Uncommon Schools - Grab & Go

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Analyze and Plan Cold Call Prompts

Planning Activity
Objective: Improve your use of Cold Call by analyzing and critiquing a list of prompts, and
then draft two prompts for an upcoming lesson.
Task: In this activity, you will read and analyze different Cold Call prompts, evaluate and
revise the prompts based on four keys for effective Cold Call, and then draft two Cold Calls
to add to an upcoming lesson.
Adaptation for School Leaders: You can use the prompts for a mini-PD with your whole staff
or a grade level team, adapting or adding in your own examples for your particular school
context.
Estimated Time: 25 minutes
Background: Champion teachers call on whom they want to participate, regardless of whose
hand is raised. This allows them to (1) Check for Understanding effectively and
systematically, (2) Foster a culture of engaged accountability by ensuring that all students
think it’s possible that they’re about to be called on, (3) Drive the pacing of their lesson, (4)
Incentivize students to give maximum effort on rigorous questions and tasks as they know
they could be called on to share their thinking publicly.
Here are four keys to effective Cold Call:
• Be Positive: It’s not a “gotcha” (e.g., “What did I just say?”) but a real question. You
want students to get it right. A smile always helps to increase positivity.
• Be Systematic: Show that it’s universal and not personal; Cold Calls come to
everyone. Call on multiple students, all around the room. This helps Cold Call support
Check for Understanding.
• Be Predictable: Let students know it’s coming, either right now or eventually.
• Unbundle: Break big complex questions apart into smaller connected ones. This will
increase pacing and energy and cause students to listen to one another.
This free resource comes from the Grab and Go section of www.teachlikeachampion.com. As you customize, please credit us as the source. Thanks!
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Analyze and Plan Cold Call Prompts Directions
Step 1 (10 minutes) Analysis. Read through the prompts below. Then:
1. Decide whether or not each prompt meets the keys for effective Cold Call.
2. If it meets one or more criteria, explain how/when the prompt would be most
effectively used in a classroom. If it doesn’t meet any of the criteria, revise to make it
a more effective Cold Call. Consider making additional adaptations to your own grade
level or subject area, teaching style, or to make the prompt enact more of the keys.
Step 2 (3-5 minutes) Optional Discussion. With a colleague, share 3-4 of the scenarios, your
analysis, and your revised language. Questions to drive your discussion:
• What was effective/ineffective about the Cold Call prompt?

• What message about classroom participation does the prompt send to the students?
• Do any of the prompts seem to be a “gotcha” Cold Call?
• Do any of the Cold Calls seem to be based on personal bias?
• Does the teacher seem to be calling on students only because the teacher knows
that the student knows the material?
Step 3 (5 minutes) Draft Prompts for an Upcoming Lesson: Keeping in mind the four keys,
identify two moments in an upcoming lesson when you could Cold Call and draft your
questions. Note: If this is the first time you’re using Cold Call with your students, you’ll want
to explain what you’re doing and why.
Prompts for Analysis
Prompt: Can I start with you, Max?
Predictable
Systematic
 Positive
Unbundled
I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

It is a positive invitation to join the conversation. The risk with this prompt would be using it
with a student who may try to opt out, so I’d be prepared to encourage them to try.
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Prompt: To a student who is staring out the window: Do you know the answer, Sara?
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
Prompt: Working on a multi-step math problem: “Now, what do I do next? Take a minute to
think it through. Shayna?
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
Prompt: What words best describe Wilbur’s personality? I’m going to move around quickly
and try to hear a lot of opinions. Let’s start with…Donald?
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
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Prompt: Tell us three major causes of the American Civil War, Ariel.
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
Prompt: It’s time to show what you know. For our vocabulary review today, I’m going to Cold
Call. Jesse, please give us the definition of “liberate”
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
Prompt: Mitch, you love multiplication. What’s 16 x 9?

Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
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Draft Your Own:
Prompt #1:
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
I’m using this prompt at this point in the lesson because….
Prompt #2:
Predictable
Systematic
Positive
Unbundled
I’m using this prompt at this point in the lesson because….
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NONDENOMINATIONAL PROMPT
A PROMPT TO HELP YOUR STUDENTS CRAFT
ARTFUL SENTENCES
Prompt 3: Nondenominational Prompt, a general prompt for a single great sentence. The benefit of this type of
prompt is that it offers students the most autonomy to express their ideas.
Sample Nondenominational Prompts. Here are some examples of nondenominational prompts.
 In one carefully crafted sentence, describe a central theme of this short story.
 On the basis of today's reading, describe the impact of the Stamp Act in a single well‐written
sentence.
 In a single beautifully written sentence, explain the contrast of the settings between Chapters 1
and 2.
 Write a sentence summarizing the key discussion points on today's discussion about …

The biggest challenge in using nondenominational prompts is that the resulting sentences can be low rigor and
poor quality if students haven't been equipped with tools for crafting top‐quality sentences. The best time to use
nondenominational prompts is after students have had some practice with sentence starters and sentence
parameters—prompts that provide them with structures and tools for writing quality sentences. Before using
nondenominational prompts be explicit about your criteria for an “excellent” or “beautiful” sentence, so that
students have a clear set of quality guidelines to follow. On the next page you’ll find a list of criteria that’s posted
on the wall in a high‐performing teacher’s classroom. Of course you may adapt this list to fit the needs of your
students. In addition to its primary benefit of setting clear expectations, we found it powerful for establishing a
common language that students could use when drafting and reviewing their own sentences as well as for sharing
feedback on sentences that their peers have drafted.

For more on the topic: Chapter 4: Writing for Reading in Reading Reconsidered by Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica
Woolway. The Art of the Sentence (AOS) technique is also highlighted in Teach Like a Champion 2.0. Find out more at
teachlikeachampion.com. Please include copyright line in any distribution: Reading Reconsidered, © 2016 by Doug Lemov &
Uncommon Schools; published by Jossey‐Bass, a Wiley brand.

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CRITERIA FOR AN “EXCELLENT” SENTENCE

 Start with something other than a subject noun,
pronoun, or definite article
 Include carefully chosen words
 Pay particular attention to the verbs
 Strike out unnecessary words
 Precision matters
 Respond directly to the prompt
For more on the topic: Chapter 4: Writing for Reading in Reading Reconsidered by Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica
Woolway. The Art of the Sentence (AOS) technique is also highlighted in Teach Like a Champion 2.0. Find out more at
teachlikeachampion.com. Please include copyright line in any distribution: Reading Reconsidered, © 2016 by Doug Lemov &
Uncommon Schools; published by Jossey‐Bass, a Wiley brand.

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BOOST CREATIVITY IN
THE CLASSROOM
Consider these three different approaches to help unlock the artist
inside your student!
CELEBRATE BEAUTY
"We’ve been working on beautiful sentences, and

you can see our Beautiful Sentences on the back
wall is growing every day. We’re going to be
focusing on writing more Beautiful Sentences
today.” It’s not just one sentence; it’s one beautiful
sentence. Kirby reminds the students every day that,
through their writing, they are creators of beauty.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/teacher-curator-writing-art-kirbys-class-guest-
post-jen-rugani/
NARROW THE FOCUS
This suggestion works well across all creative

disciplines: giving a constraint, or a specific
prompt that forces your student to think narrowly.
An example: Sketch only doors.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/thoughts-creativity-arts-amateur/
CURATE EXCELLENCE
Post a “sentence of the day” to read and celebrate before

students dismiss at the end of the day. This can come
from any piece of student writing from any content block,
so students can invest in the quality of their writing in
math as much as they do in literacy.
Dedicate more time, every day and especially in the first

weeks of school, for students to read their own work out
loud. It will be especially important to prepare and
practice with students who might be more reticent or shy
to share.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/teacher-curator-writing-art-kirbys-class-guest-post-jen-rugani/
WWW.TEACHLIKEACHAMPION.COM
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Sharpen Up Phrases for Call and Response
Common Challenges Potential Response(s)

Too Loud • “I love the enthusiasm but let’s do it again in our
speaking/indoor voice.”
• “Match my voice” (then model a quieter response)/ “Say it as
loud as I do”, etc.
• “Try turning it down a notch.” Then gesture as if you’re turning
down the volume to signal you want it quieter.
Not All Students • “We need the whole team.”

Respond • “I need to hear everyone with us!”
• “Every voice.”
• “We just need the back row to join us!”
Too Fast • “Match my speed”

• “Slower—so I can hear every number/syllable,” etc.
• “Stretch it out now.”
• “Tap the brakes a little.”
Non-Response/ • “Let’s try again so I can hear your voices.”

Low Energy • “Match my voice with your voice.”
• “This time, say it loud enough for Ms. Driggs to hear you down
the hall.”
• “Again, with a little more ganas/ verve / excitement….” etc.
• “Column one is bringing it today. Don’t let them show you up.
Everyone, on two…!”
• Say with a hint of challenge, “I can’t hear you!”/ “Oh, I know
you guys can give me a little more than that.”
Out of Sync • “On my signal…”

• “Everyone on two. One…two!”/ “On the count of three, tell
me…”
• “Gotta make it crisp. It means, to what?!”
• “One team (gesturing to class). One voice”
1
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Guidance for Designing and Analyzing Exit Tickets

For all teachers, time is a precious resource. Having best practices in place for designing and reviewing Exit Tickets to reflect on your own
teaching is key to ensuring learning happens in the classroom, as well as working on your personal teaching challenges.
● Start your lesson planning with the Exit Ticket question in

mind. That way, you’ll hit the key points that will convey
the most important content of the lesson.
● Vary format (for example, use both multiple choice and
open-ended questions) and rigor (for example, drafting
questions that build on each other) for a more complete
picture of student comprehension. The sequence of
Design to Pinpoint Depth of Student Understanding questions can help you identify exactly where
understanding breaks down.
● Include “why” and “how” questions in your Exit Ticket to
see whether students demonstrate reliability in their
mastery of concepts.
● Keep questions short. Exit Tickets should take no more
than 5 minutes for students to complete.
● Sort data immediately, either tallying student responses

or sorting into piles based on correct/incorrect
responses.
● Identify the “why’s” behind both successes and errors in
student responses.
● Make quick notes directly on the Exit Ticket for areas that
Analyze Data Efficiently need future reinforcement.
● Figure out what to do with the data you glean from the
Exit Tickets: reteaching if the entire class needs more
work on the concept; giving the entire class small
additional practice on a concept; or putting together
small tutoring groups for those students that need it..
● Consider giving Exit Tickets back to students the next day
to correct or redo.
©Teach Like a Champion 2018.

Read more at http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/upon-reflection-exit-tickets/ and http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/even-analyzing-exit-tickets/
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DEVELOPING
SKILLED CLOSE
READERS
Tools to Support Close Reading
USE SENSITIVITY
ANALYSIS
Offer students a key sentence from a
text and then a similar sentence with a
few important changes. Ask students to
observe what's different between the
sentences, and then analyze how the
differences affect meaning and
understanding.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/lost-dust-storm-colleen-driggs-helps-improve-teaching-
sensitivity-analysis/
MASTER
PARAPHRASING
Ask students to paraphrase—not
summarize—a passage so that they
understand the complexity of authorial
choices. It will help them better
understand the themes and nuances of
a text, rather than simple plot details.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/excerpt-chapter-two-reading-reconsidered/
EMPLOY TEXT-
DEPENDENT
QUESTIONS
TDQ's might be either questions to
establish meaning or questions to
analyze meaning, but they both require
an attention to the text that goes
beyond generalizations. Find questions
that focus on sentence/phrase level,
sentence/line, or paragraph/stanza level
to practice close reading.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/excerpt-chapter-two-reading-reconsidered/
PAUSE TO EMPHASIZE
KEY TEXT MOMENTS
Help students parse meaning in a
difficult text by pausing when reading
together to ask a question on the
sentence or paragraph level that
prompts critical reflection from your
students.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/preventing-gist-discussion-daily-
template-close-reading/
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COMMON PLACE
BOOKS
AND
FACTUAL
MARGIN NOTES
TWO STRATEGIES TO STRENGTHEN
KNOWLEDGE BUILDING IN YOUR OWN READING
Common place book: Margin notes: note points

transcribe passages of of knowledge or personal
meaningful text from reflections.
various sources.
Factual margin notes:

The usage of common facts you want to drive
place books began in the into long term memory,
15th century but were e.g., Pliocene, begins 5M
truly popular by the 17th year ago, earliest
century. hominids, climactically
disruptive.
Things to consider when

purchasing a Reflective margin notes:
commonplace book: keep track of ideas
sparked by reading, e.g.,
-Size (make it easily Hamlet's concern that his
accessible) actions may be
-Distinctive (don't considered political,
confuse it for other rather than personal,
notebooks) delay his vengeance.
Factual Margin Notes

Common place books push one to attend
help spark recall of text consciously to facts.
and serve as a review for Writing them down helps
previously read encode them in long term
books/passages. memory for future recall
and use.
To Learn More, Visit: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/learning-emphasize-background-knowledge-reading/

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Consequence vs. Correction

Case Studies
Objective: Improve your ability to determine when to give students a consequence or a

correction in different classroom scenarios.
Task: In this activity, you will read and analyze classroom scenarios in which you must
decide between giving a student(s) a consequence or a correction. Following discussion and
reflection, you will generate two guidelines for directing your future decision making.
Adaptation for School Leaders: You can use these case studies for a mini-PD with your whole
staff or a grade level team, adding in your own guidelines, and adapting the scenarios to
your particular school context.
Estimated Time: 20-25 minutes
Background: One of the trickiest aspects of managing a classroom is deciding when to give
a consequence versus a correction. The question is tough because teachers must decide
each scenario on a case-by-case basis and they need to do so swiftly, consistently, and
repeatedly. Here are some rules of thumb that great teachers follow when faced with this
common dilemma:
• Persistence and Repetition: When students persistently engage in off-task behavior

that they know they shouldn’t, the teacher should err on the side of a consequence. If
it seems like the cause is distraction or a misunderstanding, err on the side of
correction
• Degree of disruption: If a student’s behavior doesn’t disrupt others’ learning, then it’s
probably better to give a correction; if it does, give a consequence.
• Motivation: If a student is clearly testing your expectations, give a consequence.
Tolerating willful defiance corrodes your authority in the eyes of the student as well
as the rest of the class.
• And, Not Or: You could also give a correction and a consequence. If you do, it’s better
to give a correction before the consequence, because it gives the student time to
reflect.
Directions
Step 1 (5-7 minutes) Analysis. After reading the rules of thumb (above), apply them—
and any of your own—t o the following case studies. Jot down whether you would deliver a
consequence or correction and why, as well as script the language you would use
Option: Add 1-2 scenarios you’re experienced, and determine, in hindsight, if you would give
a consequence or correction.
Step 2 (8-10 minutes) Optional Discussion. With a colleague, share 3-4 of the scenarios,
your rationale, and your language.
Step 3 (3-5 minutes) Reflection Record two takeaways you want to remember the next time
you have to decide between giving a student a consequence or a correction.
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Consequence vs. Correction Scenarios
Directions:
For each of the scenarios below, jot down whether you would use a consequence or
correction, why, and script the language you would use.
Scenario Consequence or Script your correction or

Correction? Why? consequence
1) A’fonte has had his head down three

times throughout the lesson. You have
used a non-verbal re-direct and he sat up
slightly. A few minutes later you
corrected him privately and he adjusted
his posture. Five minutes later his head
is down again.
2) At the end of the Do Now, you give the

class 3 seconds (with an audible
countdown) to finish the word they’re
writing and sit in SLANT (or learner’s
position). Kelli, a student in the front row,
continues writing after you have counted
down to zero and all other students are
sitting in SLANT.
3) You notice Dyonte, who almost always

follows directions, is whispering to the girl
next to him during silent Independent
Practice time. When you walk over to
address the students, Dyonte slides
something into his desk and says, “I was
helping her with number 3!”
4) During whole class instruction, Mark, a

naturally energetic student, begins to do
a little dance in his seat. When you look
in his direction, he immediately stops.
But once he thinks you’re looking away,
he continues.
Add your own:
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Consequence vs. Correction Scenarios (Cont’d)
Scenario Consequence or Script your correction or

