessments. The team will likely feel more confident if Juan’s progress on the benchmark assessment aligns with his IEP literacy goals and other individualized support.
• Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness: Given Juan's multilingual background, assessments that account for his language background would give more trustworthy results.
• Educator Feedback: Do teachers and specialists feel the data reflects Juan’s abilities?

Classroom Assessment Data

Formative Assessment Data

• Reading Skills
  • Read aloud words in context: Struggled with decoding and phonics of specific letter-sound relationships in unfamiliar words.
  • Timed readings: Fluency was slower due to cognitive processing and a lack of consistent exposure to English reading materials. Reads word by word and two-word phrases, with three-word phrases emerging
  • Comprehension checks: Processing and retaining information, recalling details, making inferences, and summarizing main ideas took longer, especially when the content was linguistically complex.
• Writing Skills

• • Daily journaling: Followed basic sentence structures and common words, but was more challenged to use longer sentences with new key vocabulary words that are not typical for a native English speaker.
  • Dictations: Spelling patterns had consistent errors and challenges in generating diverse words (beyond basic vocabulary) in expressive language.

Summative Assessment Data

• Class Observations: Listened and followed directions with repetition and stayed on task with occasional prompts to complete work
• Reading comprehension: Matched relevant images of story elements and vocabulary to sequence a story with peer-assisted support
• Writing expression: Reflected on the message of a story using examples from the story that support the message with one-on-one assistance and teacher team collaboration

Team Analysis

• Strengths: Excels in visual learning, hands-on activities, and social skills, and engages in specific aspects of grade-level content.
• Support needs: Reading comprehension, written expression, or executive functioning (e.g., organization, memory), particularly in language-heavy text.
• Accessibility considerations:

• • Language development: Focus on accessibility strategies that support language development, such as using visuals, simplified texts, language scaffolds, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL): e.g., using videos, audio resources, and manipulatives and demonstrating understanding (e.g., through oral presentations or visual projects instead of written reports).
  • Curriculum: Use differentiated Instruction to help Juan access grade-level standards and might receive simplified versions of assignments, with visual supports, hands-on learning experiences, or assistive technology to aid in comprehension.

Instructional Plan

Based on updated information (e.g., assessment data, team observations, and Juan's current progress), the next step is to integrate personalized supports into the general education curriculum in a targeted, collaborative way with the SPED, and MLL teachers—so Juan can access grade-level content meaningfully, while continuing to build his language and foundational skills. The next step is to take what’s known about Juan now—his strengths, challenges, and current progress—and embed that insight directly into general education instruction with UDL through:

• scaffolded tasks,
• Integrate language skills of oral and writing into the content area of teaching,
• co-teaching,
• and routine progress monitoring.

This ensures Juan is included, challenged appropriately, and steadily progressing toward academic and IEP/language goals.

Next Step: Integrate Targeted, Tiered Supports into General Ed Instruction

1. Prioritize Essential Standards & Skills

• Focus on depth over breadth—choose learning goals aligned to Juan’s IEP and language proficiency.
• Ex: Instead of reading long passages, focus on identifying key ideas using shortened, adapted texts with visuals.

2. Design Scaffolded Lessons Aligned to Those Goals

• Co-plan lessons where Juan can:
  • Work with peers using visuals, sentence frames, and manipulatives
  • Practice core language and concepts in a supported format
• Embed multilingual and special education strategies (e.g., modeling, chunking tasks, pre-teaching vocabulary)

• Juan uses a graphic organizer with picture prompts
• Reads a simplified passage
• Uses a sentence starter: “The main idea is…”

3. Use Co-Teaching or Push-In Support

• Coordinate SPED and MLL teachers' push-in support during content lessons to allow in-the-moment scaffolding, station rotations, and parallel teaching.
• Use flexible grouping so Juan receives targeted help without being pulled out unnecessarily.
• A SPED or MLL teacher supports Juan during collaborative work, helping translate language goals into real-time academic support.

