Varied Content
Students explore ideas and information in varied ways and access learning through multiple entry points. Teachers select content and materials to engage and meet the needs of all learners.
Key Traits
- Content is selected and explored in ways that foster and reflect multiple perspectives and critical issues.
- Students have choice and voice in the topics they learn. (aligned to performance indicators, yet students have choices)
Literature Supporting the Element
1. “Of all elements of an instructional plan, the most critical is the design of instructional activities. The important
question to be answered is this: ‘What could students do in order to learn X?’ There are many choices, of course.
They could listen to a presentation or they could work--either alone or in groups--to solve a problem or to engage in a
project. They could participate in a class discussion or reflect in a journal on new information. The list is endless, and
skilled teachers draw on an extensive repertoire in making their decisions. Given the importance of students’ active
intellectual engagement in learning, skilled teachers, in their design of activities, favor those that challenge students
to be cognitively active, that offer students the opportunity to select an activity from among several options, and that
permit students the opportunity to develop their own understanding.”
—Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching (2nd ed.) (p. 57). Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
question to be answered is this: ‘What could students do in order to learn X?’ There are many choices, of course.
They could listen to a presentation or they could work--either alone or in groups--to solve a problem or to engage in a
project. They could participate in a class discussion or reflect in a journal on new information. The list is endless, and
skilled teachers draw on an extensive repertoire in making their decisions. Given the importance of students’ active
intellectual engagement in learning, skilled teachers, in their design of activities, favor those that challenge students
to be cognitively active, that offer students the opportunity to select an activity from among several options, and that
permit students the opportunity to develop their own understanding.”
—Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching (2nd ed.) (p. 57). Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