Correction? Why? consequence
Add Your Own:
Add Your Own:
Reflection:
What are the two most important things you learned from this activity that you want to
remember when deciding between giving a consequence and a correction?
1.
2.
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Example Phrases for Building a Culture of Error
Expect Error
• “I’m really glad that you made that mistake. It’s going to help me to help you.”
• “Wrong answers are really helpful because we learn from the mistakes we
make.”
• “Which of these options do you think this is my favorite wrong answer?”
• (After students point out a teacher’s mistake) “Oooh, you all just caught the best
mistake I ever made! This is great!”
• “I suspect there’s going to be some disagreement here.”
• After scanning the room to check which answers students picked, say excitedly,
“We have a lot of disagreement on this one!”
Withhold the Answer

• “For the four options to this question, I don’t want to begin by asking which one
you think is right because I want to focus on the explanations that we have.”
• “I see several students picked answer choice X and that several others picked
answer choice Y. How can I defend my answer whether I picked X or Y?”
• “I heard some snaps and I heard some stomps. College discussion. Be ready to
defend your answer.”
Praise Risk-Taking
• “I love the fact that this is a hard question and that I see so many brave hands in
the air. Thank you for taking a risk.”
• “People have debated this question for centuries. Who even knows if there’s a
right answer. What’s important is that you’re really grappling with it.”
• “This is a tough question. If you’re struggling with it, that’s a good sign. Now,
who will be bold and start us off?”
• “Romele has been brave enough to offer to share his work so that we can revise
it because he made a mistake that a lot of us made. So, give him two claps on
two. One…two!”
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Help your
students
practice
responding
in a format
that
communicates
the
worthiness
of their ideas.
FORMAT MATTERS
TEACHLIKEACHAMPION.COM
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To practice your Format Matters, we've

shared an excerpt from the Teach Like
Champion Field Guide 2.0 in the following
pages. As it references a video clip, you may
find that here:
bit.ly/FormatMattersAugust
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FORMAT MATTERS (TECHNIQUE 14) helps teachers establish and uphold the expectation that students should
consistently communicate in a format that is clear and complete when in school. To reinforce this standard of
discourse, they respond to lapses efficiently and in a tone that’s supportive and nonjudgmental. In the simplest
form of Format Matters, teachers require students to format their responses in complete sentences that are
grammatical and audible.
Complete Sentence Format
The complete sentence is the battering ram that knocks down the door to college. Insist that students express
their ideas in complete sentences as often as possible to ensure that they get plenty of practice with this crucial
skill. We’ve seen great teachers respond to incomplete sentences with one of the following methods:
• Reminding students before they start to answer (“Who can tell me in a complete sentence what the setting
of the story is?”)
• Providing the first words of a complete sentence (“The setting is . . .”)
• Reminding students with a quick and simple prompt after they answer (“Complete sentence.”)
Grammatical Format
• Ensure that students communicate with correct syntax, grammar, and usage. The following are two methods
that may be especially helpful:
• Identify the error. Repeat the error back to the student as if you’re asking a question. (“We was walking
down the street?”)
• Begin the correction. Begin repeating the answer back as if it were grammatically correct and ask the
student to complete it. (“We were . . .”)
Audible Format
Expect students to express their ideas loudly enough so that everyone in the class can hear and learn from them,
especially when their comments are part of a discussion. One of the fastest ways to undercut the value of
participation is to allow it to be inaudible to other students. This suggests to students that the ideas weren’t
important for classmates to listen to.
PLANNING TO UPHOLD FORMAT MATTERS
Select a crucial question from an upcoming lesson. Anticipate two incorrectly formatted answers that you might
receive from students. Then script two corrections you might give to ensure that students provide answers in
the correct format.
Your question: Target answer (in correct format):
An incorrectly formatted answer:

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A Format Matters correction:
Another incorrectly formatted answer:
A Format Matters correction:

Passage Level Paragraph Level Sentence Level Word/Phrase Level
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Four Levels of Reflection:

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Read-Write-Discuss-Revise
Examples in Student Work Packets
Instructions:
Choose one of the following Read-Write-Discuss-Revise examples.
1. Analyze
How does it effectively boost both breadth of student participation and depth of
student thinking?
2. Adapt
What are some adaptations you would make?
3. Plan
Choose an upcoming lesson where you could incorporate a Read-Write-Discuss-Revise
cycle.
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Lower ES Example in Student Work Packet
Everybody Writes #1: Why does Jamaica change her mind about the cowboy boots?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Key Words from Discussion
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Re-Write Everybody Writes #1: Why does Jamaica change her mind about the cowboy boots?
Be sure to include at least one of your classmates’ words in your new response.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Math Example in Student Work Packet
12 + x = 15
Everybody Writes #1: Could x equal 6? Why or why not?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Key Ideas
Re-Write Everybody Writes #1: Could x equal 6? Write your response in one sentence that includes
the word “substitution.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
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ELA Example in Student Work Packet
Everybody Writes #1: What does the figurative language in the first and second stanza tell you
about the flowers?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Notes from Discussion
Ideas That Support or Extend My Response Ideas That Contrast or Differ from My Response
Re-Write Everybody Writes #1: What does the figurative language in the first and second stanza
tell us about the flowers?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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Free Training with TLAC Online
Create a Positive Cold Call Culture
Technique Cold Call
Objective Learn how to establish a positive Cold Call culture in your classroom
Estimated Time 15 minutes
Link to Online Training TLAC Online—Positive Cold Call Culture
Teachers You can complete this training on your own schedule and share your final
practice video with colleagues or your principal. For background, read up
on this technique in TLAC 2.0 and watch this excellent video of Emily Badillo
using the technique with her 4th grade reading group.
Leaders/Coaches Teachers can complete this training as their schedule allows. Below is some
sample language you can include in your email when sharing this resource.
Dear Colleagues,
I’d like to share an excellent training resource on how to ensure Cold Call is a positive experience
for students in your classroom.
Simply click this link to access the TLAC Online training when your schedule allows. The
training should take just 15 minutes and it allows you to record yourself practicing the technique.
At the end of the training, the platform will prompt you to share your final practice. Please share
your practice video with ________ and ________ — we’d love to see how you’re doing!
Happy Teaching!
TLAC Online allows teachers to learn

and practice techniques on their own
schedules.
Learn More
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TLAC Online is built for the reality of
busy teachers’ lives.
Each 15-minute module follows a similar design pattern:
There are currently 26 modules covering

12 techniques in three categories:
Expand your teacher toolkit today!

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Ask students to
synthesize a complex
idea in a single, well-
crafted sentence.
The discipline of
having to make one
sentence do all the
work pushes students
to use new
syntactical forms.
ART OF THE SENTENCE

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Build Confident Writers Through Revision
Use sentence level revision to strengthen student syntactical control, which

will make your students better writers regardless of the type of writing they
undertake.
Consider this guide, using the plot of The Giver by Lois Lowry.
1. Start with a sentence stem.

Ex. Jonas took the baby Gabriel and left.
2. Have students revise the sentence stem using three different

branches: But…; Because…; So…;[i]
Ex. Jonas took the baby Gabriel and left but it was not clear where
they were going or if they would survive.
Ex. Jonas took the baby Gabriel and left because he realized Gabriel
was going to be released.
Ex. Jonas took the baby Gabriel and left so they were forced to
travel through unknown territory without a clear destination.
3. Revise the sentence with this challenge: Choose one of your

sentences and add an introductory prepositional phrase.
Ex. In desperation, Jonas took the baby Gabriel and left but it was
not clear where they were going or if they would survive.
4. Ask students to expand upon any areas that are vague in their
sentence.
Ex. Improve the word “left” in the above sentence. Jonas took the
baby Gabriel and escaped but it was not clear where they were
going or if they would survive.
5. Consider changing the tense of the sentence.

Ex. Jonas takes the baby Gabriel and leaves and they are forced to
travel through unknown territory without a clear destination.
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Read about sentence level revision on the blog:

http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/three-types-writing-classroom/
Find more developmental writing assignments and suggestions on

the blog:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/developmental-writing-especially-useful-w-
short-assignments-fast-revision/
[i] Hochman, Judith C. and Natalie Wexler. The Writing Revolution: A Guide to
Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades . San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass, 2017. Print.
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SENTENCE PARAMETERS
A PROMPT TO HELP YOUR STUDENTS CRAFT ARTFUL SENTENCES
The Art of the Sentence (AOS) technique asks students to synthesize a complex idea in a single, well-
crafted sentence. Having one sentence do all the work pushes students to use new grammatical forms,
structure their sentences in new ways, and diversify their syntax and word choice. Additionally, this
raises student awareness of excellent sentences written by others, and with some instruction they may
learn to copy and adapt these sophisticated structures.
This is the second in a series of Grab and Go resources (http://teachlikeachampion.com/resources/grab-

and-go/) to help teachers with their sentence prompts.
Prompt 2: Sentence Parameters, are specific words, phrases, or structures you give to students to use
anywhere in the sentence. Your choice of parameter depends on your goals for students' reading and/or
discussion and what you'd like them to practice as writers.
Using sentence parameters, you might ask students to include a specific word or phrase. (“Use the
phrase ‘internal conflict’ in your sentence.”) This is particularly effective for providing opportunities to
reinforce vocabulary words, especially technical vocabulary words important in reading (irony, conflict,
characterization, and so on). Although the benefits of sentence parameters overlap with those of
sentence starters, they also allow more student autonomy in how the sentence takes shape.
Sample Sentence Parameters. Here are a few ideas to get you started setting sentence parameters for
your students:
• Explain how and why Templeton supported Charlotte in her plan to save Wilbur. Use the word
“motivated” in your response.
• Explain the conflict Steinbeck develops in the opening to The Grapes of Wrath. Use the phrase
“antagonistic relationship” in your response.
• Describe the introduction to Kurt Vonnegut's “Harrison Bergeron.” Include this phrase:
“Vonnegut juxtaposes ________ and ________ to show ________.”
• Summarize the data from this graph in one complete, well-written sentence. Use the word
“exponentially” in your sentence.
Please include copyright line in any distribution: Reading Reconsidered, © 2016 by Doug Lemov & Uncommon
Schools; published by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand.
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Routines Boost Your Students’ Ability to Thrive

Systems are more than just straight lines. Strong systems and procedures allow your students to thrive in your
classroom—behaviorally, academically, and culturally.

In this month’s Grab and Go, we’re identifying example routines across these three areas of impact and providing a
brainstorming worksheet for you to identify the routines you wish to build—in your classroom and in your school—to
make the learning environment you envision for your students a reality.

Common routines by area of impact

Behavior Academic Culture
STAR Habits of Discussion Loud & Proud
Vertical Hands Complete Sentences Verbal Props
Tracking Cold Call Hands Down
Wait Time
Call & Response
No Opt Out
Turn and Talk

For a refresher on these terms, please see the Glossary at the end.
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Brainstorm routines for your school and classroom

To get you started, here’s some inspiration:

● http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/a-case-study-in-the-power-of-academic-procedures-and-routines/
● http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/teaching-and-schools/sarah-wright-shows-joy-order-go-together/
● http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/postcard-troy-prep-observations-double-planning-nonverbal-interven
tions-systems-routines/

Suggestions for academic routines based on grade level

Elementary Middle School High School

Habits of Discussion Control the Game Citations
Restating the Question Independent Reading Note-taking
(AIR)
Loud & Proud Annotating Revision
Turn and Talk Discussions Discussions

For a refresher on these terms, please see the Glossary at the end.
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For your school or classroom, what are the most important behaviors you wish for students to demonstrate
consistently?

For your school or classroom, what are the most important academic systems you’ll want to use consistently to
accelerate and maximize academic achievement?

For your school or classroom, what culture of learning/values do you want to be true? What would students say
or do to demonstrate those values?

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Glossary
STAR: An acronym to help students build productive listening habits: Sit up straight; Track the speaker; Ask/Answer
like a scholar; Respect.

Vertical Hands: A hand straight up in the air, not waving, not over one’s head

Tracking: Students should track speakers (both students and teachers) with their eyes to convey engagement.

Habits of Discussion: Teach students how to hold a productive discussion by making sure they track the speaker;
address comments either to the room or to a specific peer (but not to you, the teacher); hands down while someone
else is speaking; and connect their ideas with the previous speaker.

Complete Sentences: Support and expect students to form complete, audible and grammatical sentences; initially,
remind them before they start speaking to do so; if needed, prompt them after if their answer is incomplete.

Cold Call: Call on students regardless of a raised hand to better Check for Understanding, and reinforce the idea that
engaged participation is required in the classroom at all times.

Wait Time: D elay a few seconds between asking a question and calling on a student to boost quality of responses,
and allow more hands to go up.

Call & Response: Entire class responds to posed question or to a specific cue or phrase to reinforce the information
and boost fun in the classroom.

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No Opt Out: Refuse to accept an “I don’t know” answer with four different formats: provide the answer and have the
student repeat it back to you; another student provides the correct answer and the initial student repeats it; provide a
cue to help the initial student find the correct answer; or have another student provide a cue for the correct answer,
which the initial student gives or repeats.

Turn and Talk: Students turn and talk to their neighbors rigorously about a supplied topic for a short amount of time.

Loud and Proud: Answers should be given in an audible, clear, and confident voice.

Verbal Props: A verbal cue for students to provide positive reinforcement for classmates via short, established verbal
or physical recognition.

Hands Down: Establish the expectation that when a peer is speaking, all other hands are down.

Restating the Question: Ask students to incorporate a restate a question into their response to convey a complete
thought

Control the Game: Manage students’ reading aloud time by keeping the reading aloud process unpredictable. Call on
students to read as little as one word; call on students at random; create a simple set of instructions for each read
aloud time to smoothly and quickly transition students into the routine; develop a “placeholder” signal to allow
students to easily transition into and out of discussion.

Accountable Independent Reading (AIR): Prioritize independent quality reading by providing both plentiful
opportunities for reading practice while also efficiently testing for mastery of content.

Annotating: Build a system for annotating in your classroom with a simple set of directions that help guide students
in the practice of annotation. For example, “We read with our pencils in hand, and we underline vocabulary words,
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important details, and summarize important scenes or moments in our margins.”

Citations: Prepare students for collegiate level work by demonstrating creating an argument using text citations, and
then tasking them to do the same.

Note-Taking: Encourage students to take notes in discussion and class to help bolster and development their ideas
and arguments.

Revision: Use sentence-level revision to strengthen student syntactical control, which will make your students better
writers regardless of the type of writing they undertake.