4. Apply Ongoing Formative Assessment

• Use weekly formative checks (exit slips, visuals, oral responses) tailored to Juan’s needs.
• Track academic progress and language growth with support from MLL teacher.
• Adjust the instruction and support based on how Juan responds.

5. Reflect and Adjust in Weekly Team Meetings

• Review what worked (e.g., Juan engaged more during group work when visuals were used)
• Identify needed changes (e.g., shorten assignments or adjust pacing)
• Plan for next week’s lessons collaboratively

Practical Strategies to Help IEP Teams Co-plan Effectively Weekly:

Co-planning as an IEP (Individualized Education Program) team can be challenging with limited time, but it's possible with strategic organization and clear priorities. Here are practical strategies to help IEP teams co-plan effectively weekly:

1. Set a Standing Weekly Time (Even if Short)

• Consistency is key: Schedule a recurring 15–30 minute block weekly.
• Can be before/after school, during a shared prep, or virtually.

2. Use a Shared Planning Tool

• Digital platforms like Google Docs, OneNote, or Trello can help everyone contribute asynchronously.
• Keep a shared IEP planning template with:
  • Weekly goals/objectives
  • Accommodations/supports
  • Progress monitoring notes
  • Upcoming deadlines or concerns

3. Define Weekly Focus Areas

Instead of trying to cover everything, rotate focus:

• Week 1: Academic accommodations
• Week 2: Behavioral supports
• Week 3: Progress monitoring data
• Week 4: Family communication, upcoming meetings

4. Assign Roles to Save Time

• General Ed Teacher: Shares curriculum plans for the week
• Special Ed Teacher: Aligns supports/accommodations
• Multilingual learner Teacher: Links cultural resources to new content language
• Service Providers: Note specific pull-out or push-in needs
• Case Manager: Oversees documentation, ensures compliance

5. Asynchronous Communication

• Use a shared communication log or voice memos
• Example tools: Voxer, Google Keep, Slack, email summaries

6. Focus on One Student per Week

• Rotate through your caseload—spotlight one student weekly for deeper discussion.
• Prevents burnout and ensures attention to detail.

7. Use "IEP-at-a-Glance"

• Quick-reference sheets for each student can help team members know accommodations and goals without pulling the full IEP.
• Keep these updated and accessible to save time in meetings.

8. Prioritize Urgent/Upcoming Needs

Start meetings with:

• “What’s urgent this week?”
• “Any student in crisis?”
• “Any IEPs due soon?”

Sample Weekly Co-Planning Agenda (20 min)

0-5 minutes: Quick updates from each team member

5-10 minutes: Review on student (rotation basis)

10-15 minutes: Plan academic/behavioral supports for next week

15-20 minutes: Assign action items and confirm next steps

Example: Weekly IEP Team Co-Planning Template

Week of: ___________________

Team Members Present:

• GE Teacher: __________________
• SPED Teacher: ______________
• MLL Teacher: _________________
• Others(Psychologist/OT/PT/Speech, etc.): __________________
• Case Manager: __________________

1. Quick Updates (5 min)

• Any major student issues or celebrations?
• Attendance/behavior concerns?
• New parent communication?

Notes:

2. Student Spotlight (5-10 Min)

Student name______________________________

• Area
• Strengths
• Current Challenge
• Weekly Goal Focus
• Accommodations to emphasize
• Data to collect or monitor
• Family communication needed

3. Instructional Planning & Supports (5 min):

• ELA
  • What's being taught?
  • Accommodations/supports
  • Who's responsible?
• Math
  • What's being taught?
  • Accommodations/supports
  • Who's responsible?

