Exemplary
Classroom
Resources

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible: students are not simply steered toward one “right” answer.

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

• Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
• Good: resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
• Very Good: the lines between subjects are blurred 

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

• Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
• Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
• Very Good: students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

• Satisfactory: includes a variety of instructional approaches
• Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
• Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties

Authentic learning experiences are provided

• Satisfactory: learning is made concrete.  ‘Working with real objects,  using real sources of information
• Good: learning takes place in a real-world context. Simulation, mentorship
• Very good: learning provides experience beyond the classroom. Addressing real world issues and problems 

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

• Satisfactory: students work in groups;
• Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
• Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed

Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

• Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.;
• Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students’ teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting’)

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.