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TECHNIQUE 10. OWN AND TRACK: a four step process

1. Lock down the "right"
answer
Make sure students have marked
the correct answer and
distinguished it from alternatives.
As in Markup 1, label "correct"
and "not correct."
2. Improve the work
Markup 1 After discussing right and wrong
answers, ask students to use what
they learned to improve their work.
If a full revision isn't needed, ask
them to markup a specific step,
sentence, or phrase.
3. Think metacognitively
about wrong answers
Have your students create a
written record of the technical
process and thinking that led
Markup 2 them to "right." Eg. ask student
to circle an error and tag a
correction with a clear label. See
circle at top left of Markup 1.
4. Do metawork for right
answers too
Letting students know what parts
of a solution they got right can be
just as useful as showing them
what they got wrong. In Markup
Markup 3 2 the teacher asked a student to
circle key points that led to right.
For a full example of what
student work could look like with
Own and Track, see Markup 3.
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GET COMFORTABLE. Stories have been told and read for me immemorial because they are
pleasurable and because sharing them draws people together. This is not necessarily obvious to
children. At home, it’s good to mix reading with warmth and affec on. I try to express that in the way I
sit. We tuck in on the couch or in a comfy chair. I try to snuggle with my li le one, “Scoop” and even
with my older ones, ages 13 and 11. Or we lie on the living room floor, all of us, while I read aloud.
Even if your child is behind in reading and there’s pressure to make progress, try to make reading me
feel comfortable and caring.
READ SLOWLY. I like to stop for a couple of seconds about every half page or so when I‘m reading
to Scoop. The words and the story are more complex than she is used to. I want to give her me to
absorb it. Some mes I stop and look at her and smile when we’re reading. Some mes she doesn’t say
anything to me when I smile, and that’s fine. Some mes she smiles back. And some mes she makes a
li le comment. “ ’Mrs. Frisby is afraid ,’ I think,” she’ll say. I don’t have to do much to show her she’s
doing well when she does that. Some mes I’ll just nod and smile or kiss the top of her head. And then
I keep reading. I read slowly too. Nice and steady to let the words sink in. There’s no rush.
GIVE THEM A FEW WORDS TOO. Scoop loves it when I say, “And the next chapter is called…”
and she gets to read the tle of the chapter to me. Look for li le moments when your child can help
you read a more advanced book and see that it’s within his or her range someday. Even if it’s just
reading the word ‘I’ or ‘and,’ it helps. “See, you’re on your way!” is a powerful message.
EXPRESS YOURSELF (as much as you can). The power of reading aloud for kids is in devel-
oping their ear for language, for what words sound like and how sentences work. Capturing that is key
and it’s simpler than it might sound. You don’t have to act out the roles and make it theater, you just
have to capture the sound of language and the cadence of words—which ones run together, which
ones get a bit of emphasis.
DON’T FREAK OUT. Ok maybe you’re great at reading aloud. But maybe you’re not. Maybe you
fear it. Is it ok if you’re not confident in your own reading? Yes. But more important than telling you it’s
okay I want to suggest a way to make you feel more confident and therefore more likely to read to
your kids: preview the sec on you are going to read. The night before you read to your li le one, take
the book to bed and read the part you’ll read the next night. If you’ve read it through beforehand,
you’ll remember even if you don’t realize it. Please know that I do this all the me, even though I am a
former English teacher and principal. I like to know where the book is going and to be ready for tough
spots or content that’s challenging. It just makes me feel confident to know where things are going. If
you’re nervous about reading, it will help you as well. As will star ng simply. I know—I said read
challenging books. But you can always build up to them. Reading to your child is a marathon not a
sprint so it’s fine if you need some me to build your own comfort and skill. Just please don’t let that
fear stand between your child and what will help them most.
For more childhood literacy Ɵps check out Doug’s latest book ‘Reading Reconsidered’
h p://bit.ly/1Qod38a and visit his blog at teachlikeachampion.com/blog.
This free resource comes from the Grab and Go sec on of www.teachlikeachampion.com. As you customize, please credit us as the source.
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Activities that are fun

and demonstrate
Joy Factor reinforce the
lesson objective
and draw students into
the content.
Joy Factor also has the

benefit of building
students’ sense of
belonging
to a unique school or
classroom culture.
JOY FACTOR

Bring joy to the work of learning.
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To practice your Joy Factor,

we've shared in the following pages
an excerpt from the
Teach Like Champion Field Guide 2.0.
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THE FUNDAMENTALS OF JOY FACTOR

For most teachers, it’s best not to try to conceive of or pull off Joy Factor without some planning.
The idea can be impromptu, but it’s often wise to jot it down, then take it home and
plan the details, rehearse a few lines, and sharpen the plan before you open on Broadway.
Beyond the fun itself, there are three main hallmarks of a great Joy Factor activity:
• Like a faucet, you need to be able to quickly turn it on and off.

• We whistle while we work, making the fun part of the work, not a break from it.
• The best Joy Factor serves the lesson objective.
OVER ON THE BLOG

Read this blog post: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/teaching-and-schools/tlac-clips-eric-snider-and-the-joy-of-
practice/
See “Eric Snider’s Joy Factor.” In what ways does Eric Snider’s activity meet the three
characteristics of a strong Joy Factor?
Five Types of Joy Factor
1. Fun and Games
Games draw on young people’s love of competition and play. You might take advantage of this by
designing a contest or competition in which students solve math problems quickly or identify the speaker
of a series of quotations from the novel you’ve just read. Your games could be individual (geography bee)
or team activities (such as a relay race) and could require verbal or written participation.
If they are team based, they could pit groups of students against each other, against a clock, against
an abstract standard, or, even as kindergarten teacher George Davis showed us, against the teacher. In
fact, George uses games tacitly to teach his students how to win and lose: narrating relevant thoughts,
such as, “I can’t believe I lost—I’m so upset—no, I shouldn’t be upset—I had fun playing, and I should
be happy for my friends who won.” This lets him develop future competitions in the confidence that
students will know how to participate positively.
See if you can come up with two other game scenarios; think about how they might be adapted to
make them true Joy Factors in your classroom. Be sure to jot them down.
2. Us (and Them)
There’s great power in students feeling that they belong to something important, are members in a group
that is distinctive and special—an “us.” You can build this sense of belonging through the use of unique
language, names, rituals, traditions, imaginary presences, songs, and so forth. In many cases, the more
inscrutable these rituals are to outsiders, the better. Some examples:
Nicknames. Who gives you a nickname? The people who care about you and are close to you. So giving
kids nicknames can show you care, notice individualities, and believe that everyone belongs. And
it shows these things every time you use a nickname. If you use them, be sure to have one for every
student in your class, keep them positive and fun, and make sure kids can tell you if they don’t like
their nickname.
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Secret signals and special words. Mr. Lee’s class has a “no-ly” discussion at the end of every unit when
they discuss the key ideas with “No Mr. Lee.” He jokes, ‘If I ask can I please join you, you say: No,
Mr. Lee, it’s a no-ly discussion.” The secret code makes it a bit silly, but also makes the discussion
belong to the class—which is the idea.
Class songs. Related to academics or culture, you take the popular song of the moment and give it new
words to reflect your class culture, and all of a sudden everyone wants to sing it.
A shared myth or story. For example, before every test, refer back to a funny story you told them about
your cousin Martha: “Remember my cousin Martha, who gives up when the going gets tough. Don’t
pull a Martha! Keep going.”
3. Drama, Song, Chant, Movement, and Dance
“Let’s all stand up and . . .” is often a good way to begin Joy Factor. Group song, chants, dramatic play,
and movement raise spirits and also reinforce belonging. Acting things out and singing about them are
great ways to remember information. On a more or less ambitious scale, students can take part in short,
scripted enactment.
Songs have many applications. For example, a song (and added gestures) in a foreign language that
students are learning can let them practice, enjoy, and remember vocabulary and expressions for the rest
of their lives. Other songs can help students master sequences or processes, as with the “Do-Re-Mi” song
from The Sound of Music.
As the blog post shows, chants can be elevated further academically by containing changeable elements
that the student must supply.
OVER ON THE BLOG

Read this post: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/joy-factor-christina-fritz-skip-counting-pep-rally/
Watch grade 2 teacher Christina Fritz lead academic joy at “Joy Factor: Christina Fritz
and the ‘Skip Counting Pep Rally.’”
4. Humor
Shared laughter can strengthen and spread an environment in which happy and fulfilled students and
teachers can thrive! It should always be positive. It’s often especially disarming when it involves teacher
stories that are slightly self-deprecating. Here are ideas for few starting points.
Math problems and sentences for editing or correction always need protagonists. They can be stock
characters (for example, “Tom Foolery”) who are always doing foolish things. They can be characters
from the class who do triumphant (or good-naturedly silly) things. They can involve stories with stock
characters. “I really, really don’t like to talk about my cat,” says Ms. Tolbert, “But she’s very bright.” Her
students groan when she says this. Ms. Tolbert is always telling stories about how her cat mistook one
vocabulary word for another—“hostility” for “hospitality,” say—and thanked Ms. Tolbert’s friends for
their hostility after being a house guest.
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“Special guests” are always a fun and funny surprise. Ms. Bellucci routinely showed up in Mr. Kramer’s
math classes dressed as “Aunt Sally” (as in Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, a common mnemonic for
order of operations). When she came, she usually left a few things behind, such as an awkward picture
of Mr. Kramer as a child taped to the whiteboard, which when Mr. Kramer raised the projection screen.
“Oh, my,” Aunt Sally said. “Now how did that get there??”
5. Suspense and Surprise
Having strong classroom routines makes occasional variations from the usual all the more fun, surprising,
and memorable. Some examples:
• Occasionally hand out material (such as vocabulary words) to individual students in sealed envelopes.
Whisper, “Don’t open them yet! Not till I say.”
• Wrap something you plan to show the class (art, a map, a specimen for study) as a gift. Then build
anticipation by playing at “deciding” when to open it.
• Keep referring to some future event: “Oh, man, you’re gonna love the last verse of this addition song.
It’s really funny. If we keep working, we’ll be there soon.”
• One teacher we know has a “word of the week.” It’s always a bit of advanced technical vocabulary
from her subject. If someone uses it unprompted in conversation, she rings a bell and the student
wins a small prize.
Sharing and Managing Joy
Shared joy needs also to be managed by teachers and by students themselves so that it can end to
everyone’s satisfaction rather than a chiding about coming back to order. Recognize that your job is not
only to share joy but also to teach students to manage it well.
Start small. While you’re still learning what works, try for little lively moments rather than massive
fun-fests.
Be sure to check out more on this invaluable technique on our blog, and in our books, Teach Like a
Champion 2.0 and the accompanying Field Guide.
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Meet your
students at the
door,
setting
expectations
before they
enter the
classroom.
THRESHOLD
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To practice your threshold, we've shared an

excerpt from the Teach Like Champion
Field Guide 2.0 in the following pages. As it
references two video clips, you may find
those here:
bit.ly/ThresholdJuly
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Technique 45
Threshold
Overview
Threshold refers to meeting students at the door, and setting or reinforcing positive expectations before
they even enter the room. This is one of the most important moments for building positive culture. It
gives you the opportunity to greet each student by name. It’s a moment when you can establish a personal
connection with students through a brief individual check-in. It’s a moment when each student shakes
your hand, looks you in the eye, and accepts and returns a civil and cordial greeting. For these reasons,
it’s beneficial when Threshold happens every day.
Reflection
Do you currently stand outside the classroom, and greet each student by name as he or she crosses the
threshold of your door? If you do, what do you consider the key ingredients of this activity? If you don’t,
what reservations might you have about it?
Analyze the Champions
Clip FG47. Shadell Purefoy, Kindergarten
Clip FG48. Stephen Chiger, Grade 9

View the clips, ideally more than once, and answer the following questions. Compare your observations
with ours at the end of this technique.
What does Shadell do and say in the course of each greeting?
459
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460 Teach Like a Champion 2.0 Field Guide
How much do the greetings vary in tone or other respects?
What has Shadell noticed in her greeting with the last student? How does she respond?
What’s more sophisticated or high school–appropriate about Stephen’s Threshold and what he
expected students to do upon entering?
Threshold
Fundamentals
Basics
See both sides. Stand where you can see the hall and the room, so that you can briefly direct or compli-
ment behavior outside and in. “Thanks, Adele, for going directly to your seat.” “Chairs in to let others
get by.”
Control the flow. Stand where you control movement in and out as much as possible; it’s your right and
responsibility to control how quickly and when students enter.
Shake hands and initiate eye contact. This builds a tone of civility and should cause each student to pause
and make eye contact. The handshake puts you in charge of access to the room. If a student’s Thresh-
old is a little lacking, gently hold on to the hand until the student does it better.
Use positive chatter. Build positive rapport and connections to students with brief personalized com-
ments: “Looking sharp, Devon!” You won’t have time to say something like this to every student, so
pick a few each day; over time, connect with everyone as an individual.
Reset expectations. Use Threshold as an opportunity to remind and reset students who are in danger
of slipping. A gentle reminder of your expectations will go a long way for students struggling to
improve.
Consistent on Both Sides

It’s best to maintain a consistent positive tone. It can be tempting to greet some students with a smile
and positive words and others with subtle verbal or nonverbal corrections, or not greet them at all. Tech-
niques 58 and 60, Positive Framing and Warm/Strict, can help you address all students with a positive
tone that simultaneously communicates high expectations.
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Technique 45 461
Some students may not always respond as you wish without some further instruction, training, and
positive encouragement from you. For example, a student may
• Avoid eye contact

• Respond with a silly greeting
• Fail to respond to the greeting
• Offer a greeting that is barely audible
• Offer a limp hand
The basic solution begins with making sure each student knows your Threshold expectations. When
a student’s Threshold is out of line, in good spirit you can ask him or her to go back in line and Do It
Again (technique 50), entering on good terms while also meeting your expectations. The techniques of
chapter 12, Building Character and Trust, can also help you address the problem.
Revisit Teach Like a Champion 2.0

Find detailed examples of Threshold corrections as performed by Dacia Toll and Jamey Verrilli.
Your Current Threshold Practice

Have you already incorporated the basics we’ve described into a Threshold routine? For each, briefly
Threshold
note that you do them or that you might improve them. Or identify a possible benefit of ones you don’t
use now.
See both sides:
Control the flow:
Shake hands/initiate eye contact:
Use positive chatter:
Reset expectations:
Threshold Greetings
Here are some aims your greetings can serve, with examples. Below each one, add other wording you
use or could use.
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Remind students where they are or where they are going: “Ready for college today?”
Remind students what you expect of them: “I’m ready to see your best!”
Build relationships and rapport with students: “Great shot in yesterday’s game!”
Tell students what is coming next: “Are you ready for today’s quiz?”
Encourage them: “Oh, you got this quiz!”
Correct behavior: “I know you can give a stronger handshake than that!”
Threshold
Recognize good behavior: “Excellent patience from you yesterday.”
Reinforce academic material: “The Battle of Gettysburg, Marcus. Fought in what year?”
Reinforce academic achievement: “Here he is, the man of thoughtful essays!”
Reflection: What, No Door?

If school policy or logistical reasons prevent meeting students at the door, what other daily ritual might
you create to signify the formal start of class? For example, could you walk the rows briefly greeting
students during a daily Do Now (technique 20)? Or what other ritual might you do so that students
acknowledge they’ve entered your teaching domain?
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Technique 45 463
The Next Level
With Jamey Verrilli’s example in mind (see TLAC 2.0), view your Threshold as part of a broader routine
by which you engage your students and launch the lesson. Do you notice any problem of coordination
between Threshold and your launch of the actual lesson?
Also, what greeting could you use to reflect your school’s team spirit or your classroom’s overall
climate? Is there a phrase that, if you say it, students will be proud to say back to you?
Exit Ticket (technique 26) is one good routine for closing class sessions with a brief farewell contact.
Whatever your current de facto routine that marks the students’ departure from class, could you improve
it with the use of methods similar to those of Threshold?
Threshold
Roll It Out
In your next lesson plan, incorporate a note about Threshold that can strengthen its usefulness as part of
your overall opening routine.
Look over your work in “Threshold Greetings.” Write and mentally rehearse the following:
Two greetings that relate back to your previous session with the class:
Two greetings that connect to some activity or expectation for today:
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Are any students likely to slip into the room before you’ve posted yourself at the door? How will you
include them in the greeting and make that less likely to happen next time?
Working with a Group or Partner
Observe and notice the behaviors of students entering other classrooms where teachers have or don’t
have Threshold down.
If you have time for more than the following discussion topics, your group may want to practice with
the “Threshold Role Play” from my.teachlikeachampion.com.
To a partner or group, describe a Threshold routine you’ve used. What purposes does it serve? What
do you do? How do students respond?
Tell what’s easy or more challenging for you in seeing both sides, controlling the flow, shaking
hands, resetting expectations, or using positive chatter. Gather useful comments.
Share your ideas from “Threshold Greetings” and brainstorm others.
Threshold
Action Planning
Use this action planner to continue your work with Threshold. (Find a printable version of this form at
my.teachlikeachampion.com.) You know you’re on the right track when you . . .
• Greet and make friendly contact with each student.