4. Action Items & Follow-Up (Last 2-3 min)

• Task
• Person Responsible
• Due Date

Next Week’s Student Spotlight: __________________

Continue Effective Strategies

• Graphic organizer + sentence frame of main idea + details with icons and read with peer buddy to identify the main idea in adapted passages and help to stay focused
• Used visual models successfully in a small group
• Front-load key vocabulary with images or videos and gestures
• Text-to-speech device (optional)
• Level-adapted text with visuals

Add New Supports

• More modeling before independent work
• Practice identifying key details with visuals before the next lesson
• Shortened writing tasks for the next lesson
• Simplified text version with fill-in-the-blank format
• Share verbally or with support from a sentence card
• Group shares the main idea with the educational assistant's support
• Model think-aloud strategy, highlight text, model using sentence frame “The main idea is ___ because ___.” State the main idea verbally and in writing in short paragraphs
• Sticky notes or color-coding tools

Progress Monitoring

• Data team sharing, including assessments, observations, anecdotal notes, and work samples
• Gauge support needs for independent reading and writing practices

Resources

TIES Center: The 5-15-45 Tool - Collaborative Co-Planning

https://tiescenter.org/topics/inclusive-instruction/5-15-45-tool

NCEO: English Learners with Disabilities Toolkit

https://nceo.info/Resources/series/english-learners-with-disabilities-toolkit

Student: Kathryn | Grade: 7

Student Overview

Kathryn is a sociable 7th grader who enjoys school, connects well with peers, and actively participates in classes, activities, and extracurriculars. While struggling with expressive communication, she is increasingly motivated to use her AAC device when interacting with classmates. Kathryn has an intellectual disability. She thrives academically when she:

• Works in small groups with her classmates
• Is pre-taught a unit's vocabulary and key concepts
• Has visual supports to increase understanding
• Uses word-prediction software for writing her ideas

Educational History

Preschool

• Kathryn attended an inclusive neighborhood preschool with special education support
• She began using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to enhance expressive communication and address frustrations

K-5

• Kathryn was placed in a multi-grade, self-contained special education classroom
• In 3rd grade, she began taking the state alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards
• Although the law mandates that all students receive instruction aligned with grade-level standards, during her time in 5th grade, her entire multi-grade class was taught using a 3rd-grade alternative curriculum rather than being based on the 5th-grade standards."

6th Grade

• She was enrolled in the neighborhood middle school after her parents advocated for inclusion.
• Her schedule included five general education classes and two special education resource classes (Math and ELA general education classes were co-taught by general education and special education teachers).
• Given the state’s updated guidance on who qualifies for the alternate assessment and her academic performance, her IEP team determined that Kathryn did not meet the criteria to take the alternate assessment and should take the general assessment.
• Her parents supported the change to the general assessment despite concerns about her:
  • Learning gaps from her previous instruction were not aligned with grade level standards
  • Reading/comprehension difficulties with complex text
  • Potential frustration with more difficult content and assessments without proper adaptations and instructional modifications, which could lead to an increase in avoidance and frustration behaviors
• Kathryn faced greater challenges with peer interactions in sixth grade and showed more frustration-driven behaviors as academic and social expectations increased. Her team addressed these needs as they arose and identified proactive strategies to support her, including:
  • Using social stories to help her anticipate and navigate common peer situations.
  • Facilitating peer buddy systems or peer-mediated interventions to help classmates understand how to support and engage with Kathryn in inclusive ways.
  • Reinforcing positive collaboration by providing positive reinforcement to all students when they interact respectfully and work together.
  • Scaffolding instruction and adjusting pacing, while striving to maintain alignment with grade-level standards as much as possible.

7th Grade

• Kathryn is enrolled in six general education classes (Math and ELA are co-taught classes) and one special education support class.
• With the support of the speech-language pathologist, she began learning to use a more advanced AAC system to enhance communication clarity, particularly related to expressing her feelings, and supporting academic participation.
• Her team uses the proactive intervention strategies that were identified in sixth grade to build peer relationships and reduce frustration. Kathryn is showing greater success engaging with peers and fewer frustration-driven behaviors.
• Her parents continue to advocate for inclusive education to prepare for a post-secondary program.

