Lesson Plan Rubric

The teacher candidate creates developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account individual learners’ strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and accelerate their learning. (InTASC 1b)

Candidate creates instruction that supports each individual learner to advance and accelerate their learning.  

Candidate creates developmentally appropriate instruction that accounts for learners’ strengths, interests, and needs.  

Candidate attempts to account for individual strengths, interests, and needs but instruction is not developmentally appropriate for individual learners.

Candidate does not create developmentally appropriate instruction that considers each learner’s strengths, interests, and needs.

The teacher candidate makes appropriate and timely provisions for individual students with particular learning differences or needs. (InTASC 2b) 

The provisions for students are appropriate, timely, individualized, and differentiated based on student strengths, interests, and needs. 

Candidate makes appropriate and timely provisions.  

General provisions are included but not specific enough to address individual needs.  

Candidate does not make appropriate provisions.  

The teacher candidate incorporates tools of language development into planning and instruction, including strategies for making content accessible to EL/ML learners and for evaluating and supporting their development of English proficiency.  (InTASC 2e)

Lesson Plan differentiates and varies modifications and adaptations based on individual English Learners/Multilingual Learners students’ levels of English proficiency.  

Lesson Plan includes general modifications and adaptations that are explicitly based on the English Learners/Multilingual Learners students’ level of English proficiency.  

Lesson Plan includes general modifications and adaptations, but they are not explicitly based on English Learners/Multilingual Learners students’ level of English proficiency.  

Lesson Plan does not include modifications or adaptations to make content accessible to English Learners/Multilingual Learners.

The teacher candidate develops learning experiences that engage learners in collaborative and self-directed learning and that extend learner interaction with ideas and people locally and globally. (InTASC 3b)

Lesson Plan includes a variety of collaborative and self-directed experiences differentiated by learner abilities and interests resulting in positive social interactions (e.g. pair work, small groups) that actively engage learners to extend ideas locally or globally.  

Lesson Plan includes a variety of collaborative and self-directed learning experiences to support positive social interactions (e.g. pair work, small groups) that actively engage learners to extend ideas locally or globally.   

Lesson Plan includes collaborative and self-directed learning experiences which do not necessarily result in active engagement, positive social interaction, or promote extension of ideas locally or globally. 

Lesson Plan does not include collaborative learning experiences, opportunities for social interactions, and self-directed learning.   

The teacher candidate uses a variety of methods to engage  learners in evaluating the learning environment and collaborates with learners to make appropriate adjustments. (InTASC 3e)  

Lesson Plan uses differentiated instruction to motivate and engage learners based on their strengths, interests, and needs; adjusting as needed.  

Lesson Plan is primarily student-centered and designed to promote motivation and engagement of learners. 

Lesson Plan includes elements of student-centered instruction but is not motivating and engaging for learners.  

Lesson Plan is primarily teacher-directed and is not designed to motivate and engage learners. 

The teacher candidate creates opportunities for students to learn, practice, and master the academic language of the content (e.g., “vocabulary,” “paraphrase” in a reading course; “hypothesize” in a science course). (InTASC 4h)

Lesson Plan includes instruction and practice opportunities differentiated based on students’ academic language needs to master academic language necessary to the content (i.e., English Learners/Multilingual Learners). 

Lesson Plan includes instruction and ample opportunities to practice and master academic language necessary to the content.   

Lesson Plan includes some instruction on academic language but not enough instruction or practice to master the academic language necessary to the content. 

Lesson Plan does not include instruction on academic language necessary to the content.  

The teacher candidate evaluates and modifies instructional resources and curriculum materials for their comprehensiveness, accuracy for representing concepts in the discipline, and appropriateness for learners. (InTASC 4f)

Lesson Plan demonstrates interconnections between major concepts; demonstrates evaluation and modifications of materials to promote mastery of content and major concepts.  

Lesson Plan demonstrates evaluation and modifications of materials to promote mastery of content and the major concepts. 

Lesson Plan demonstrates general understanding of major concepts central to the discipline but lacks evaluation of need for modification to meet learner needs.  

Lesson Plan includes conceptual misunderstanding(s) of major concepts central to the discipline.  

The teacher candidate possesses knowledge of student content standards in the discipline they teach. (InTASC 4n)

Lesson Plan is effectively differentiated to ensure that all students meet appropriate grade level and subject matter content standards.  

All components of the Lesson Plan are aligned with appropriate grade level and subject matter content standards.  

Not all components of the Lesson Plan are aligned with content standards appropriate for the grade level and subject matter.  