• Use Do it Again to reset expectations (when necessary).
• Acknowledge student efforts.
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Technique 45 465
How Am I Doing?
Design one or more action steps for improvement. Decide on an interval by which you’ll revisit this
page to assess your progress.
Action Step 1
By when, with whom, and how you will measure your effort
By , I will . . .
Date
How Did I Do?

Successes:
Threshold
Challenges:
Next steps:
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Action Step 2
By when, with whom, and how you will measure your effort
By , I will . . .
Date
How Did I Do?

Successes:
Threshold
Challenges:
Next steps:
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Technique 45 467
Our Observations on the Champion
Clip FG48. Stephen Chiger

What stands out about Stephen’s Threshold and what comes after is the level of ownership students
assume for it. Stephen does very little to manage students once they cross the threshold of his door.
He barely interrupts to monitor the noise level in the classroom (the expectation is silence). He doesn’t
distribute any materials. Instead, a “binder helper” distributes binders to classmates as they enter, and
students prepare their materials for the lesson once they get it. Even when the binder helper asks Stephen
for guidance on what she should do when she can’t locate a binder, Stephen encourages her to resolve the
issue herself. Once he enters, students are already starting on the Do Now without any prompting from
Stephen. His acknowledgment that the students know what to do “as always” communicates his trust in
them to meet all expectations.
Threshold
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5 TIPS
ON HOW TO READ SUCCESSFULLY TO YOUR CHILD
From Doug Lemov
GET COMFORTABLE. Stories have been told and read for time immemorial because they are pleasurable
1
and because sharing them draws people together. This is not necessarily obvious to children. At home, it’s
good to mix reading with warmth and affection. I try to express that in the way I sit. We tuck in on the coach
or in a comfy chair. I try to snuggle with my little one, “Scoop” and even with my older ones, ages 13 & 11. Or
we lie on the living room floor, all of use, while I read aloud. Even if your child is behind in reading and there’s
pressure to make progress, try to make reading time feel comfortable and caring.
READ SLOWLY. I like to stop for a couple of seconds about every half page or so when I‘m reading to
2
Scoop. The words and the story are more complex than she is used to. I want to give her time to absorb
it. Sometimes I stop and look at her and smile when we’re reading. Sometimes she doesn’t say anything
to me when I smile, and that’s fine. Sometimes she smiles back. And sometimes she makes a little com-
ment. “’Mrs. Frisby is afraid ,’ I think,” she’ll say. I don’t have to do much to show her she’s doing well
when she does that. Sometimes I’ll just nod and smile or kiss the top of her head. And then I keep read-
ing. I read slowly too. Nice and steady to let the words sink in. There’s no rush.
GIVE THEM A FEW WORDS TOO. Scoop loves it when I say, “And the next chapter is called…” and
3 she gets to read the title of the chapter to me. Look for little moments when your child can help you read a
more advanced book and see that it’s within his or her range someday. Even if it’s just reading the word ‘I’ or
‘and,’ it helps. “See, you’re on your way!” is a powerful message.
EXPRESS YOURSELF (as much as you can). The power of reading aloud for kids is in developing
4
their ear for language- for what words sound like and how sentences work. Capturing that is key and it’s
simpler than it might sound. You don’t have to act out the roles and make it theater, you just have to capture
the sound of language and the cadence of words—which ones run together, which ones get a bit of emphasis.
DON’T FREAK OUT. Ok maybe you’re great at reading aloud. But maybe you’re not. Maybe you fear
5
it. Is it ok if you’re not confident in your own reading? Yes. But more important than telling you it’s okay I
want to suggest a way to make you feel more confident and therefore more likely to read to your kids:
preview the section you are going to read. The night before you read to your little one, take the book to
bed and read the part you’ll read the next night. If you’ve read it through beforehand, you’ll remember
even if you don’t realize it. Please know that I do this all the time, even though I am a former English
teacher and principal. I like to know where the book is going and to be ready for tough spots or content
that’s challenging. It just makes me feel confident to know where things are going. If you’re nervous about
reading, it will help you as well. As will starting simply. I know—I said read challenging books. But you can
always build up to them. Reading to your child is a marathon not a sprint so it’s fine if you need some time
to build your own comfort and skill. Just please don’t let that fear stand between your child and what will
help them most.
For more on the topic of reading to children, please visit Doug Lemov’s blog at
teachlikeachampion.com/blog.
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Lesson Preparation Study

Christine Torres, 5th grade teacher at Springfield Prep, uses the packet her students will
be completing as her main tool for preparing to teach.
On Your Own Annotate Christine Torres’ marked-up packet:
• Mark with an “E” places where Christine drafts an exemplar

response — the answer she hopes a typically successful student
in her class would provide.
• Mark with a “P” places where Christine makes notes to drive the
pacing of her lesson.
• Mark with a “Q” places where Christine prepares questions she
will ask.
With Colleagues After annotating, consider these questions:

(or on Your Own)
• How does this preparation help Christine productively respond
to evidence of student understanding and misunderstanding
during the course of the lesson?
• How does this preparation help Christine manage time as her
lesson unfolds?
Apply to an
Upcoming Lesson 1. Doug argues in the accompanying blog post that creating your
exemplar by completing the work as a student is the “single
most important step in preparing to teach.” Whether your
students are working in a handout, on loose leaf, or in a
notebook, choose a few key questions you will ask and draft
the correct, high-quality response you would want to hear.
2. Add three timestamps to whatever lesson planning document
you use. Pick three moments in your lesson where you want to
be disciplined about either (a) spending a fairly short, finite
amount of time (2-4 minutes) and/or (b) the bulk of the time.
3. Draft two questions that you will have at-the-ready in case
students (a) nail a question/concept and need to be pushed or
(b) struggle and need support.
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USE INTERACTIVE READING TO ENSURE YOUR STUDENTS
READ POETRY MULTIPLE TIMES

INTERACTIVE READING (IR), is a system readers use to engage with a text—by underlining, marking up key
points, and summarizing ideas in the margin.
Having a consistent system for marking up text is important, and IR is best when reinforced in all subject areas
(not just in the English classroom). IR is a fantastic habit to foster and nurture in your students; IR helps students
break down and make sense of (often daunting) texts. IR works, in concert with Close Reading, to help increase
the complexity of text students can read. (For more on the topic, check out our book, Reading Reconsidered.)
In this Grab and Go we’re focused on one educator’s use of IR to ensure students read poetry multiple times.
Amy Parsons, a dean of curriculum and instruction in Brooklyn, New York, found that when it came to reading
poetry, her students struggled. Many of her students would read a poem quickly and try to make a general
statement about a line or two of the poem that they vaguely understood. Often, she saw her students missing
the overall tone and therefore they have no chance at understanding the underlying meaning of the poem. Amy
wanted to slow her students down and teach them the right way to read a poem multiple times before trying to
make sense of it. So Amy taught her students to read poems three times as follows:
 FIRST READ. Make a mood and tone note.

 SECOND READ. Make a main idea note.
 THIRD READ. Make two notes on literary devices used.
Amy’s students record checkboxes alongside the poem, and then insert a check mark after each of the three
reads. Here’s what it looks like:
And, by asking students to track and record their multiple reads in a specific way, Amy also Standardized the
Format—Technique 3 in Teach Like a Champion 2.0. The check boxes made it easy for her to hold students
accountable for something that would otherwise be difficult to monitor. For more on this and to share your
experiences with IR, please check out this blog post: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/reading-check-boxes-
little-things-big-muscles/
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Prompting for Revision: A Menu of Ideas
Rule/Convention Example Prompts/Language

Use Active Voice • “Revise your sentence so that it’s clear that the subject is performing the action.”
Non--Example:
o Non Example “Your bicycle was damaged by him.
o Example:
Example “He damaged your bicycle.”
Avoid Repetition • “Remove phrases/ideas from your response that show up more than once.”
• “What’s a different way we could say (insert repetitive phrase)?”
Add an Appositive(s) • “Add an appositive to the sentence you wrote about _________” (e.g., “Gandhi had an
impact.””Gandhi, a pacifist and important leader, had an impact.”)
Add a Subordinating • “Now begin this sentence with a subordinating conjunction” (e.g., if, unless, so, after, etc.).
Conjunction • “Try including a dependent clause” (e.g., “Until the sun sets…”; “…unless Peter helps” etc.)
Use Technical/College
Technical/College • “How can we say that like a scientist/historian/writer/A.P. scholar/5th grader/etc.?”
Vocabulary • “What vocabulary can we incorporate from the text to make our word choice more precise?”
Combine Sentences/Ideas
Sentences/Ideas • “Choose two sentences that work best when they are combined.”
• “How can we put these two sentences together to show how the ideas connect?”
Include Transitional • “Add a transitional phrase(s) here to make your response flow even better.”
Phrases
Phrases • “Start with a phrase that shows ___________” (contrast/similarity/cause-and-effect, etc.)
Make Clear/Direct • “Revise your argument sentence to make it more direct/assertive/definite.”
Assertions • “Take out words that show uncertainty” (e.g., would, should, could, may, might, not, etc.)
Use Specific Nouns • “Revise your sentence so that it includes the names of specific characters/book title/etc.”
• “Replace two pronouns in your response with more specific nouns.”
Add More Evidence • “Add one more piece of evidence from page X to make your argument even stronger.”
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MORE
THINKING,
MORE HANDS
Best practices for Wait Time
Allow students the chance to

formulate an answer
On average, a teacher waits less than a second
after asking a question for a student response.
Giving students 7-8 seconds to formulate a
thought allows more students to come up with
a thoughtful answer.
Narrate hands to reinforce that

they matter
Audibly calling out how many hands you see up
will reinforce for students that you're tracking
the hands—and who volunteers them. You can
also use non-verbal cues, such as smiling and
nodding, to reinforce this.
Keep the vibe encouraging

It can be frustrating to get only a few hands up
after asking a question. But students are more
likely to venture an answer if you keep your
body language positive and encouraging, rather
than frustrated.
Insert a Turn and Talk if

necessary
If students are genuinely stumped, insert a Turn
and Talk by letting students talk out the
question in pairs for 30 seconds. Circulate and
listen attentively during the Turn and Talk.
Additional Wait Time Resources

http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/things-
dont-get-many-hands/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/engage
d-cerebral-classroom-culture-aidan-thomas-
master-class-wait-time/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/wait-
time-insights-workshop-participants/
www.teachlikeachampion.com
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No Opt Out Cueing Tool Kit
Four ways to get to an answer:
• Other student provides cue; original student provides the answer.
• Other student provides answer; original student repeats.
• Teacher provides cue; original student provides the answer.
• Teacher provides answer; original student repeats.
No Opt Out Cues – Other Student Provides Cue to Original Student
Ask for:
• The place where the answer can be found: “Who can tell James where he
could find the answer?” This is especially useful in reading classes.
• The step in the process that’s required at the moment: “Who can tell James
what the first thing he should do is?”
• Another name for the term that’s a problem: “Who can tell James what the
term ‘denominator’ means?”
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Positive Framing Examples and Non-Examples
• Live in the Now:

Example: Show me your eyes, fifth grade.
Non-example: Fifth grade, some of us are looking out the window.
Example: Third grade, Tina is describing the setting. Our eyes should be on the speaker.
Example: Charles, Tina is describing the setting. Your eyes should be on the speaker.
Non-example: Charles I’m tired of asking you to track the speaker.
• Assume the Best:

Example: Just a minute, fourth grade. A couple of people were so excited to write about
Roald Dahl that they went ahead before I told them to start.
Non-example: Fourth grade, none of us should be trying to sneak ahead of the rest of the
class.
Example: A couple of people forgot our rules about tracking, Tina. Give them a second
before you start.
Non-Example: Tina, please wait to answer until Jeffrey decides to join us.
• Allow Plausible Anonymity:

Example: Fourth grade, check yourself to make sure you’re in your best SLANT with your
notes page in front of you.
Non-example: Jason, I want to see you in SLANT with your notes page in front of you.
• Build Momentum/Narrate the Positive:

Example (Narrate the Positive): I see lots of hands. The left side of the room is really with it!
Example (Narrate the Positive + Build Momentum): I see five, six, seven hands. Now ten
hands ready to start reading Hatchet!
Non-Example: (Narrating Your Weaknesses): I’m seeing the same few hands. A lot of you
are not participating and it’s going to show up in your participation grades.
• Challenge!:
Example: You’ve got the idea but let me hear you use the word “elusive” in your answer.
Can you do it?!
Example: The sixth grade girls are killing it boys. Can you keep the pace?
• Talk Aspiration:
Example: (To a fourth grader) Good, Juan. Now let me hear you make it a fifth grade
answer by using the word “product.”
Example: Can you answer that in the words of a scientist? (Or historian/writer/musician)
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Practice doesn't
just reflect your
classroom
culture —
it creates it.
THE VALUE OF PRACTICE

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Don’t just practice more; practice

smarter.
This month’s Grab N Go comes from Barron Ryan’s piano practice
schedule. Use the blank practice schedule below as a tool to help
increase skills that you, or those in your classroom, might want to
practice.
For example, in a blog post from 2015, Leanne Riordan shared ways that
she utilized line-by-line readings to increase the accuracy and fluency
of reading for her second-grade English language learners.1 For such a
practice, you could use the schedule below to track reading errors, or
progression, rather than time spent, for students working on increasing
reading fluency. Each day, you could record how many lines a student
could read without making an error, to show progress over a weekly
period.
Another example would be for use in developing your own teaching

skills and style. Using the example of “Practice on an Island” featured on
the blog in fall 20172, teachers looking to chart their own practice, or
intentionally set aside time for work with some of the online modules
you can find via our Plug and Plays3, can use the weekly practice
schedule to plan and set aside practice time.
However you use it, setting yourself up to practice smart is the first step
to developing skills.
1
Find Leanne’s blog post at:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/coaching-and-practice/practice-reading-guest-post-leanne-riordan/
2
Practice on an Island:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/teaching-and-schools/practice-on-an-island/
3
Plug and Plays: http://teachlikeachampion.com/training/plug-and-plays/
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Customizable weekly practice schedule
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Total
Skill 1
Skill 2
Skill 3
Skill 4
Skill 5
Skill 6
Skill 7
Skill 8
Total
Time/
Skill
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Planning Positive Reinforcement with Precise Praise
Directions: Identify the most productive behaviors you want to see that meet and exceed expectations during certain points in your lesson or day and script
the language you plan to use to reinforce those behaviors. Possible times of day include: transitions, independent work time, group work time etc.
Part of Class/ Expectation-Meeting Behavior Specific Phrase You’ll Use to Expectation-Exceeding Behavior Specific Phrase You’ll Use to
Time of Day You Most Want to See Acknowledge You Most Want to See Praise
Example: Entering the classroom and “Sayvion is moving quickly to his Going back to the book to draw “Check out Sayvion. He’s got his
Do Now moving swiftly and quietly to seat.” on evidence for the Do Now book out and he’s bringing the
your seat. question. evidence, even on the Do Now.
Well done, Dr. S!
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PRECISE PRAISE
DECISION-MAKING PRACTICE
Objective: To strengthen differentiating between student actions that merit acknowledgment vs. praise. (See more on Pg 3.)
Directions: The first column in the chart below describes a typical classroom situation. Complete the chart by choosing the type of
response you think the student action merits. In the third column, script an example of effective language for the type of response you
chose. This activity may be done solo but it’s better with a group or team so that you may discuss your answers with your peers.
Situation Type of Response Response

(Acknowledgment
or Praise)
1 A student who struggles to Acknowledgment “Thank you for having your eyes on Joseph, Mahogany. That’s how we do it.”
look at the speaker catches
herself looking out the
window and turns her body
to face a peer speaker
2 Chronically unprepared
student brings in her pencil
and begins class correctly
3 A student answers your
question with a complete
sentence, as you expect.
4 A student delivers a well-

thought out complete
answer of unusually high
quality.
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5 Student uses a difficult

vocabulary word in a
sentence without prompting
6 Student turns negative

attitude around from the
morning
7 A student who normally

shouts out the answer
raises her hand
8 Draft a situation that will Acknowledgment

come up in your classroom:
9 Draft a situation that will Praise

come up in your classroom:
This free resource comes from the Grab and Go section of www.teachlikeachampion.com. We hope it’s useful for you. As you customize, please credit us as the source. Thanks!
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Differentiate Acknowledgment and Praise

Acknowledgment is what you often use when a student meets your expectations. Praise is what you use when
a student exceeds expectations. An acknowledgment merely describes a productive behavior or perhaps thanks a student for
doing it, without adding a value judgment and with a modulated tone. Praise adds judgment words like “great” or “fantastic” or the
kind of enthusiastic tone which implies that such words might apply. “Thanks for being ready, Marcus” is an acknowledgment;
“Fantastic insight, Marcus” is praise. “Marcus is ready” is acknowledgment; “Great job, Marcus” is praise. Distinguishing the two is
important, as reversing some of the examples will demonstrate. If I tell Marcus it’s fantastic that he’s ready for class, I suggest that
this is more than I expect from my students. Ironically, in praising this behavior I tell my students that my standards are pretty low
and that perhaps that I am a bit surprised that Marcus met my expectations. Perhaps they aren’t expectations after all. Either way,
praising students for merely meeting expectations may reduce the degree to which they do so over the long run. It
also makes your praise seem “cheap.” A teacher who continually praises what’s expected risks trivializing both the praise and the
things she really wishes to label “great,” eroding the ability to give meaningful verbal rewards and to identify behavior that is truly
worthy of notice. In short, save your praise for when it is truly earned and use acknowledgment freely to reinforce
expectations.
This free resource comes from the Grab and Go section of www.teachlikeachampion.com. We hope it’s useful for you. As you customize, please credit us as the source. Thanks!
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Retrieval Practice occurs

when learners recall and
apply multiple examples of
previously learned
knowledge or skills after a
period of forgetting.