7th Grade Science Unit Plan

State Middle School Standard

Understand forms of energy, energy transfer and transformation, and conservation in mechanical systems.

Unit's Essential Learnings

1. Energy exists in different forms (potential and kinetic)
2. Energy transforms between forms
3. Energy transfers between objects through work
4. Energy is conserved in mechanical systems

Demonstration of Understanding

All students will show understanding by:

• Identifying examples of potential and kinetic energy in everyday situations
• Participating in hands-on experiments demonstrating energy transfer
• Creating/selecting visual representations showing energy transformation/transfer

Instructional Approach

To support Kathryn in learning based on the grade-level science standard, her team will:

• First, focus the unit’s essential learnings rather than mastering all related details for each concept. When she shows understanding of a concept, a few additional details will be added to deepen her understanding.
• Use concrete examples and illustrations to teach concepts
• Provide additional vocabulary instruction in small groups
• Support student learning through peer collaboration.
• Program her AAC device to include key academic vocabulary and concepts related to energy and its transformations
• Monitor her progress in understanding the concepts through the student learning management system, as is done for all students.

Achieving this requires collaboration across the general education and special education teachers, as well as the speech pathologist and social worker.

Assessment Data Analysis

Benchmark Assessment Data

Strength Areas

• Sight word recognition
• Understanding literal, concrete information in simple texts
• Using and applying visual information and symbols

Gap Areas

• Knowledge gaps and independent reading level
• Better comprehension when content is read aloud with visual supports
• Written expression challenges despite verbal/AAC explanation abilities

Reliability Considerations

• Strong motivation during assessments
• Uncertain if during the development of the benchmark assessment the company included students with intellectual disabilities in its sample. No information could be found either online or in the assessment manual.
• Kathryn’s K–5 education took place in multi-grade classrooms that used an alternate curriculum. This may have resulted in learning gaps that affect her ability to meet 7th-grade benchmarks.
• Kathryn’s team views the benchmark assessment results as informative for identifying gaps that she has in her content and skills areas. They are less confident about the accuracy of the scores for students with an intellectual disability.

Classroom Assessments

Formative Assessment Data

• Vocabulary Checks:
  • Kathryn understands the core terms related to the unit’s essential learning when the words are paired with visual supports or an example.
  • She demonstrates her understanding using manipulatives and visual matching
  • She struggles with the vocabulary meanings when there is only a written text that is not anchored with an example.

• Exit Tickets:
  • Kathryn identifies the various types of energy in simplified examples with 70-80% accuracy.
  • She needs verbal prompting to identify them in more complex examples.
• Lab Participation:
  • Kathryn actively engages in experiments when working with a peer.
  • She follows visual step-by-step procedures to guide her actions. (Note: The visual procedures area available to all students.)
  • She documents her lab work using drawings, fill-in-the-blank worksheets, and by using her AAC device to orally describe each step and the outcome.
• Class Discussions:
  • Kathryn contributes meaningfully via AAC when given adequate processing time and when the questions are given to her in advance so she and a partner can prepare their responses.
• Group Work:
  • Kathryn is more engaged with the class assignments when they are completed in pairs or small groups with her peers.
  • She will work individually for up to 10 minutes if the directions and the task is clear to her. Providing an example of the finished product helps her to complete an assignment.

Summative Assessment Data

• Unit Quizes:
  • Scores 60-70% on adapted classroom unit assessments with accommodations (e.g. more time, having the items read to her as she reads them). Without the accommodations, she often scores 30-40%.
• Hands-on Demonstration:
  • Kathryn is able to verbally explain her lab reports with promptin, sometimes using her AAC for extended vocabulary. For example, when constructing a simple roller coaster model, she can identify different types of energy with appropriate prompting.
• Visual Representations:
  • By either drawing a representations with teacher guidance or peer support or using drag and drop technology, Kathryn can illustrate her knowledge of simple energy transformations
  • Using visuals, she can identify 3-4 familiar examples of real-life energy transformations and the correct sequence of events (3-4 steps) 60%- 70% of the opportunities.

