3 Things You Need to Do in Week 3

Sample Prompts

1. Diagnose Students’ Learning Needs

I am a [4th-grade] teacher. My students have been working on [multi-digit addition and subtraction].

Learning objective: [Students will accurately add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using place-value understanding and the standard algorithm].

Below are results from a short beginning-of-year assessment. The Data do not contain student names or personally identifiable information.

Add your data here or upload.

Analyze these Data to help me plan instruction for the next two weeks.

  1. Identify patterns.
    What strengths and difficulties appear across the class? Distinguish class-wide patterns from needs affecting only a few students.
  2. Identify possible misconceptions.
    Based only on the evidence provided, identify likely misconceptions or skill gaps. Label these as hypotheses rather than conclusions. Explain what evidence supports each hypothesis.
  3. Identify what I still need to know.
    Point out cases where the available evidence is insufficient. Suggest a quick question, problem, observation, or exit ticket I could use to determine what the student actually understands.
  4. Suggest tentative instructional groups.
    Create flexible groups based on specific instructional needs, not general labels such as “high,” “average,” or “low.” A student may appear in different groups for different skills. For each group, provide:

    • Student IDs
    • Shared instructional need or strength
    • Evidence supporting the grouping
    • Suggested instructional focus
  5. Identify whole-class priorities.
    Recommend no more than three areas that deserve whole-class attention rather than small-group instruction.
  6. Flag exceptions.
    Identify students whose performance does not fit the broader patterns and may warrant individual follow-up.

Do not make assumptions about student ability, motivation, disability, language background, or home circumstances. Do not treat assessment scores as sufficient evidence for permanent grouping.

Present the results as recommendations for my review. I will make the final decisions about student needs, grouping, and instruction.

2. Tighten Routines and Classroom Expectations

My [fourth graders take about six minutes to transition from whole-group math instruction into three learning stations. Students aren’t sure where materials are, and several start talking while waiting. Help me redesign this transition.]

I need:

  • a simpler procedure
  • student-friendly directions
  • a plan for practicing and reinforcing it

Follow-up:

Now create an infographic for a visual routine to reinforce the procedure. Make it US letter size, suitable for distributing to students or classroom display.

3. Adjust Instruction Based on What You Now Know about the Students

I am a [5th-grade teacher preparing tomorrow’s mathematics lesson]. Help me adjust my existing lesson based on what I have learned about my students during the first two weeks of school.

Learning objective: [Students will compare and order decimals to the thousandths place and explain their reasoning using place-value understanding].

My current lesson plan: Describe or provide your current plan.

What I now know about my students:

  • provide a list of objective descriptions about your students performance, how many students with some problem, etc.

Task: Help me modify this lesson while keeping the same learning objective and maintaining appropriate [5th-grade] cognitive demand.

  1. Identify the 3–4 most important adjustments you recommend based on the student information I provided.
  2. For each adjustment, explain which observed student need it addresses.
  3. Suggest specific scaffolds for students who are [confusing tenths and hundredths]. Do not simply make the work easier.
  4. Suggest a way to gradually [remove the place-value chart for students who currently depend on it].
  5. Create one extension task for the students who have already demonstrated mastery. The extension should require deeper reasoning rather than simply giving them more problems.
  6. Suggest language supports for the English learners that support [mathematical communication without reducing the mathematical expectations].
  7. Modify the partner activity so that both students must actively explain [their mathematical reasoning].
  8. Recommend 3 exit-ticket questions that will help me determine:
    • whether students can [compare decimals accurately];
    • whether they understand [the place-value reasoning behind their answers]; and
    • which students may need additional instruction tomorrow.

Do not rewrite the entire lesson unless necessary. Preserve the parts that already appear appropriate and focus on targeted modifications.

Treat the information I provided about students as preliminary classroom evidence, not permanent descriptions of their abilities. If you think I need additional information before making a particular instructional decision, identify what I should observe or assess.

Present your suggestions for teacher review. I will make the final instructional decisions.