Retrieval is relevant to skills
or knowledge.
It involves groups of
questions in blocks.
Requires short delay after
something has been
learned.
RETRIEVAL PRACTICE
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Read about Retrieval Practice over on the blog
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/using-
now-retrieval-practice-update-alex-laney/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/retrieval-
practice-teachers-definition-video-examples/
Watch a video montage of the practice
https://vimeo.com/236091033
Visit this great resource on the practice
https://www.retrievalpractice.org
Check out our Do Now gallery

http://teachlikeachampion.com/wp-content/uploads/Do-
Now.pdf
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TEMPLATE 20% RETRIEVAL PRACTICE
Do Now
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. RP QUESTION
10. RP QUESTION
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TEMPLATE EVENLY DISTRIBUTE OVER TIME RETRIEVAL PRACTICE
Do Now
1. MOST RECENT LESSON
4. LAST WEEK'S LESSON
5. LAST WEEK'S LESSON
6. TWO WEEKS AGO
7. TWO WEEKS AGO
8. LAST MONTH
9. LAST MONTH
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HOW TO GUIDE
TEACHERS TO
AUTHENTIC
PRACTICE
WATCH OUT FOR

EXAGGERATED MOTIONS
Teachers who are Role Playing (vs. Practice) often do

so in a self-deprecating manner in order to deflect
discomfort. This might look like larger-than-life
gestures, or overly goofy responses or gestures.
INVENT A SAFE SPACE TO

"GO ALL IN"
Authentic Practice is made possible when teachers

can "go all in," as if their students are actually in the
room. Guide teachers to this type of Practice by
asking them to use real student names and questions
from lesson plans.
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR FEEDBACK
Help teachers get the most out of Practice sessions

by providing feedback. This can come from fellow
teachers, or can be generated by filming teachers
during Practice, for self-reflection and tweaking.
FIND THE POSITIVE IN

PRACTICE
Learning to articulate an authentic self to bring to the

classroom through Practice is a vulnerable moment
for teachers. A positive climate around Practice will
lead to better work from your teachers.
Copyright 2018, Teach LIke a Champion

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Sentence Expansion Mini-Practice
Technique Everybody Writes
Objective To practice drafting a “But, Because, So,” sentence expansion activity

for students
Description of Activity A planning activity in which participants experience the “But,

Because, So,” sentence expansion activity as an adult student and
then practice drafting a sentence expansion activity for students
Estimated Time 10-15 minutes
Prepping for Your Session To prepare for the activity, we suggest you:
1. Build background knowledge by reading the pages on Art of

the Sentence from TLAC 2.0, as well as the blog posts below.
You might also assign these as pre-reading to your
participants.
2. Plan the Practice: Take about 15 minutes to familiarize

yourself with these activity directions and adapt and/or print
out the materials for your team.
Resources • Art of the Sentence, TLAC 2.0

• Blog post links
o Three Types of Writing in the Classroom
o Developmental Writing: Especially Useful with Short
Assignments & Fast Revision
o Hochman's "But, Because, So" Sentence Expansion
Activity
o "Because, But, So" Goes 2.0 with Direct Quotations
o Writing about 'Mice and Men': Some Examples from
Our Curriculum
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FACILITATOR DIRECTIONS 89 of 138
Step 1: Framing and Objective (<1 minute) Explain the objective for today’s session: “You
will first experience the ‘But, Because, So’ sentence expansion activity as a student before
creating a similar activity for your own students. The ‘But, because, so’ activity has two aims:
It helps students think more deeply about rich content, and it is designed to teach students
how to write—to expand their ability to write more syntactically complex sentences.”
Step 2: Planning-Step 1 (5 minutes) Show the painting, ‘The Fall of Icarus’ by Peter Bruegel,
and give the following context: “The painting on the screen is “The Fall of Icarus” by Pieter
Bruegel. Icarus, you may recall, is a figure from Greek mythology whose father Daedalus
devised an escape for his son and himself by flying from their locked tower on wings made
of bird feathers and wax. Before they flew, Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to
the sun or the wax in his wings would melt. Icarus ignored his father’s warning and as a
result crashed into the sea. Here, in the bottom corner of the painting, we can see Icarus’
legs sticking out of the water.”
Give participants 2-3 minutes to complete the sentence stem, “Icarus crashed into the
sea…” with “but, because, so.”
Optional: You may have participants share the sentences they created with a partner or you
can share out some exemplar sentences with the group.
Step 3: Planning-Step 2 (4-6 minutes) Based on the Icarus painting, ask participants to
create their own “But, because, so” activity for students.
Optional: You may have participants trade to complete one another’s sentences in order to
check the stems they created for quality and clarity.
Step 4: But Because So Debrief (3-4 minutes) Ask participants to spend 2 minutes to
complete the reflection and next steps. Call on a few to share out.
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Objective: To experience the “But, Because, So,” sentence expansion activity as an adult
student and then practice drafting one for students.
Directions Step #1: Complete the following sentence stem using “but,” “because,” “so”:
“Icarus crashed into the sea…”
Icarus crashed into the sea, but_________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Icarus crashed into the sea because _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Icarus crashed into the sea so __________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Step #2: Now, draft your own “But, Because, So” sentence stem for students to complete:
Now have a partner complete your stem using “But,” “Because,” and “So.”
3
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Sentence Expansion Reflection
Sentence Expansion activities will help my students deepen their thinking and develop
syntactic control, but __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
syntactic control because ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
syntactic control so ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Sentence Expansion Next Steps
Two pieces of my content I will try this with tomorrow/next week are:
1.
2.
4
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THE SENTENCE STARTER

A PROMPT TO HELP YOUR STUDENTS CRAFT ARTFUL SENTENCES
The Art of the Sentence (AOS) technique asks students to synthesize a complex idea in a single, well-crafted
sentence. Having one sentence do all the work pushes students to use new grammatical forms, structure their
sentences in new ways, and diversify their syntax and word choice. Additionally, this raises student awareness of
excellent sentences written by others, and with some instruction they may learn to copy and adapt these
sophisticated structures.
The Sentence Starter provides students with specific words or phrases to, well, start their sentences.
Sample Sentence Starters. You can arm your students with an arsenal of rigorous writing tools by introducing
multiple syntactical structures over time. For example:
• Describe the settings of the first two pages of Chapter 2. Start your sentence with “Babbitt juxtaposes…”
• In one sentence, explain how Ramona's actions affected her sister. Start with, “After Ramona…”
• Explain Fern's and Mr. Arable's differing viewpoints on how to treat the runt of the litter. Start your
sentence with, “While Fern believes…”
• Describe the opening to Kurt Vonnegut's “Harrison Bergeron.” Start your sentence with “In Vonnegut's
satiric portrayal…”
Be Strategic. Here are some habits of thinking that you may want to encourage students to do more of in your
literacy class:
• Referring to evidence • Summarizing ideas

• Synthesizing evidence • Revising initial thinking
• Supporting or refuting an argument
Brainstorm Sentence Starters that support students to do the type of thinking you’ve identified above. We’ve given
some examples on the next page.
Please include copyright line in any distribution: Reading Reconsidered, © 2016 by Doug Lemov & Uncommon Schools;
published by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand.
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SAMPLE SENTENCE STARTERS
In light of all the evidence…

After considering the options…
Upon further reflection…
In contrast to…
Whereas…
Similarly…
To illustrate…
For more on the topic. Please see Chapter 4: Writing for Reading in Reading Reconsidered by Doug Lemov, Colleen
Driggs, and Erica Woolway. The Art of the Sentence (AOS) technique is also highlighted in Teach Like a Champion
2.0. You can also find out more at teachlikeachampion.com. Please note that there are two other sentence
prompts, Sentence Parameter and Nondenominationals. We’ll have Grab and Go’s available for both of those
prompts these next two months, so please be sure to check back on the site.
Please include copyright line in any distribution: Reading Reconsidered, © 2016 by Doug Lemov & Uncommon Schools;
published by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand.
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Brainstorm to Standardize
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CASE STUDY: Standardize the Format

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Strengthen Writing & Thinking

Through Show Call
4 WAYS TO BUILD LEARNING AND CONTENT MASTERY
1.) MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO

GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
If you use Show Call to reinforce when a student produces
a work of particular quality, it can encourage students to
stretch outside their comfort zone.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/one-more-clip-for-
show-call-week/
2.) HELP STUDENTS REFINE

THEIR ANSWER.
Show Call can provide an opportunity for students to complete a
partial understanding or revise a not fully thought through answer.
Engaging the entire class in this exercise can be particularly fruitful.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/lessons-in-show-calling-from-sarah-
wrights-classroom/
3.) CELEBRATE THE

MISTAKES.
Show Call can also be used to encourage students
taking risks, even if the answer is incorrect, by turning
mistakes into positive teachable moments.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/sensible-tlac-wisdom-
mr-wj/
4.) DEVELOP CRITICAL

THINKING.
Use Show Call to have students analyze what is working with
their peer’s written work, and then use that example to refine
their own thoughts.
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/clip-week-courtney-betars-show-call/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/one-more-clip-for-show-call-week/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/lessons-in-show-calling-from-sarahx-
wrights-classroom/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/sensible-tlac-wisdom-mr-wj/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/clip-week-courtney-betars-show-call/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/a-postcard-from-cornerstone-prep-in-
memphis/
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SIX IDEAS FOR PROPS
Here are six ideas for Props (most of them stolen from great teachers, who themselves
borrowed them or invented them with the help of students):
 “The Hitter.” You say, “Let’s give Clarice a Hitter.” Your kids pretend to toss a
ball and swing a bat at it. They shield their eyes as if to glimpse its distant
flight. Then they mimic crowd noise suitable for a home run for some
fraction of a full second.
 “The Lawnmower.” You say: “Let’s give Jason a Lawnmower.” Your kids
reach down to pull the chord to start the mower and yank upward twice.
They make engine sounds, grip the imaginary handles, and smile for some
fraction of a full second before the Prop ends.
 “The Roller-Coaster.” You say: “Oh, man, that answer deserves a

Rollercoaster.” Your kids put their open hands in front of them pointing
upward at forty-five degrees, palms down. They “chug, chug, chug” (three
times only) with their hands mimicking a roller coaster slugging its way up
the last steep hill. Then they shout “Woo, woo, woo” three times as their
hands mimic a coaster speeding over three steep hills after the big drop.
 “Hot Pepper.” You say: “An answer like that deserves a Hot Pepper.” Your
kids hold up an imaginary hot pepper, dangling it above their mouths. They
take a bite and make a sizzle sounds “tssssss” for exactly one second.
 “Two Snaps, Two Stomps.” You say: “Two snaps, two stomps for Jimmie P.!”
or a variation on the sounds. Your kids deliver two snaps and two thundering
stomps that end perfectly on cue.
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Phrases for Building Students’ Writing Stamina
Student Who Stops Writing Says/Does Potential Response(s)

“I don’t know what to write. I’m • “If you’re confused, write down your
confused.” question(s).”/ “Jot down what’s
confusing for you in the margin…”/
“Try writing a sentence that starts with
‘I’m confused by.’”
• “Give me your best, even if you’re not
sure it’s right.”
“My hand hurts! I need to take a break.” • “The goal is to push yourself, so keep
going—especially when it’s tough.”
• “If your hand hurts, that means you’re
building stamina. That’s the goal, so
keep it moving!”
• “In college, you’ll be expected to write
for a lot longer. This is preparing you
for that.”
• “You only have two minutes left to
finish that beautiful start to your
Everybody Writes. Don’t quit now!”
• “Everyone will get a break when the
writing task is over. Until then, I need
to see you writing. Thank you.”
“I’m done. I already answered the • “If you’re done, go back and check
question.” your work for ______ (spelling,
grammar, etc.)”
• “It looks like you responded to the first
part of the question but not the
second. Reread the question to make
sure you respond to both parts.”
• “Good. Now let me see if you can
tackle this question: (insert Stretch it
Question).
• “Good. Now try to see if you can
rewrite your answer using the
sentence starter, ‘At first glance…’”
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Engages in the “slow play”—continually • “ I see that your pencil is moving, but
writing a few words, then erasing them you’ve only written X sentences in X
minutes. You’ll need to pick up the
pace if you want to finish.”
• “I don’t want perfection, I just want
you to show me your best. No need to
keep tweaking it to make it perfect.
You’ll have a chance to revise when
you’re done.”
• “This is just a first draft, so get all of
your thoughts down and answer the
question as best as you can. We’ll save
revision for later.”
• “If you’re having trouble getting
started, try beginning your paragraph
with the phrase “____________...”
…”What time is lunch again?” (or other • “Back to work.”

off-topic question) • “We haven’t started discussion yet, so
keep writing.”
• “Write first, and we’ll talk later.”
• “What I asked you to do was respond
to X question, so pick up your pencil
and start writing.
Raises his/her hand to ask an on-topic • “When your hand is raised, your pencil
question should still be moving.”
• “No need to stop writing to raise your
hand.”
• “I’ll take your question once I see you
writing.”
START
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YOUR YEAR
OFF
STRONG
If you're new to Teach Like a Champion, or
trying to get back in the swing of the
classroom after a summer off, we suggest
starting with these techniques--but a
reminder, there's no wrong place to start!
1
COLD CALL
We believe Cold Call is the most likely of all the techniques
to shift the academic culture in your classroom the
quickest. Start your year off by establishing that all
students are expected to participate and bring their
knowledge to the table, not just the ones who raise their
hands.
2 STRONG START
Start your year off by establishing routines for students as
soon as they enter the classroom. Setting expectations for
students early in the year that learning begins as soon as
they walk in the door to your classroom will maximize
learning efficiency throughout the year.
3 ENGINEER EFFICIENCY
Another technique useful for maximizing in-class learning
time is Engineer Efficiency. Teach, and then practice, the
procedures for routine activities in your classroom. Make
sure you practice these procedures with students early on
in the year so they become automatic.
4 WHAT TO DO
Prevent off-task behavior in the classroom by clearly
articulating concrete, specific, and observable directions to
tell your students what to do, rather than what not to do.
What to Do is a simple technique, but it's so important to
clearly tell students what you expect, rather than giving
vague rebukes--"Stop that," or "Don't do that."
5 PLAN FOR ERROR