Team Analysis

Given these classroom formative and summative data, the team is confident that, with appropriate supports, Kathryn has developed a foundational understanding of 7th-grade energy concepts and can apply these essential learnings to real-life examples. The next steps are to strengthen her ability to apply these concepts more independently and to support her progression from concrete to more abstract understanding.

Instructional Plan

The goal is to maintain 7th-grade content rigor while providing the necessary instructional supports. Based on the current assessment data, the team (e.g., science teacher, special education teacher, speech pathologist, and the class paraprofessional support provided twice weekly) will:

Continue Effective Strategies

• Use multiple representation forms (tactile, visual, auditory) for whole-class and station teaching
• Pre-teach vocabulary using pictures, graphics, and short videos twice a week during science stations when the paraprofessional joins the class. Other students who need to build background knowledge will join her at this station.
• Strategic small group pairing with peers who can model academic language and the application of the energy
• principles to everyday examples, while allowing her processing time.
• Build in wait time for Kathryn to respond using her AAC device
• Continue intensive reading/writing instruction during the special education resource period

Add New Supports

• Create a personal visual vocabulary wall with sentence stems to support to help her start sentences about the terms
• Program AAC device with matching sentence stems for classroom participation
• Develop visual response cards for formative class checks
• Break lab experiments into smaller sequential steps with visual supports

Progress Monitoring

• Brief daily check-ins for concept understanding
• Simple visual chart for self-monitoring progress
• Collection of work samples across different modalities to show Kathryn’s growth in learning the content

Practical Strategies for Instructional Co-Planning:

1. Weekly Team Planning Sessions: Establish a consistent weekly meeting time (even if brief) where the team will:

• Identify the upcoming unit's focus and scope
• Determine the essential learning objectives for each lesson
• Plan specific instructional adaptations Kathryn needs to succeed
• Document and share meeting notes with any team members who cannot attend

This ensures everyone stays aligned on priorities and adaptations before instruction begins.

2. Standards-Based Co-Planning Protocol

All student learning goals and activities must align with grade-level standards. The planning process follows this sequence:

1. Start with the grade-level standard that will be the focus of instruction
2. Identify the instructional objective and overall plan for the unit or lesson
3. Determine the essential learning that all students, at a minimum, will learn
4. Design adaptations and modifications to help individual students access and demonstrate this learning

This represents a fundamental shift in planning philosophy. Instead of beginning with an individual student's perceived limitations or specialized needs and working backward, teams start with the academic expectation and work forward to ensure every student can meaningfully engage with that content.

This standards-first approach ensures that students like Kathryn receive instruction anchored in appropriate academic rigor, with supports designed to provide access rather than create separate, lower-level learning experiences. Any specialized instruction, when needed, becomes a bridge to grade-level content, not a substitution in place of it.

3. Shared Digital Access and Permissions

Ensure comprehensive digital collaboration by:

• Granting all team members full access to the school's online student instructional management system
• Providing permissions for team members to view and add instructional adaptations on the general education unit plans and lesson materials
• Enabling access to classroom performance data showing student learning progress

This eliminates information silos and ensures everyone can see the complete picture of Kathryn's academic program and progress, supporting better alignment and more informed decision-making.

Resources

The 5-15-45 Tool - Collaborative Co-Planning

https://tiescenter.org/topics/inclusive-instruction/5-15-45-tool

Student: Arnie| Grade: 10

Student Overview

Arnie is a motivated and thoughtful 10th grader who enjoys being part of his school community and has a strong group of friends. He takes pride in his schoolwork and actively participates in class discussions, especially when topics connect to his interests, like sports and technology. Arnie has an intellectual disability and experiences challenges with reading comprehension and written expression, but he is highly engaged when lessons incorporate visuals, hands-on learning, and opportunities to work with peers.

