Teacher Tools for the Critical Skills Classroom

Teacher Tools for the Critical Skills Classroom is a supplemental resource for teachers, designed to be used in association with the Level I and II Critical Skills Coaching Kit. ACSR is pleased to offer this set of resources for the classroom to support student work and teacher facilitation free of charge. The tools are designed to be copied and used. You will find few specific directions for how to use individual tools because they are designed to allow you to interpret and apply them in ways that fit your unique environment. There are three types of tools included here:

Student tools guide students through processes such as problem solving, decision making, and collaboration. It provides a vehicle for creating evidence of their thoughts and actions.Assessment tools illustrate a variety of ways to effectively use quality criteria as a foundation for giving rich feedback to students and for engaging them in an assessment dialog.

Coaching, planning and design tools aid teachers in planning for facilitation and mediation of student experiences. There are also tools that demonstrate several different approaches to the crafting of problem-based challenges.

For your convenience, we have designated tools as appropriate for use at the Elementary, Middle or Secondary level. The differences are largely in format and phrasing, but feel free to use any tool as you deem appropriate.

Download our:

 

Teacher ToolGrade LevelPurposeDescription
Alternatives And ChoicesElementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Alternatives, Possibilities, and ChoicesMiddle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
BrainstormingMiddle School, High SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Brainstorming 1Elementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Brainstorming 2Elementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Brainstorming 3Elementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Brainstorming 4Elementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Brainstorming IdeasElementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Brainstorming IdeasElementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Decide on the Best Idea 2Elementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Decide on the Best Idea.pdfElementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Deciding Among OptionsMiddle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Deciding Among OptionsElementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Deciding Among Options 2Middle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Deciding Among Options 2Elementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Defining the ProblemElementary, Middle SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Defining the Problem 2Middle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Do We Have All The Information?Middle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Do We Have All The Information? 2Elementary, Middle SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Getting Out of the BoxElementary, Middle SchoolCreative ThinkingStudent Tool
Group Problem SolvingMiddle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Helps & HindrancesMiddle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Helps & Hindrances 2Elementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Ideas, People, Process, ProductsMiddle School, High SchoolCollaborationStudent Tool
Ideas, People, Process, Products 2Elementary, Middle SchoolCollaborationStudent Tool
Individual FeedbackMiddle School, High SchoolFeedbackAssessment
Individual Feedback 2Elementary, Middle SchoolFeedbackAssessment
Inquiry ChartMiddle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Key Concepts of Reflective ThinkingMiddle School, High SchoolReflectionStudent Tool
Learning LogMiddle School, High SchoolReflectionStudent Tool
Learning Log 2Elementary, Middle SchoolReflectionStudent Tool
Looks Like/ Sounds Like/ Feels LikeMiddle School, High SchoolQualityStudent Tool
Looks Like/ Sounds Like/ Feels Like 2Elementary, Middle SchoolQualityStudent Tool
Make A Plan For Your WorkMiddle School, High SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Make A Plan For Your Work 2Elementary, Middle SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Mindmap BrainstormElementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Mindmap Brainstorm 2Elementary, Middle SchoolIdea GenerationStudent Tool
Mulit-Skill & Disposition Feedback FormMiddle School, High SchoolFeedbackAssessment
Observation ChecklistMiddle School, High SchoolChecklistAssessment
Planning Time LineMiddle School, High SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Planning Time Line 2Elementary, Middle SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Plus, Minus, InterestingElementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Plus, Minus, Interesting 2Middle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Problem SleuthingMiddle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Problem Sleuthing 2Elementary, Middle SchoolProblem SovlingStudent Tool
Problem Solving ChecklistElementary, Middle SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Product QualityMiddle School, High SchoolChallenge DesignAssessment
Project Planning ChartMiddle School, High SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Project Planning Chart 2Elementary, Middle SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Reflective ThinkingElementary, Middle SchoolReflectionStudent Tool
Reflective Thinking 2Middle School, High SchoolReflectionStudent Tool
Reflective Thinking 3Elementary, Middle SchoolReflectionStudent Tool
Should We Do This?Elementary, Middle SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Should We Really Do This?Middle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Skill/ Disposition/ Feedback FormElementary, Middle SchoolRubricsAssessment
Skill/ Disposition/ Feedback Form 2Elementary, Middle SchoolRubricsAssessment
Skill/ Disposition/ Feedback Form 3Elementary, Middle SchoolRubricsAssessment
Skill/ Disposition/ Feedback Form 4Middle School, High SchoolRubricsAssessment
Skill/ Disposition/ Feedback Form 5Middle School, High SchoolRubricsAssessment
Sources & ResourcesElementary, Middle SchoolDocumentationStudent Tool
Sources & Resources 2Elementary, Middle SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Understanding the ProblemMiddle School, High SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
Understanding the Problem 2Elementary, Middle SchoolProblem SolvingStudent Tool
What Do I See Happening?Elementary, Middle SchoolCollaborationStudent Tool
What Do I See Happening? 2Middle School, High SchoolCollaborationStudent Tool
What Do I See Happening? 3Elementary, Middle SchoolCollaborationStudent Tool
What Might Happen If?Middle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
What Might Happen If? 2Elementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
What Might Happen If? 3Middle School, High SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
What Might Happen If? 4Elementary, Middle SchoolDecision MakingStudent Tool
Who Is Doing What? (Planning Tool)Elementary, Middle SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool
Who Is Doing What? 2 (Planning Tool)Middle School, High SchoolTask ManagementStudent Tool