Every lesson has the potential for mistakes alongside
learning. But you can turn classroom mistakes into learning
opportunities, particularly if you're prepared ahead of time
for common mistakes your students might make. Plan for
Error is a daily planning exercise where teachers anticipate
common student errors, and plan responses for them.
6 DOUBLE PLAN
Double Plan your lessons by thinking through what your
students will be doing in each part of your lesson plan.
Seeing the lesson through your students' eyes, not only
through a teacher's lens, will help make sure students have
all the tools they need to succeed at their fingertips.
7 FRONT THE WRITING

Build critical thinking skills in your students by Fronting
the Writing: making sure that writing comes early on in
the lesson so students think rigorously before
contributing to a classroom discussion. This will build
writing skills as well as critical thinking.
8 CONTROL THE GAME

Every teacher teaches reading, no matter the grade or skill
level. Building students who are passionate, positively
engaged readers through Control the Game will see returns in
almost every aspect of academics for the rest of your year.
You can find more information about this at: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/begin-prioritizing-techniques-new-teachers/

Copyright 2018, Teach Like a Champion
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Here are our notes on some of the visible procedures that we flagged in the snapshot
above:
1. Maggie warmly greets each student at the door with a handshake
2. Students know that the expectations are to enter silently and in a single-file
line
3. Lesson packets are located on a desk near the entry to ensure students have
everything they need for the lesson by the time they reach their seat
4. One student is already sitting and copying the objective before she starts the
Do Now. She’s able to get right to work in part because she knows exactly
where to look for both the objective and the Do Now. They’re posted in the
same place every day (on the board)
5. Students who have backpacks or jackets hang them up on hangers in the
back of the classroom. This ensures that aisle ways stay clear and clutter-free
for a smooth entry
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5 WAYS TO SUPPORT
VOCABULARY
DEVELOPMENT
BUILD WORD KNOWLEDGE THROUGH
5-10 QUESTIONS PER DAY
Aim to ask 5-10 questions per day that help students use
and apply new words in a variety of contexts. You can ask
general questions to start: for example, "If someone was
obstinate, would they be good to argue with?" Build up to
more complex questions with increased scenario difficulty.
For example, "Do you think the ambiguous ending
perplexed some readers? Why or why not?"
READ ALOUD TO STUDENTS TO

CONTEXTUALIZE TOUGH VOCAB
Written language contains more new vocabulary words
than students are likely to encounter in oral conversation,
and hearing those words aloud with expression and
inflection makes students more likely to retain and attend
to them in the future.
Read more at:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/reading-aloud-
students-critical-vocabulary/
POST ADVANCED VOCAB WORDS

Move students beyond their immediate vocabulary stand-bys by
writing more advanced academic terminology on the board. Push
students to replace lower-level vocabulary with these words whenever
possible during classroom discussions. Having the words on the board
serves as a visual reminder to students of more complex vocabulary to
use when they're struggling.
Read more at: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/building-
academic-vocabulary-postcard-jo-facers-classroom/
TRACK CLASSROOM VOCAB TO

ASSESS RETENTION
Keep track of the words your students are exposed to
during your lessons. At the end of each month, choose a
selection (for example, 25 out of the 100 used that month)
to quiz students. While students will learn other words
outside class, this will give you an idea of how well you're
imparting new vocabulary for longterm retention.
Read more at:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/minutes-tim-
shanahan/
CONNECT VOCABULARY WITH

ASSIGNED LITERATURE
Connecting new words with current ongoing lessons, such
as assigned readings, is an excellent way to incorporate
vocabulary practice. For example, "How is the
denouement of Romeo & Juliet foreshadowed throughout
other parts of the play?" It's also a good idea to connect
older vocabulary words used throughout the year with
literature being currently read.
LEARN MORE ABOUT VOCABULARY PRACTICE AT:

HTTP://TEACHLIKEACHAMPION.COM/BLOG/EXAMPLES-ACTIVE-
VOCABULARY-PRACTICE-NEW-CURRICULUM/
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One of the most important topics
in teaching reading is
text selection, the process by

which teachers choose what their
students will read.
What students
read shapes
how and
how well
they
learn to read.
POWER OF TEXT SELECTION

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Checklist for reading text selection criteria

One of the most important topics in teaching reading is
text selection, the process by which teachers choose
what their students will read. What students read will
also determine how well they read it.
Make sure you take the following things into consideration when
choosing texts for your students:
❏ What will resonate with your students? Finding a text that speaks
to your students on some level, either life experience or age of
protagonist, will better help your students connect with the text.
However, that doesn’t mean that anything told from the point of
view of a protagonist the same age as your students will resonate.
❏ How does setting and context affect how your students
understand text? Texts written in the 19th century, such as Oliver
Twist by Charles Dickens, are often difficult for students to
comprehend because not only is vocabulary challenging or
occasionally obsolete, but context clues for students may be
difficult to comprehend.
❏ Consider diversity of text and genre. However, if students read
only one type of text or text written during a certain era (say, after
1980), it does not give them the necessary foundation to encounter
more challenging texts later in their academic career.
❏ Find the sweet spot between accessibility and difficult texts.
Balancing accessibility and challenge in texts has to be an ongoing
consideration for teachers throughout the school year and
syllabus. When the criterion is solely accessibility of the text and
not greatness, the result is that students who start out as weak
readers almost never study the same rigorous texts that imply our
highest expectations, and are
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almost never offered the opportunity to read and master what’s

truly considered great, and are rarely asked to push themselves
and find that they are indeed capable of bringing great insight to
even the most challenging situations.
Consider this common challenge and long-term solution for developing

readers:
❏ Archaic text. Reading archaic text is necessary to a full education,
but it is unrealistic to think that students will do so without having
practiced reading older texts in a steady, intentional, and,
especially, incremental way.
❏ Pre-Complex texts. A text that provides readers with practical
experience with a simpler version of the ultimate challenges
posed by complex texts. Pre-complex texts will ultimately prepare
students to tackle more complicated books by the likes of Darwin
and Dickens. Pre-complex texts can help prepare readers to be
more familiar and comfortable with a variety of forms of
complexity.
Find more resources about developing reading skills in your students,

including our TEXT SELECTION RUBRIC, here:
http://www.teachlikeachampion.com/championreaders/
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Wait Time: 100+ Narrative Phrases
Key Idea: Top teachers in high performing urban schools often use Narrated Wait Time to incent and
reinforce the specific behaviors that will be most productive to their students during that time. They
are teaching even while they are waiting.
Top 4 benefits of Wait Time:

• The length and correctness of student responses is likely to increase.
• The number of failures to respond (“I don’t know”) is likely to decrease.
• The number of students who volunteer to answer is likely to increase.
• The use of evidence in answers is likely to increase.
The following phrases were written by 100 teachers and school leaders from New York City, Boston,
Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New Orleans, Ohio, Colorado, Tennessee, and the Netherlands at a
Teach Like a Champion workshop.
Note: we’ve categorized the phrases into rough grade level categories to make it easier for teachers
to prioritize phrases, but most of these phrases could be adopted/modified for use across grade
levels.
General (Can be Used Across Grade Levels)

• It's good to be slow, and make sure you know.
• If you’re not sure, think about [hint].
• If you’ve got it, grow it! Build a defense.
• I’m listening for the sound of notebook pages.
• Think about your answer.
• I have almost 100%; waiting for my first row…
• I see [student] using [strategy]. I’ll give everyone a minute to double-check with [strategy].
• Take more than ten seconds.
• Push your thinking.
• Scholars are reading the word wall.
• I know you know this, because you know where to look for the answer.
• Your hand is up or your pencil is moving.
• Sit with it. It’s supposed to be hard.
• Be ready to give your answer in a complete sentence.
• This word is on the word wall. Check to see if you got it.
• Take a risk!
• Follow the steps.
• I love to see scholars take risks to answer challenging questions.
• Even Le Bron practices. Practice the answer in your mind.
• This is going to take some big thinking, so I’m going to give you time for that.
1
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• Stretch your thinking.

• Your first answer may not be the best one.
• How might another scholar answer?
• Think like a teacher.
• Where are my risk-takers? Life’s more fun with a little adventure.
• This is tricky, so questions are good! Jot them down while you’re thinking.
• This is hard stuff. Take your time. No hands for 10 seconds.
• I want effort, not perfection. We’re in it together.
• Let’s bring a few more thinkers into this equation.
• I don’t expect you to get it all the time but I do expect you to try.
• Alright [this grade], it’s time to take our thinking to the [next grade] level!
• Point to your evidence.
• Everyone has a voice and I want to hear your thoughts.
• Evidence, evidence, think of your evidence!
• Remember use your background knowledge to build current knowledge
• I can’t wait to see you use precise vocabulary.
• DON’T FORGET V.I.V. - Very Important Vocab!
• Let’s do a countdown for hands I need 12. 12, 11, 10…
• I believe that you have the answer. I believe that you will find the way.
• It’s so hard to wait because your responses will be brilliant, but I can do it!
Elementary School
• Thinkers pose! Students put hands to chin. Knowledge stance! Students put hands straight
up.
• I see hands ready to show off what they’ve learned.
• Get those juices flowing! Hands undulate like fluid.
• Good readers take time…
o To look back at the story.
o To check punctuation.
o To do [action}
• Say it to your hand and make sure it:
o Makes sense
o Matches the question
o Has scholar language
• I spy scholar eyes looking around the room for resources.
• When you think you have your answer, take time in your mind to put it in a complete
sentence.
• All brains on!
• When you have your answer, grab it from your brain and hold it up.
2
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• Can’t wait to hear your billion dollar answer.

• I see fingers going to work.
• I can see that our brains are on fire.
• Juicy answers take time.
• Step foot in the world for a connection. Come back to share in 15 seconds.
• Brains are on fire. Keep burning!
• I see you riding thought waves. Keep surfing!
• Earn your detective badges!
• It’s cold over here. I need to go where it’s hot and the hands are on fire!
• Let’s all chew on that question before we answer. Pretend to chew.
• Get your mouth ready to say the words in your head.
• If you know it, show it!
• Scholars always work to grow their thinking!
• Rev up your engines….Vroom, vroom, vroom.
• Make’m say hmmmmm!
• Rub your temples, get those minds working.
• Tap your brains! Wow, your thoughtful answers are growing bigger and bigger by the second.
• Write the sentence in your head, and then jot it on your paper.
• Remember be the tortoise, not the hare. Work smart, not fast.
Middle School and Up

• I see scholars using their notes to find answers.
• I’m seeing scholars rolling their 9s to check their answers
• Be prepared to explain why you set up your equation that way.
• We’ll believe you when you prove it.
• Look around and see what your professional peers are doing.
• Explain why a different answer doesn’t work.
• Be ready to explain how you got your answer
• [Student] is thinking about how she would prove her idea to us.
• Be ready to prove it!
• I like to see [student] using the [resource] to help him find the answer.
• Use your resources to check your answer.
• What if someone disagrees with your answer? What evidence can prove you’re right?
• Your answer is ready when you can prove it.
• I see [name] using a sticky note to find evidence in the text.
• Find a resource that supports your answer.
• How will you defend your answer?
• How did you avoid an incorrect answer?
• Is your answer college-ready?
3
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• College-level answers take time.

• How could you check to make sure your answer is correct?
• I see [student] getting ready for the challenge by checking her notes.
• How would you explain this to your baby cousin?
• Take a few minutes to write down your responses to the question. When you’re finished use
you’re resources to:
o Defend/support your response.
o Improve your response.
o Extend your response.
• As you solve the problem, I should see you looking at your formula sheet for the right
formula.
• As you come to your answer, list 2-3 other possibilities on your paper. Then, underline the
answer you’re most confident in.
• Make sure your armor is ready for defending your answer
• It’s not about what you do when someone’s watching; it’s about what you do when no one’s
watching.
• Rome was not built in a day; take your time to develop sound answers.
• Use resources to revise your answer
• I am going to be contrary, so be ready with your argument because I’m going to try and prove
you wrong!
• Elevate and elaborate.
• Be ready to listen critically to your classmates answer if you’re not sharing. Think: are they
on track? Any improvements needed?
• If you’re already there, add a college-level word to your answer.
• You can go back and use your notes if you need to.
• Take 2 minutes to mark at least 3 places where you can find evidence of [fact or idea] using
with post-it notes.
• I see [student] is looking at [resource], because it has a problem similar to the one we are
working on.
• This thinking is putting you on the road to college.
• I saw lots of quick hands. I’m going to ask you to prove it. Can you prove it?
• I see college-ready scholars pushing their thinking by double-checking their work and finding
more than one way to solve.
• How can you connect your answer to what we were just discussing?
• Challenge this thought: [e.g. “A rectangle is a square”]. Think first. Who’s ready to challenge
me?
• We’re thinking through our thinking. Do I understand this question? What am I doing to
solve?
4
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technique combinations
Watch this video of John Burmeister as he masterfully

combines Feigning Ignorance and Cold Calling in
orchestra practice.
Practice combining techniques for maximum effect.
bit.ly/TechniqueCombos
1 COLD CALLING and TURN & TALK
2 DO IT AGAIN and POSITIVE FRAMING
3 WAIT TIME and TURN & TALK
4 SELF-INTERRUPT and STRONG VOICE
ACTIVITY
Consider what TLaC techniques work well in synergy.
What are the “peanut butter & chocolate” pairings ?
Why do such pairings and groupings work so well?

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No Opt Out Options Flowchart

Students in your classroom need to know that it’s alright not to know the right answer to a
question, but that not knowing is not an excuse for not trying. Use one of the No Opt Out
options below to ensure that students who respond to a question with “I don’t know,” or “I
can’t,” or an incorrect or partially correct response, end the sequence with a correct or
valid answer.

This free resource comes from the Grab and Go section of www.teachlikeachampion.com. As you customize, please credit us as the source.
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One way that you can make this activity more rigorous in your classroom is to
follow up the No Opt Out answers with a request for another correct answer
(in addition to the one the student gave) or by asking for the student to
explain the “why” behind the correct answer.

To view some excellent examples of No Opt Out in the classroom, check out
the following links:
● http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/masterful-no-opt-denarius-frazi
er-video/
● http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/see-aidan-thomas-no-opt/
● http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/joaquin-hernandezthe-moves-b
uild-culture-high-expectations-sean-healeys-classroom/
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Focus on select techniques that everyone

at your school will put into practice.

We know that you’re already starting to think about priorities for the upcoming
school year. An example of successful prioritizing comes from Jillian Robinson, head
of teaching and learning at Nanago State School in Queensland, Australia.

Jillian created a handy placemat that outlines all of the Teach Like a Champion 2.0
techniques. Included on the placemat are short descriptions to help teachers
remember, organize, and implement the techniques in their classroom.

Highlighted on the placemat, you can see the “Nanago Nine,” the techniques that
Nanago State School chose to focus on for one year. During that year, all teachers
implemented these nine techniques in their classrooms.

The key to success here is focus. Picking a few that everyone at your school will do
and implementing those techniques is a good start.