Educational History

Pre-K

• Began receiving early intervention services in preschool
• Attended his neighborhood school with special education supports
• Followed along with books and group activities

K-8

• Demonstrated strengths in social communication and basic mathematics problem solving but needed support to organize his thoughts, read on grade-level, solve multi-step mathematics problems, and express himself in writing
• By 2nd grade, he began using graphic organizers and speech-to-text tools, which helped reduce his frustration and allowed him to participate more fully in classroom activities
• From 3rd to 6th grade, Arnie was in a self-contained special education class for most of the day, which limited his access to the general education curriculum
• In 7th grade, his family and school team collaborated to increase his inclusion in general education classes
• After a 3-year re-evaluation, the team determined Arnie was no longer eligible for the alternate assessment and would take standard state assessments with accommodations rather than alternate assessments
• This transition presented challenges as Arnie had gaps in his learning due to limited exposure to grade-level content

High School:

• Currently enrolled in a combination of co-taught and general education classes with accommodations
• Attends one daily support class taught by a special education teacher
• IEP goals focus on building independence in academic tasks, using assistive technology, and developing skills for adult life
• Parents and Arnie advocate for inclusive education to prepare him for potential post-secondary opportunities and employment

⇨ Transition from the alternate to the general assessment

During middle school, Arnie participated in his state’s alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards. However, at the end of 8th grade, his IEP team reviewed Arnie’s re-evaluation data for special education services, and determined that Arnie no longer met the eligibility criteria for the alternate assessment. In 9th grade, he began participating in the general assessment aligned with grade-level standards.

This change was discussed thoroughly with his parents, who appreciated the team’s high expectations for Arnie but expressed concerns about the increased academic demands. The team emphasized that with the right supports—including scaffolded instruction, adapted materials, and ongoing collaboration—Arnie could make meaningful progress in the general curriculum. His parents were hopeful this shift would expand postsecondary options, including eligibility for a college-based transition program after graduation.

10th Grade Geometry Unit Plan

State Standard

Understand and apply theorems about triangles, including the Pythagorean theorem, triangle congruence, and triangle similarity.

Unit Essential Learnings

1. Triangle Congruence and Proof: Use congruence postulates (SSS, SAS, ASA, AAS) to prove triangles congruent and apply these proofs to solve for unknown angles and side lengths in complex geometric figures
2. Triangle Similarity and Proportional Reasoning: Apply similarity theorems (AA, SAS, SSS) to determine when triangles are similar, calculate missing measurements using proportional relationships, and solve real-world problems involving indirect measurement
3. Pythagorean Theorem Applications in Coordinate Geometry: Apply the Pythagorean theorem and its converse to find distances between points on a coordinate plane, determine if triangles are right triangles, and solve complex multi-step problems involving right triangle relationships
4. Triangle Inequality and Advanced Properties: Apply the triangle inequality theorem to determine possible side lengths, analyze relationships between angles and sides in triangles, and use these properties in geometric proofs

Demonstration of Understanding

All students will show understanding by:

• Identifying and construct triangle types (isosceles, right, equilateral) using physical models, digital tools, and/or sketching.
• Using the Pythagorean theorem to find side lengths of isosceles and right triangles when using visual supports and formula references
• Using the Pythagorean theorem to find the perimeter and area of a triangle when using visual supports and formula references
• Proving why the Pythagorean theorem works
• Applying triangle concepts to measure and analyze real structures in the school or community
• Creating a digital or physical project that shows how triangles are used in real life

Instructional Approach

The instructional focus will center on:

• Access to grade-level, rigorous geometry standards for Arnie while addressing learning gaps
• Concrete to abstract progression using manipulatives, technology, and visual models before moving to formal proofs
• Inclusive practices that promote peer collaboration and mathematical discourse
• Scaffolded proof-writing with sentence frames and logical reasoning supports
• IEP goal alignment with academic geometry standards and functional applications

Assessment Data Analysis

Benchmark Assessment Data

Strength Areas

• Spatial reasoning and geometric visualization: Successfully identifies geometric relationships when presented with visual models
• Concrete application of formulas: Applies Pythagorean theorem accurately when given structured supports and real-world contexts
• Technology-assisted problem solving: Shows improved performance when using digital geometry tools and calculators

Gap Areas

• Abstract reasoning in formal proofs: Struggles with logical sequence and formal mathematical language without scaffolding
• Multi-step problem solving: Needs support breaking down complex geometric problems into manageable components
• Mathematical communication: Requires support expressing geometric reasoning in written form

Reliability Considerations

• Arnie's motivation positively impacts his assessment performance
• Arnie's strong spatial skills may not be fully captured by traditional paper-and-pencil assessments
• Performance improves significantly with visual supports and manipulatives
• Learning gaps from previous educational placement affect baseline geometric reasoning skills

Classroom Assessment Data

Formative Assessment Data

• Vocabulary Checks: Successfully matches geometric terms to visual representations; can identify key components of triangles when using digital tools
• Exit Tickets: Identifies triangle types with 80-90% accuracy; applies the Pythagorean theorem with 70-75% accuracy when given a formula reference
• Hands-on Activities: Excels at measuring and constructing triangles using physical tools; accurately uses a protractor to measure angles
• Class Discussions: Contributes practical applications of geometric concepts; makes connections between triangles and real-world structures
• Group Work: Shows stronger problem-solving abilities when collaborating with peers; benefits from thinking aloud about geometric relationships

Summative Assessment Data

• Unit Quiz: Scores approximately 70-80% on items with visual supports and formula references; struggles with items requiring extended written explanations
• Geometric Construction Task: Successfully constructs triangles with given specifications using compass and straightedge with minimal prompting
• Digital Presentation: Creates effective visual explanations of the Pythagorean theorem related to sports field dimensions (a personal interest)
• Application Project: Accurately measures and analyzes triangular structures in the school building; calculates missing dimensions using appropriate formulas

Team Analysis

The team concludes that Arnie demonstrates solid understanding of fundamental triangle concepts when provided with visual supports and concrete applications. His spatial reasoning skills are significantly stronger than his ability to express geometric concepts in writing. The data suggests that Arnie can successfully apply geometric concepts in practical contexts while needing continued support with abstract reasoning and mathematical communication.

Instructional Plan

Based on their analysis, what can the team tell about Arnie accessing the grade-level, standards-based geometry instruction?

The team concludes that Arnie demonstrates solid understanding of fundamental triangle concepts when provided with appropriate supports. His spatial reasoning skills and ability to work with concrete applications are significantly stronger than his abstract reasoning and written mathematical communication. The assessment data reveals that Arnie can meaningfully access grade-level geometry standards when instruction includes visual supports, hands-on activities, and real-world applications. His performance improves dramatically when allowed to demonstrate understanding through multiple modalities rather than traditional written assessments alone.

Continue Effective Strategies

• Visual supports and color-coding for different triangle types and properties
• Hands-on manipulatives and physical models of geometric concepts
• Connections to real-world applications, especially related to sports
• Strategic peer grouping that allows for collaborative problem-solving

Add New Supports

• Pre-teaching vocabulary with visual supports and concrete examples
• Technology accommodations (text-to-speech, speech-to-text) for reading and writing
• Practice technology use for accessing and demonstrating geometric understanding
• Build self-advocacy skills for requesting accommodations or clarification

Progress Monitoring

• Brief daily check-ins for concept understanding
• Simple visual chart for self-monitoring progress
• Collection of work samples across different modalities to show Arnie’s growth in learning the content