Selected content standards are not appropriate for the grade or subject matter.

The teacher candidate facilitates learners’ use of current tools (including use of appropriate technology) and resources to maximize content learning in varied contexts. (InTASC 5c)

Lesson Plan uses digital or interactive technologies to differentiate instruction for achieving specific learning goals.  

Lesson Plan uses digital or interactive technologies for effectively achieving specific learning goals.

Lesson Plan includes the use of digital or interactive technologies, but not to achieve specific learning goals.  

Lesson Plan does not include the use of digital or interactive technologies when applicable or appropriate.  

The teacher candidate provides all learners access to the four C’s of 21st Century Learning (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity). (InTASC 5c) 

Lesson Plan is explicitly designed to develop and assess communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity for all learners.   

Lesson Plan is designed to develop communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity for all learners. 

Lesson Plan goals reference communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, but they are not fully developed or assessed in the lesson.  

Lesson Plan does not support communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.

The teacher candidate engages learners in critical thinking processes. (InTASC 5m)

Lesson Plan engages learners in the highest levels of critical thinking, including evaluation and synthesis.  

Lesson Plan demonstrates understanding of critical thinking processes and engages learners in critical thinking. 

Lesson Plan demonstrates understanding of critical thinking but does not effectively engage learners in critical thinking. 

Lesson Plan demonstrates misunderstandings about critical thinking processes and does not engage learners in critical thinking. 

The teacher candidate develops and implements projects that  guide learners in analyzing the complexities of an issue or question using perspectives from varied disciplines and cross-disciplinary skills. (InTASC 5a)  

Lesson Plan includes instruction, supports, and practice opportunities differentiated based on students’ academic language needs (i.e., English Learners/Multilingual Learners) to analyze the complexities of an issue from varied perspectives from various disciplines. 

Lesson Plan includes instruction, supports, and ample opportunities to practice analyzing the complexities of an issue from other perspectives from various disciplines. 

Lesson Plan partially identifies a plan for analyzing the complexities of an issue from other perspectives, but not enough instruction, practice, or supports for implementation; or perspectives from only one discipline are explored.

Lesson Plan does not promote analysis of the complexities of an issue from other perspectives.  

The teacher candidate develops learners’ communication skills in disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts by creating meaningful opportunities to employ a variety of forms of communication that address varied audiences and purposes. (InTASC 5e)  

Lesson Plan includes effective instruction, supports, and ample practice opportunities that promote development of learners’ communication skills across disciplinary contexts.  

Lesson Plan includes instruction, supports, and ample practice opportunities that promote development of learners’ communication skills across disciplinary contexts.  

Lesson Plan includes strategies that promote development of learners’ communication skills across disciplinary contexts.  

Lesson Plan does not promote development of learners’ communication skills across a range of audiences.  

The teacher develops and implements supports for learner literacy development across content areas. (InTASC 5h)

Lesson Plan identifies a range of effective strategies, supports, and practice opportunities that promote learner literacy development across multiple content areas. 

Lesson Plan identifies a range of strategies and supports to promote learner literacy development across more than one content area.   

Lesson Plan identifies limited strategies or supports to promote learner literacy development; or promotes literacy for only one content area.  

Lesson Plan does not identify strategies to promote learner literacy development across content areas. 

The teacher candidate designs/selects appropriate assessments that match learning objectives. (InTASC 6b) 

A range of appropriate assessments are aligned with the learning objectives to yield valid data.  

Assessments are aligned with learning objectives to yield valid data.  

Assessments are aligned with some but not all the learning objectives; flaws in the assessment may result in invalid data. 

Assessments are not aligned with learning objectives.  

The teacher candidate knows how to analyze assessment data to measure student progress and guide planning and instruction. (InTASC 6l) 

Data analysis comes from multiple methods and identifies patterns and gaps in learning to further differentiate instruction. 

Assessment data comes from multiple methods and is correctly analyzed to guide planning and instruction.  

Analysis of assessment data relies on one method of assessment to measure student progress and guide planning and instruction.

Analysis of assessment data does not correctly measure student progress. 

The teacher candidate uses appropriate strategies, resources, and materials to differentiate instruction for individuals and groups of learners. (InTASC 7b)

Lesson Plan is appropriately differentiated using a range of strategies, resources, and materials for all learners, even those without formally identified language or special education needs.   

Lesson Plan is appropriately differentiated using a range of strategies, resources, and materials for individuals and groups of learners.  