To learn more about the insights Nanago School gained from the
“Nanago Nine,” visit:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/nanango-nine-insights-traini
ng-australia/

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Teach Like a Champion 2.0 - The 62 Techniques Placemat with the Nanango Nine
Part One – Checking for Understanding Part Two – Academic Ethos
Gathering Data on Acting on Data and the Setting High Academic Planning for Success Lesson Structure Pacing
Student Mastery Culture of Error Expectations
Technique 1: Reject Self Report Technique 7: Plan for Error Technique 11: No Opt Out Technique 16: Begin With The End Technique 20: Do Now Technique 27: Change the Pace
Replace functionally rhetorical Increase the likelihood that you’ll Turn “I don’t know” into a success by Progress from unit planning to lesson Use a short warm-up activity that Establish a productive pace in your
questions with more objective forms of recognise and respond to errors by helping students who won’t try or can’t planning. Define the objective, decide students can complete without classroom. Create ‘fast’ or ‘slow’
impromptu assessment. planning for common mistakes in succeed practice getting it right (and how you’ll assess it, and then choose instruction or direction from you to moments in a lesson by shifting
advance. being accountable for trying). appropriate lesson activities. start class every day. This lets the activity types or formats.
learning start even before you begin
teaching.
Technique 2: Targeted Questioning Technique 8: Culture of Error Technique 12: Right is Right Technique 17: 4 Ms Technique 21: Name the Steps Technique 28: Brighten Lines
Ask a quick series of carefully chosen, Create an environment where your When you respond to answers in class, There are four criteria for an effective Break down complex tasks into simple Ensure that change in activities
open-ended questions directed at a students feel safe making and hold out for answers that are 'all-the- lesson plan objective: Manageable, steps that form a path for student and other mileposts are perceived
strategic sample of the class and discussing mistakes, so you can spend way right’ or all the way to your Measureable, Made first, and Most mastery. clearly by making beginnings and
executed in a short time period. less time hunting for errors and more standards of rigour. important endings of activities visible and
time fixing them. crisp.
Technique 3: Standardise the Format Technique 9: Excavate Error Technique 13: Stretch It Technique 18: Post It Technique 22: Board = Paper Technique 29: All Hands
Streamline observations by designing Dig into errors, studying them Reward ‘right’ answers with harder Display your lesson objectives where Model and shape how students should Leverage hand raising to positively
materials and space so that you’re efficiently and effectively, to better questions everyone can see it and identify your take notes in order to capture the impact pacing. Manage and vary
looking in the same consistent place understand where students struggle purpose. information you present. the ways that students raise their
every time for the data you need. and how you can best address those hands, as well as the methods you
points. use to call on them.
Technique 4: Tracking, Not Watching Technique 10: Own and Track Technique 14: Format Matters Technique 19: Double Plan Technique 23: Control the Game Technique 30: Work the Clock
Be intentional about how you scan your Have students correct or revise their Help your students practice responding As you plan a lesson, plan what your Ask students to read aloud frequently, Measure time-your greatest
classroom. Decide specifically what own work, fostering an environment of in a format that communicates the students will be doing at each point in but manage the process to ensure resource as a teacher-intentionally,
you’re looking for and remain accountability for the correct answer. worthiness of their ideas. class. expressiveness, accountability, and strategically, and often visibly to
disciplined about it in the face of engagement. shape both your and your students’
distractions. experience in the classroom.
Technique 5: Show Me Technique 15: Without Apology Technique 24: Circulate Technique 31: Every Minute
Flip the classroom dynamic in which Embrace – rather than apologise for – Move strategically around the room Matters
the teacher gleans data from a passive rigorous content, academic challenge, during all parts of the lesson. Respect students’ time by
group of students. Have students and the hard work necessary to spending every minute
actively show evidence of their scholarship. productively.
understanding.
Technique 6: Affirmative Checking Technique 25: At Bats
Insert specific points into your lesson Because succeeding once or twice at a
when students must get confirmation skill won’t bring mastery, give your
that their work is correct, productive, students lots of practice mastering
or sufficiently rigorous before moving knowledge and skills.
on to the next stage.
Technique 26: Exit Ticket
End each class with an explicit
assessment of your objective that you
can use to evaluate your (and your
students’) success.
Lemov, D (2015) Teach Like a Champion 2.0 – 62 Techniques that put students on the path to college, Jossey-Bass, USA Placemat by Jillian Robinson jrobi184@eq.edu.au Nanango State School, QLD, Australia
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Teach Like a Champion 2.0 - The 62 Techniques Placemat with the Nanango Nine
Part 3 Ratio Part 4 – Five Principles of Classroom Culture: Discipline, Management, Control,
Influence, Engagement
Building Ratio Building Ratio Through Building Ratio Through Systems and Routines High Behavioural Expectations Building Character and
Through Questioning Writing Discussion Trust
Technique 32: Wait Time Technique 37: Everybody Writes Technique 42: Habits of Discussion Technique 45: Threshold Technique 51: Radar/Be Seen Looking Technique 58: Positive Framing
Allow students time to think Prepare your students to engage Make your discussions more Meet your students at the door, setting Prevent non-productive behaviour by developing your Guide students to do better work while
before answering. If they aren’t rigorously by giving them the chance productive and enjoyable by expectations before they enter the ability to see it when it happens and by subtly reminding motivating and inspiring them by using
productive with that time, narrate to reflect in writing before you ask normalising a set of ground rules or classroom. students that you are looking. positive tone to deliver constructive
them toward being more them to discuss. ‘habits’ that allow discussion to be feedback.
Technique 46: Strong Start
productive. more efficiently cohesive and
Design and establish an efficient routine for
connected. Technique 52: Make Compliance Visible
students to enter the classroom and begin
class. Ensure that students follow through on a request in an
Technique 33: Cold Call Technique 38: The Art of the Technique 43: Turn and Talk Technique 47: STAR/SLANT immediate and visible way by setting a standard that’s Technique 59: Precise Praise
Call on students regardless of Sentence Encourage students to better Teach students key baseline behaviours for more demanding than marginal compliance. Be judicious Make your positive reinforcement
whether they’ve raised their Ask students to synthesise a formulate their thoughts by learning, such as sitting up in class and in what you ask for, specifically because it will uphold the strategic. Differentiate between
hands. complex idea in a single, well-crafted including short, contained pair tracking the speaker, by using a memorable standard of compliance. acknowledgement and praise.
sentence. The discipline of having to discussions-but make sure to design acronym such as STAR or SLANT.
make one sentence do all the work them for maximum efficiency and
pushes students to use new accountability. Technique 53: Least Invasive Intervention Maximise
syntactical forms. teaching time and minimise ‘drama’ by using the subtlest
and least invasive tactic possible to correct off-task
students.
Technique 34: Call and Response Technique 39: Show Call Technique 44: Batch Process Technique 48: Engineer Efficiency Technique 54: Firm Calm Finesse Technique 60: Warm/Strict
Ask your class to answer questions Create a strong incentive to Give more ownerships and Teach students the simplest and fastest Take steps to get compliance without conflict by Be both warm and strict at the same time
in unison from time to time to complete writing with quality and autonomy to students- by allowing procedure for executing key classroom tasks, establishing an environment of purpose and respect and to send a message of high expectations,
build energetic, positive thoughtfulness by publicly for student discussion without then practise so that executing the procedure by maintaining your own poise. caring, and respect.
engagement. showcasing and revising student teacher mediation, for short periods becomes a routine.
writing-regardless of who volunteers of time or for longer, more formal
to share. sequences.
Technique 35: Break it Down Technique 40: Build Stamina Technique 49: Strategic Investment - From Technique 55: Art of the Consequence Technique 61: Emotional Constancy
When a student makes an error, Gradually increase writing time to Procedure to Routine Ensure that consequences, when needed, are more Manage your emotions to consistently
provide just enough help to allow develop in your students the habit of Turn procedures into routines by rehearsing effective by making them quick, incremental, consistent promote student learning and
her to ‘solve’ as much of the writing productively, and the ability and reinforcing until excellence becomes and depersonalised. It also helps to make a bounce-back achievement.
original problem as she can. to do it for sustained periods of time. habitual. Routinising a key procedure statement, showing students that they can quickly get
requires clear expectations, consistency, and back in the game.
most important, patience. Even so, it’s
almost always worth it. Technique 56: Strong Voice
Affirm your authority through intentional verbal and non-
verbal habits, especially at moments when you need
control.
Technique 36: Pepper Technique 41: Front the Writing Technique 50: Do It Again Technique 57: What to Do Technique 62: Joy Factor
Use Pepper as a fast-paced, vocal Arrange lessons so that writing Give students more practice when they’re not Use specific, concrete, sequential, and observable Celebrate the work of learning as you go.
review to build energy and comes earlier in the process to up to speed-not just doing something again, directions to tell students what to do, as opposed to what
actively engage your class. ensure that students think rigorously but doing it better, striving to do their best. not to do.
in writing.
Lemov, D (2015) Teach Like a Champion 2.0 – 62 Techniques that put students on the path to college, Jossey-Bass, USA Placemat by Jillian Robinson jrobi184@eq.edu.au Nanango State School, QLD, Australia
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Crafting Student Friendly Definitions

for Teaching Vocabulary:
For an upcoming lesson, if you’re planning to use implicit vocabulary

instruction—quick teaching or reinforcement of words during reading—
having a student friendly definition planned in advance is key.
Which Words?
The first step is deciding which words. Ask yourself the following questions
to determine which words to prioritize when teaching implicitly during
reading:
● Which words deserve the most attention because they are crucial to
understanding the text or related to key ideas in the story?
● Which words are students likely to encounter again (either in the story
or in other readings)?
● Where does the word occur with respect to other questions that you’ll
stop reading to ask?
Drafting Definitions
Not all definitions are created equal. Consider these three definitions for
the word vanquish:
q Vanquish: to eliminate something
q Vanquish: victorious with permanence and/or finality as in a hard-
fought conflict
q Vanquish: to defeat completely in a battle
Which do you think is the most useful definition? Why?
What makes the others less useful?

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Our thoughts on the three definitions:

• The third definition is both strong and student-friendly.
• The other two definitions exemplify common pitfalls of definitions:
o The first definition (to eliminate something) is inaccurate.
o The second definition (victorious with permanence and/or
finality as in a hard-fought battle) is too long and contains other
vocabulary that students may not be familiar with.
Criteria for Drafting Definitions

A student friendly definition should be:
● Planned in advance.
● Student friendly.
● A consistent part of speech.
● Capture the common use and nuance.
● Double-checked for accuracy.
Practice!
1. Pick a text that you’ll be reading next year with your students, or if
you’re a parent, that you might read with your own child this
summer.
2. Pick three pages and use the “Which Words” questions to help you
identify which words to teach using implicit vocabulary instruction.
3. Draft your student friendly definitions.
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7
TIPS FOR BETTER FORMATIVE
WRITING PROMPTS
DEVELOP, NOT DEFEND
1 Students should be developing their initial ideas
through the formative prompt, not summarizing
or defending.
OPEN PROMPTS
2 Good formative writing prompts often feel open-
ended, using the word "might" or "could" to help
students think critically.
THOUGHTFUL, NOT RIGHT, ANSWERS

3 Students, and teachers, shouldn't be seeking
"right" or "wrong" answers, but thoughtful ones.
THE PROCESS OF WRITING PROVIDES

4 INSIGHT, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND
Formative writing prompts provide a process of
developing thoughts. Students write to decide
what they think.
5 WRITING IS STILL TEXT-CENTRIC

Although prompts are open-ended and could apply
to examples from students' lives or experiences,
answers should still be explorative of the text.
OPEN CLASS DISCUSSION WITH A

6 FORMATIVE PROMPT FOR A "DO NOW"
Start your lesson with a formative writing prompt
for a Do Now activity. Follow up on the ideas
students generate by asking them to craft a
sentence distilling their argument, to build
towards summative writing.
DON'T LIMIT FORMATIVE PROMPTS TO

7 LANGUAGE ARTS.
Formative writing prompts can be useful for math,
science, history, and more. Finding ways to
incorporate formative writing prompts in all
curricular areas will strength students' reflective
and critical thinking abilities across the board.
Additional resources on formative writing

http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/formative-versus-summative-writing-
prompts-examples/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/ashley-la-grassa-formative-writing-
improved-classes/
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/three-types-writing-classroom/
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Do Now Checklist
Do Nows are short activities that focus students on starting work as soon as they enter the
classroom, without waiting for a teacher direction to start class. Here is a short checklist of
best practices for how to implement successful Do Now practice in your classroom.

Steps to a successful Do Now practice:
➢ Consistency is key. Students should always find the Do Now in the same
place. Best places to post the Do Now include:
○ Write it on the board.
○ Include a paper Do Now on the first page of the daily packet.
○ Students pick up a paper Do Now that can be collected and graded
from the same spot in the classroom every day.
➢ Build student independence. The Do Nows should not require additional
directions from teachers for students to complete. It defeats the purpose of
the Do Now to have a teacher stop the class and explain the activity.
➢ Keep it short. The Do Now should take 3 - 5 minutes to complete.
➢ Put pencil to paper. The Do Now should result in a written product from
students.
➢ Pair with your lesson plan. The Do Now is most effective when used to
either:
○ Preview that day’s lesson.
○ Review a recent lesson.
➢ Observe which questions students spend time working on. Save time on
reviewing the Do Now answers by selecting a few key questions to review
together as a class, then pair your students to review answers for the others
together.
➢ Reinforce the right answer. It can be helpful to require students to write
down correct Do Now answers in their notebooks if they miss an answer.
➢ Specify how you want students to answer. Use the Do Now as a chance to
reinforce writing out full, grammatically correct sentences with a simple
instruction: Answer in complete sentences. Or, if you want students to focus
only on the right answer, specify: Answer only.

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Do Now Activities and Resources

Review reading comprehension
Have students respond to close reading questions of an excerpted paragraph from
a reading. This works particularly well to review text that was close read recently.
Instruct students to annotate a short passage of text (that they’ve read before) with 3
- 5 critical reflection questions.

Develop critical thinking skills
Foster a discussion by having students respond in a short paragraph form to a civic
engagement question. This works particularly well to preview an upcoming lesson
or topic of discussion, especially for older learners. However, because these
questions can be open-ended, it’s best to pick just one or two to keep the lesson at
the five minute limit--and also to limit review time.

Teach not just the how but the why
Review and practice math skills and concepts with a worksheet. If you’re practicing
functions, 7 - 10 quick problems can be completed in 5 minutes. However, if you
also want students to review and explain why they completed the equation the way
that they did (for example, walking through the steps of long division, or explaining
the order of arithmetic equations) on the worksheet, choose fewer questions.

Build stability and routine for students who need it most
If you work with students with disabilities, Do Nows can also act as a way to bolster
confidence in knowledge, ingrain knowledge through repetition, and also preview
what the lesson for the day will be, adding stability to his or her routine.

Find additional resources about Do Nows at:
A primer, including Do Now examples:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/now-primer/
Outstanding examples of Do Nows in the classroom:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/alex-laneys-nows/
How Alex Laney is using Do Nows in his classroom to reinforce Retrieval Practice:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/using-now-retrieval-practice-update-alex-la
ney/
Taryn Pritchard shared her notes (both before and after the activity) on her Do
Now--what to check for, and how many students (and who) got the questions right:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/now-meets-cfu-taryn-pritchards-notes-self/
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Non-fiction Text Selection

Embedding non-fiction is the practice of pairing fiction texts with 4-5 non-fiction
supplementary materials, such as articles or other documents that help illuminate
the novel or short story being studied. This practice can help students absorb the
information in the text more quickly than if they were reading the novel without the
non-fiction articles.

But choosing the right non-fiction text to embed, the kind that will fascinate
students while bringing a greater understanding of historical, cultural, or other
relevant context to the fiction selection, can be tricky. We’ve developed this handy
checklist to provide some support for your classroom.

Embedding inside the bull’s-eye. These are non-fiction texts that support the
primary source — in this case, the primary source means the novel, and not
necessarily a primary source document such as the Declaration of Independence.
These are articles that support understanding of the primary text, but which are also
in turn better absorbed by students through the reading of the fiction primary
source. Consider the following important pieces to creating the most synergy of
learning between your non-fiction and your fiction texts.
❏ Context. What cultural or historical background would be helpful for
students to understand, and what’s a specific way for that information
to be delivered?
❏ Order matters. Reading the non-fiction text after starting the primary
text has better results for synergy of knowledge comprehension and
retention.

