Over the past few years, MCPS has developed staff development video resources to illustrate best practices in effective teaching. The videos range from complete model lessons broken into segments with guiding questions, support material, and teacher reflections, to highlights of lessons that illustrate specific strategies and practices such as activators, summarizers, or equitable teaching strategies.

Complete Lessons

Note: Upcoming lessons that will soon be available include a grade 5 lesson highlighting math talk moves, two kindergarten reading lessons, two math lab lessons from kindergarten and grade 5 and two ESOL reading lessons.

Small Group Reading Instruction -
Grades 4 and 5:
This video was developed in 2003 by ITV and OCIP as as part of a series of videos to support the curriculum rollouts. The video and support material is available online for your convenience.

Guided Reading: Grade 3:
This video was developed in 2003 by ITV and OCIP as as part of a series of videos to support the curriculum rollouts. The video and support material is available online for your convenience.

Science 7 - Unit 1 Demo Lesson:
This video lesson is from a Tier One training session on hydroponics. Of particular interest is differentiation in the use of reading materials on different levels, use of video, and integration of technology.

Science 6 - Unit 1 Demo Lesson:
This video lesson is from a Tier One training session. The lesson focus is on abiotic and biotic factors that are often impacted by human activities. Of particular interest are the hands-on activities and multiple opportunities for formative assessment.

Highland ES:
This video focusses on the successes at Highland ES. The video was produced by MCPS Instructional Television.

Coteaching - Oakland Terrace ES:
This grade three lesson is designed to help students solve elapsed time problems using clocks. The teachers seamlessly deliver content in a whole group setting, small groups, and individually.

Reading - Gaithersburg ES:
This small group reading instruction focussed on self-monitoring while reading. After students work with the teacher, they have an opportunity to practice skills independently. When the work again with the teacher, they share strategies that helped them when reading difficult passages.

Grade 2 Reading:
One of these lessons focuses on teaching the comprehension strategy of inferring. In the other lesson, students work adding sensory details to writing to help the reader visualize the setting. Note: not in video database at this time

ESOL East Silver Spring ES: Grade 1:
This model lesson focuses on this essential Question, How do pictures and words go together to help us understand the story?
The lesson comes from the ESOL DVD series developed by OOD, OCIP, and ITV. More videos from this series will be online soon. Note: not in video database at this time

ESOL Beall ES: Grade 1:
This model lesson focuses on this essential Question, "What do we say to persuade others?" The lesson comes from the ESOL DVD series developed by OOD, OCIP, and ITV. More videos from this series will be online soon. Note: not in video database at this time

Math Labs: Grade 5 Probability
This model lesson on probability focuses on independent events. The teacher differentates instruction for the 2 groups and incorporates hands on activities and videos.Note: not in video database at this time

Kindergarten: Reading Text Levels 5/6
These two day model small group lessons for kindergarten focus on reading in phrases. Additional videos show students working at a variety of creative literacy centers as well as a virtual classroom tour.
Note: not in video database at this time

Curriculum Update, Nov. 2008:
Grade 4 Reading
These model lessons for grade 4 include whole group and small group lessons focusing on identifying character traits as well as a writing lesson focusing on development of setting using sensory details.
Note: not in video database at this time

Math Lab: Kindergarten Addition and Subtraction
This model lesson for kindergarten includes a challenging calendar activity and small group lessons on addition and subtraction.
Note: not in video database at this time

Kindergarten - Reading Level 3
These two day model lessons for kindergarten focus on small group level 3 texts.
Note: not in video database at this time

Handwriting/Writing - Kindergarten:
This model lesson for kindergarten includes segments on handwriting, literacy centers, and writing workshop.
Note: not in video database at this time

Small Group Reading - Kindergarten:
This lesson includes two small group lessons on reading as will as the use of a Promethean Board in the morning message segment.
Note: not in video database at this time

Math Labs- 4th Grade: The video on this website features a fourth grade math lab lesson in which the teacher differentiates her instruction using centers.




* Biology - High School: This AP Biology class is studying evolution.   Students make finishing touches on projects on topics of micro-evolution, then give short presentations. This lesson was taped as part of PD on motivation.

* Spanish - High School: This Spanish 3 class is beginning a unit on wellness. Many of the vocabulary terms are quite similar to their English equivalents (cognates or near-cognates). This lesson was taped as part of PD on motivation.

* Learning Stations - Middle School Social Studies: The videos show students using an extensive range of learning stations developed by a team of teachers. Extensive teacher reflection section regarding development and implementation of stations are included.

* Head Start Math Centers: The videos show a head start teacher and para educator demonstrating appropriate small group instructional practice for a Full Day Head start program in a lesson on "more and less." Note: analysis and reflective questions for the site are coming

* Head Start Literacy Centers: The videos show a head start teacher and para educator demonstrating appropriate small group instructional practice for a Full Day Head start program in a lesson on rhyming. Note: analysis and reflective questions for the site are coming soon.

*Read 180: The videos in this website show two teachers implementing a Read 180 lesson with a small group instruction component, instructional software center, and individual reading center.

* Math - Using Grouping Symbols: The videos in this website show a Math Content Coach and a classroom teacher team teaching a lesson to 4th grade students on using grouping symbols.

*Shared Inquiry - Tom Sawyer: The videos on this website show a 7th grade class discussing the novel using an approach to classroom discussion of difficult questions in complex text.

* Shared Inquiry - Freak the Mighty: The videos on this website show a 7th grade class exploring questions of genuine doubt by supporting ideas with details from the text.

* Math Labs Program: The videos on this website feature a first grade math lab lesson in which the teacher differentiates her instruction using centers.

* Promethean Tools = Support Site for MCPS Promethean Classrooms

* Promethean Tools - English 6: The purpose of the lesson is to introduce the students the theme of Foundations using poetry as the vehicle. Concrete poetry is used as the literary element for the instruction. The video segments were recorded during Promethean Tools training with middle school teachers as an example of how interactive software can be integrated in instruction.

* Promethean tools - Math 6 (MS): This lesson comes from the MCPS Grade 6 instructional guide for Math A: Unit 1 - Graphing Data and Analyzing Statistics(pp.6-7). The essential question this lesson addresses is, " Which measure of central tendency is most appropriate in a given situation?" The video segments were recorded during Promethean Tools training with middle school teachers as an example of how interactive software can be integrated in instruction.