Lesson Plan identifies general strategies, accommodations, resources, and materials to differentiate instruction for individuals and groups of learners. 

Lesson Plan does not differentiate instruction for individuals and groups of learners.  

The teacher candidate uses a range of evidence-based instructional strategies, resources and technological tools and knows how to use them to effectively plan instruction. (InTASC 7k) 

Lesson Plan uses a range of appropriate evidence-based strategies, resources, and technological tools to differentiate instruction.

Lesson Plan uses appropriate evidence-based strategies, resources, and technological tools.  

Lesson Plan ineffectively or incorrectly uses evidence-based strategies, resources, and technological tools.  

Lesson Plan utilizes strategies, resources, and technological tools that are not evidence-based. 

The teacher candidate uses ISTE standards in designing, instruction that engages students and improves learning. (InTASC 7b) 

Lesson Plan is explicitly aligned with three or more ISTE standards to engage learners and improve learning.  

Lesson Plan is aligned with one or two ITSE standards to engage learners and improve learning.  

Lesson Plan references ISTE standards, but it is not clear how the instruction will engage learners and improve learning.  

Lesson Plan does not reference ISTE standards.  

The teacher candidate uses appropriate strategies and resources to adapt instruction to the needs of individuals and groups of learners. (InTASC 8a)

All stages of the Lesson Plan use appropriate strategies and resources to adapt instruction to meet the needs of individuals and groups of learners; incorporates WIDA proficiencies.  

Lesson Plan uses appropriate strategies and resources to adapt instruction to meet the needs of individuals and groups of learners; attempts to incorporate WIDA proficiencies.  

Lesson Plan attempts to adapt instruction using strategies and resources to adapt instruction to meet the needs of individuals and groups of learners.  

Lesson Plan does not adapt instruction to meet the needs of individuals and groups of learners.  

The teacher candidate asks questions to stimulate discussion. (InTASC 8i)

Candidate plans opportunities for learners to develop their own discussion questions to stimulate discussion and expand on ideas.   

Candidate asks open-ended questions that will stimulate discussion and help learners expand their ideas. 

Candidate asks questions mostly focused on probing for learner understanding and helping learners articulate their ideas.  

Candidate asks closed-ended questions that will not stimulate discussion.  

The teacher candidate uses technological resources to engage students in learning. (InTASC 8n) 

Lesson Plan effectively uses and differentiates technological resources to engage learners based on individual needs.  

Lesson Plan effectively uses technological resources in ways that will engage learners.  

Lesson Plan attempts to use technological resources, but resources may not be engaging, appropriate, and aligned to the learning objectives.  

Lesson Plan does not use technological resources to engage learners.  

The teacher candidate uses a variety of self-assessment/problem-solving strategies to analyze/reflect on their practices and makes adjustments as necessary. (InTASC 9g) 

Lesson Plan reflection details self-assessment strategies used DURING the lesson, even if problems did not arise.  

Lesson Plan reflection describes self-assessment or problem-solving strategies used to analyze/reflect on problems that arose DURING the lesson and how they made adaptations and adjustments.  

Lesson Plan reflection identifies self-assessment or problem-solving strategies used to analyze/reflect on their practice AFTER teaching the lesson.  

Lesson Plan reflection does not mention the self-assessment or problem-solving strategies used to analyze/reflect on teaching practices. 

The teacher candidate is committed to deepening their understanding of their own frames of reference (e.g., culture, gender, language, abilities, ways of knowing) and how these affect their teaching. (InTASC 9m)   

Lesson Plan reflection details how the teacher’s understanding of their frames of reference affected their choices, actions, and expectations.

Lesson Plan reflection describes how the teacher’s understanding about their frames of reference deepened because of teaching and evaluating their practice.

Lesson Plan reflection attempts to describe how the teacher’s understanding about their frames of reference deepened but contains misunderstandings or stereotypes.

Lesson Plan reflection does not describe how the teacher’s understanding about their frames of reference deepened because of teaching and evaluating their practice. 

The teacher candidate evaluates the outcomes of teaching to adapt planning and practice. (InTASC 9o)

Lesson Plan reflection uses assessment data to identify details on how the plan will be re-conceptualized.

Lesson Plan reflection uses assessment data to identify a variety of outcomes and provides adequate information on how the plan will be improved and taught differently.  

Lesson Plan reflection uses assessment data to identify outcomes, but does not give adequate details about how the plan could be improved or taught differently.  

Lesson Plan reflection does not use assessment data to reflect on outcomes or how the plan could be improved or taught differently.