Embedding outside the bull’s-eye. For non-fiction texts that embed knowledge
outside the bull’s-eye, look for texts that help students better analyze text by
modeling how to apply an analytical framework. For example, Colleen Driggs used a
video on a scientific study of bull elephants from the Smithsonian, specifically how
and why the animals use hierarchies, to illustrate male hierarchies amongst
communities in the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.1

1
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/elephants-outsiders-watch-colleen-driggs-embed-non-fiction/
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Planning Tool for Embedding Non-fiction: Examples

Example: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park2
Content How it applies to Sources Stop and Jot questions
text
Article on the Tree-ear is focused on https://www.ers.usda.go How does the acquisition of rice
economics of rice in rice as nourishment v/publications/pub-deta affect Tree-ear’s motivations
Korea and currency ils/?pubid=79793 throughout the novel?
Article on the Tree-ear The rootless https://en.wikipedia.org What does Tree-ear’s name tell us
mushroom mushroom is an /wiki/Auricularia_auricul about him as a character?
analogy to the a-judae
homeless narrator
Article on the causes Min suffers from https://www.ncbi.nlm.ni What are some possible causes for
and manifestation of depression h.gov/pmc/articles/PM Min’s state of mind? How does it
depression C2395346/ affect how he treats other
characters?
Article on Tree-ear is homeless https://talkpoverty.org/ What is the psychological toll of
homelessness for much of the novel 2018/01/24/homeless-y homelessness on Tree-ear?
outh-statistics-reality-mil
es-apart/
Orphans in literature Tree-ear is an orphan https://www.huffingtonp Why is there such a prevalent

ost.com/dave-astor/orp literary trope of orphans in youth
hans-in-literature_b_3535 fiction?
503.html

Example: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Content How it applies to text Sources Stop and Jot questions
Article on British Bertha comes from http://www.jstor.org/sta How do British attitudes towards
colonization of the the Caribbean ble/3828358 the Caribbean impact the depiction
Caribbean of Bertha?
Article on The novel is working in https://pdfs.semanticsc How is Jane Eyre like or unlike a
bildungsroman the tradition of the holar.org/f9f7/f59602c7 typical bildungsroman?
narratives bildungsroman b6201c9a0b3092f4d217f7
6b4399.pdf
Article on hallmarks of The novel adopts https://www.virtualsalt.c What Gothic elements do you see in
Gothic literature elements of the Gothic om/gothic.htm Jane Eyre?
literary tradition
Article on the expected Jane Eyre is firmly https://www.bl.uk/roma How do societal expectations shape
etiquette of women rooted in the mores of ntics-and-victorians/vide interactions between Jane and
during the 1840’s the time os/gender-in-19th-centu Rochester?
ry-britain
2
Examples gleaned from ideas published here:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/reading-reconsidered-embeding-non-fiction/
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Planning Tool for Embedding Non-fiction3

Directions:
1. In column 1: With grade level/content team colleagues, brainstorm and list in the
content column possible topics.
2. In column 2: Independently or together articulate how the topic applies to the text.
3. In column 3: Use or locate sources for the 3-4 most compelling content topics.
Consider balancing content needed to help students establish meaning (inside the
bullseye) and content that pushes students to analyze meaning in new ways
(outside the bullseye). Note: Before using the sources with students you may
need to adapt/modify the embedded texts.
4. In column 4: For the sourced content, draft Stop and Jot questions—individually,
then share and refine as a group.

by

Content How it applies to text Sources Stop and Jot questions

3
This is from Teach Like a Champion but feel free to modify as long as you credit us.
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Additional Resources:

Reading Reconsidered Reading Spine: Text Selector for Primary Schools — An
overview of the Five Plagues of the Developing Reader, along with suggestions for
texts, by grade level, that deal with the Five Plagues, can be found at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13-1iD28a0LUHFiUk-qOzu-9vDHYa1dYp/view

Supplementary resources from Reading Reconsidered — A selection of videos and
downloadable short ebooks that include resources on the importance of Text
Selection along with the Text Selection Tool:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/championreaders/

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NCCS Wait Time Cheat Sheet

When Teacher Prompts to Launch Teacher Purpose Teacher Prompts During/After
Rollout  T: This is a spicy question  Make  T: Hands!
 S: Mmmm. Spicy. transparent.  T: (Narrate raised hands)
 T: That means you’re going to think  T: Kaleb, nice job using your thinking
and I’m going to wait. Don’t raise time to review the text. (Repeat
hands until I ask. (Repeat question.) question.)
Building  T: This is a spicy question  Narrate hands.  T: This is a 2nd grade question. Who’s
the Habit  S: Mmmm, Spicy.  Prompt thinking ready to take a risk..
 T: Question. You’re thinking. Go. skills.  T: I have 5 hands, but need all of
them.
 T: I see Jamie using the 100s chart.
 T: I see Malik rereading the dialogue
on pg. 2.
 T: I see Jaida making that perfect
sentence in her brain. She’s restating
the question in her head.
 T: Remember, hands are down and
you’re thinking.
NOTE: PRECISE PRAISE IS BEST
I see Charlie checking his notes.
I see Sara is thinking.
When it’s  T: Spicy question  Give real  Teacher is silent and circulating
a Habit  S: Mmmm, Spicy. thinking time.  Private checkins, if necessary (“like
 T: Question & Gesture. how I see you doing xyz)
This free resource was created by Nashville Classical Charter School. As you customize, please credit them as the source. Thanks!
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Insufficient Academic What to Do Directions
Step 1: Review the directions below. Re-write the directions so that they follow the
principles of What to Do. Directions should be specific, concrete, sequential, and
observable.
Step 2: After you have revised the directions, pick one to practice delivering to a partner.
Get feedback and practice again.
Example Scenario: You asked students to find a piece of evidence to support or refute a key claim that
someone has made about a novel your class is reading. Most students seem to be flipping through the
book but aren't identifying evidence, while others are identifying irrelevant evidence.
Direction: "Remember, I asked you to find evidence. A phrase or sentence will do."
Example Revised with What to Do: “Remember to find a piece of evidence to support _____, and then
underline
Direction: it.”
I’d like to begin. Please get ready for class.
Scenario #1: You just asked your 1st graders to write two sentences in response to the prompt: “what did
you do last weekend?” You check in with a student who seems overwhelmed and reluctant to start. Here
are the expectations:
• Read the prompt: “What did you do last weekend?”
• Whisper the words you’re going to write 5 times to yourself before you write them down.
• Write two complete sentences in response to the prompt.
Direction: “Get started on your writing assignment, Marshon!”
Revised with What to Do:
Scenario #2: You send your 4th grade students off to do a turn-and-talk but notice that some pairs
are slow to start, some students are dominating their pair conversations, while others are discussing
the wrong question
Direction: “You should be discussing your answer to the question we just discussed.”

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Scenario #3:
You’re teaching a 6th Grade Algebra lesson on adding and subtracting polynomials. During
independent work, you notice that Sherene isn’t showing her work and is just writing down her
answers.
Direction: (Pauses
Revised with Whatin to
front
Do:of desk) “What am I going to say about your work?”
Scenario #4: After finishing a stretch of oral reading of Call of the Wild as an 8th Grade Reading class,
you ask students to finish the last page of the chapter on their own while using their Interactive
Reading skills. You notice that approximately half of the class is finishing the chapter but not reading
interactively.
Direction: “Pencils in hand, please!”
Scenario #5: Revised with What to Do: You asked 9th Grade students to complete one page of Cornell
Notes for section 3 of chapter 3. Some students forget to include their summaries while others are
forgetting to note keywords.
Direction: (Teacher points to a copy of exemplar Cornell Notes on the wall) “Remember to follow this
format when writing your Cornell Notes!”
Scenario #6: During an 11th Grade History lesson on the French Revolution, you ask students to read
a paragraph-long excerpt from “Declaration of the Rights of Man” by following the steps you’ve taught
them for analyzing a primary source document. Instead, students skip the analysis and begin writing
answers to the comprehension questions.
Direction: “Remember to analyze the document before you answer the questions.”
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Two great ways to use visual displays to boost student’s use of advanced vocabulary:
WORD WALLS and WORD BANKS

Word Walls can make it easy and exciting for students to try their hand at using new and better words. If
they’re done well. And we think you can and should do a lot more than just the basic posting of some useful
words on a bulletin board. To make a word wall sing:
Teach words first with a bit of depth, before you post so kids know how to use them well. By “teaching with a
bit of depth” we mean give students a good definition and then ask them to use and apply the word often in
playful and interesting ways. We call this active practice. You can read more here:
http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/active-practice-key-vocabulary/.
Link the word to a picture. As part of your teaching link the word via a story to an engaging and memorable
picture. For example you might define the word “conspicuous” as “designed to stand out from the crowd” or
“something that stands out from the crowd on purpose.”
Then you might show students this picture and ask, “How is this man’s behavior conspicuous? How is his
clothing conspicuous? Is a red sweatshirt always conspicuous? Why is it in this particular case?”
Then when you were done you would post the picture with the word “conspicuous” under it in large print so
students could recall their discussion about it. This would cause them to access their memory of the word.
Importantly, though, they would have to recall the meaning from the picture which would help them to
remember it more than just seeing the definition. And having used it several times they could now sprinkle it
into conversation. Maybe they’d even sprinkle it into conversations conspicuously .
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Word Banks are temporary groups of words to use. For example, in this picture you can see Jo Facer
teaching her English class at the Michaela school in London. On the board she’s written a group of words that
students can use when discussing literature, instead of the word, “shows.” You’ll find that we’ve also included
her “SHOW” Word Bank for you within this Grab and Go. The idea is to help your students to be less repetitive
and more precise in their speaking and writing. So anytime during the class Jo can refer students, verbally or
with a point of her finger, to the list and let students build familiarity using new words for a common
purpose. When we blogged about this several teachers wrote to say that they have a word bank like this posted
above their white board. We think that’s great. And we also love the bespoke nature of what Jo’s done and
there are some advantages in doing it this way... having the same list of words above the board all year might
gradually become invisible or uninteresting to students unless you use it constantly. In writing the word bank on
the whiteboard, Jo can update and change the words she asks students to use, solicit ideas from them for the
word banks, tailor the words to a day’s lesson, etc.
TIER TWO TIER THREE

and
Many of us have been socialized—via our love for Isabel Beck’s work on vocabulary—to value teaching Tier Two
vocabulary words. Tier Two words are those that appear mostly in print but are general and tend to re-occur in a
variety of settings—“conspicuous,” for example. We’re big fans of tier two words. But we also love domain
specific vocabulary—Tier Three words, according to Beck—and think it’s hugely valuable to teach and post them
as well. After all, rich background knowledge is a game-changer in any classroom and one of the most useful
pieces of background knowledge you can provide is technical vocabulary to describe the ideas in a specific
academic domain. So post “conspicuous” and “vociferous” but also post “juxtaposition” and “foil” as well.
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Terms of
Instead of "shows:" academic discourse
IMPLIES
CONVEYS
DEMONSTRATES
HIGHLIGHTS
ELUCIDATES
REVEALS
EMPHASIZES
CONNOTES
REINFORCES
ILLUSTRATES
DEPICTS
EXPOSES
UNDERLINES
TEACHING VOCAB
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6 Tips on How to Write a Definition

from the desk of Doug Lemov
1 LAY THE GROUND WORK. Start by giving students a specific definition. Then ask them to
apply their knowledge of the definition in increasingly challenging ways.
PLAN AHEAD. When you provide students a definition, it’s first crucial to plan them in
2 advance. Definitions that are provided spontaneously are often inaccurate or fail to capture a
word’s precise meaning. A teacher might commonly define the word “heed” as “to listen,” but to
“heed” implies that one follows the guidance or request of some authority. A more appropriate
definition would be “to listen and obey”.
KEEP IT BRIEF. Definitions should be student-friendly, written in language accessible to

3 students. A tidy and efficient definition gives students the best possible chance of understand-
ing and recalling the definition of a new word. For example, the dictionary definition for “privi-
lege” is “a right, immunity, or benefit only enjoyed by a person beyond the advantages of most.”
Better to define it as “a benefit given to a person or group of people” – simpler, yet still accurate.
We suggest 5-7 words generally, though there will be some vocabulary words you can capture
in a three-word definition and some you can’t capture in seven.
BE CONSISTENT. The definition should also utilize the same part of speech and tense as the
4 word is used in the text. Definitions that inadvertently imply a word is a verb when it’s shown as
a noun can be confusing and sabotage students’ application of the word. For example, a teacher
defines “sporadic” as “occasionally.” The word is an adjective, but the definition is for the adverb
form of the word. Better to define it as “something done infrequently.”
REMEMBER NUANCE. The definition should also capture the word’s common use and its
5 nuance. For example, it might be tempting to define a word like respite as “a short break.”
However, when you take a respite you are taking a break from something difficult and it’s
almost always used with a preposition (Respite from…). A strong definition would be
something like, “A rest from difficulty” with the note that it often appears with “from.”
CHECK FOR ACCURACY. Finally, the definition should be double-checked for accuracy.
6 Unfortunately, inaccurate definitions are surprisingly common. It’s useful to ask a colleague for
a “peer review” to ensure your definition is correct and precise.
For more on the topic of teaching vocabulary, please visit Doug Lemov’s blog at
teachlikeachampion.com/blog.
And be sure to check out his forthcoming book, Reading Reconsidered.

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Analyze and Plan Cold Call Prompts

Here are four keys to effective Cold Call:

Analyze and Plan Cold Call Prompts Directions

• What was effective/ineffective about the Cold Call prompt?

Prompts for Analysis

Prompt: Can I start with you, Max?

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

Prompt: Mitch, you love multiplication. What’s 16 x 9?

I would / would not use this Cold Call prompt because/if:

Draft Your Own:

I’m using this prompt at this point in the lesson because….

I’m using this prompt at this point in the lesson because….

"We’ve been working on beautiful sentences, and

NARROW THE FOCUS

This suggestion works well across all creative

Post a “sentence of the day” to read and celebrate before

Dedicate more time, every day and especially in the first

Sharpen Up Phrases for Call and Response

Common Challenges Potential Response(s)

Not All Students • “We need the whole team.”

Too Fast • “Match my speed”

Non-Response/ • “Let’s try again so I can hear your voices.”

Out of Sync • “On my signal…”

Guidance for Designing and Analyzing ​Exit Tickets

● Start your lesson planning with the ​Exit Ticket ​question in

● Sort data immediately, either tallying student responses

©​Teach Like a Champion​ 2018.

Common place book: Margin notes: note points

Factual margin notes:

Things to consider when

Factual Margin Notes

To Learn More, Visit: http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/learning-emphasize-background-knowledge-reading/

Consequence vs. Correction

Objective: Improve your ability to determine when to give students a consequence or a

• Persistence and Repetition: When students persistently engage in off-task behavior

Consequence vs. Correction Scenarios

Scenario Consequence or Script your correction or

1) A’fonte has had his head down three

2) At the end of the Do Now, you give the

3) You notice Dyonte, who almost always

4) During whole class instruction, Mark, a

Add your own:

Consequence vs. Correction Scenarios (Cont’d)

Scenario Consequence or Script your correction or

Add Your Own:

Add Your Own:

Example Phrases for Building a Culture of Error

Withhold the Answer

To practice your Format Matters, we've

Complete Sentence Format

PLANNING TO UPHOLD FORMAT MATTERS

Your question: Target answer (in correct format):

An incorrectly formatted answer:

A Format Matters correction:

Another incorrectly formatted answer:

A Format Matters correction:

Four Levels of Reflection:

Guidance for Designing and Analyzing Exit Tickets

● Start your lesson planning with the Exit Ticket question in

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