Teacher’s Guided Discussion Script

Section 1: Opening Hook (2 minutes)

Teacher (enthusiastic): Good morning, everyone! Today we’re going to explore a big question: “How do we know when we’re improving at something?”

Teacher (holding ruler or chart): Think about how you know you grew taller. What did we do?
– Pause for student responses.
Possible responses: “We measured our height,” “We drew a line on a chart.”

Teacher (confirming): Exactly! We measure, record, and then we can see our height get taller over time.

Section 2: Introducing Key Terms (3 minutes)

Teacher (slide “What Is Progress Monitoring?” on display): Now let’s look at two new words: progress and monitoring.

Teacher (asks): What do you think the word progress means?
– Wait for responses such as “getting better,” “moving forward.”

Teacher: Yes! Progress means we’re taking steps forward toward a goal.

Teacher (asks): And what about monitoring—what could that mean?
– Listen for ideas like “checking,” “watching closely.”

Teacher: Great! Monitoring means checking often to see how things are going.

Teacher (repeats): So, progress monitoring is just checking often to see if we’re moving forward toward a goal.

Possible follow-ups:

• “Why do you think it’s helpful to check often?”
• “What might happen if we wait too long to check?”

Section 3: Real-Life Examples (3 minutes)

Teacher (slide “A Real-Life Example” on display): One way we monitor growth is by tracking our height each month.

Teacher (draws a quick chart on the board): We measure our height in January, then again in February, and plot each number. When we look back, we can see our line going up!

Teacher (asks): Can you think of another example—maybe something you do in school or at home that you might measure over time?
– Accept responses like “reading speed,” “math facts,” “how many goals I score in soccer.”

Teacher: Exactly. If you wanted to know if you’re reading faster, you could count how many words you read in one minute, right?

Section 4: Why Set Goals? (2 minutes)

Teacher (slide “Why Set Goals?” on display): Goals give us something to aim for. A good goal is specific, measurable, and has a timeline.

Teacher (asks): What is something you want to get better at this week?
– Collect a few examples: “I want to read 30 words per minute,” “I want to write my name neatly.”

Teacher: Those are wonderful! Let’s choose one goal today and decide: How will you check? When will you check?
– Lead students to pick a check-in date (e.g., end of the week).

Section 5: Preparing for the Mock Activity (2 minutes)

Teacher (slide “Mock Reading Fluency Check” on display): Next, we’re going to do a practice reading check.

Teacher (explains steps):

1. You’ll read a short passage for one minute.
2. Count how many words you read correctly.
3. We’ll repeat the same passage one more time in a few minutes.
4. Then we’ll see how your score changes.

Teacher (asks): Why do you think seeing those two numbers side by side is helpful?
– Guide responses: “To see if I improved,” “To know what to practice more.”

Possible probe:

• “If your score didn’t go up, is that a bad thing? What could you do next time?”

Section 6: Interactive Discussion After Mock Check (5 minutes)

After students record their two reading scores on the demonstration chart:

Teacher (asks): What changes did you notice between your first and second read?
– Encourage students to share aloud: “My score went up by 5 words!” or “Mine stayed the same.”

Teacher (follows up): How did it feel when you saw your number go up?
– Listen for pride, surprise, motivation.

Teacher: And if your number stayed the same or went down, what can you do next time to improve?
– Students might say: “Practice tricky words,” “Slow down and focus.”

Teacher (summarizes): Every bit of data tells us something—either a win we can celebrate, or a place where we can get better.

Section 7: Transition to Chart Creation (1 minute)

Teacher (slide “Up Next: Create Your Own Chart” on display): Now it’s your turn to make a chart for a goal you choose.

Teacher: Let’s grab our Progress Chart Creation templates.

Teacher (final prompt): Remember to write one SMART goal, plot your starting score, and decide when you’ll check again. Then, let’s watch your growth over time!

End of Script

Progress Chart Creation

Student Name: _________________________

1. My SMART Goal:
Write a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Goal: ____________________________________________________________

2. Check-In Table
Record your progress on different dates.

3. Plot Your Growth
Use the space below to draw a simple line graph.
• Label the horizontal axis with your Check-In Dates.
• Label the vertical axis with your Score.
• Plot each date and score from your table and connect the dots to see your growth trend.

4. Reflection
After your last check-in:

• What did you notice about your progress?
• What helped you improve the most?
• What will your next SMART goal be?

Pre-Test Snapshot

Student Name: _________________________ Date: ________________

1. Skill I want to track today:

2. On a scale of 1 (just starting) to 5 (very confident), how well do I know this skill?
Circle one: 1 2 3 4 5

3. What am I doing well right now with this skill?

4. What is one thing I find challenging or want to improve?

5. What is one thing I can do to get better before our next check-in?

Exit Ticket Reflection

Student Name: _________________________ Date: ________________

1. What is one thing you learned today about tracking your growth?

2. How will monitoring your progress help you reach your goals?

3. What is the next SMART goal you want to set and check?

4. One thing I’m proud of from today’s lesson is:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts—your reflections help guide our next steps!