Resources and Downloads to Improve Student Performance

Resources on This Page:

• Professional Development Resources
• Lesson Plans
• Culture at Cochrane
• Useful Websites

Tips for downloading: PDF files can be viewed on a wide variety of platforms -- both as a browser plug-in or a stand-alone application -- with Adobe's free Acrobat Reader program. Click here to download the latest version of Adobe Reader.

Click on any title link below to view or download that file.

Professional-Development Resources

• Interactive Learning

  Presentation on Interactive Learning Non-Negotiables

• Top 10 Interactive Learning Non-Negotiables

  Summary of Interactive Learning Non-Negotiables to be demonstrated daily in the classroom at Cochrane Collegiate Academy

• Essential Questions

  Presentation on essential versus higher-order-thinking questions

• Data Evaluation Form

  Worksheet used to analyze student data

• Cochrane Meeting Matrix

  Weekly professional-development schedule for teachers at Cochrane

• Drop Everything and Read

  Presentation on the Cochrane strategy to have students read 25 minutes per day

• Raising Rigor

  Presentation on raising the level of intellectual rigor in the classroom

• Lesson Planning Form

  Cochrane Academy lesson-planning form

• Learning-Focused

  Presentation on Learning-Focused teaching strategies

• Teacher Evaluation

  Presentation on self-reflection teacher evaluation at Cochrane

• Cochrane Walk-Through Observation Form

  Teacher-evaluation form for Cochrane staff

Lesson Plans

Examples from a characterization lesson from Angela Johnson’s ninth-grade English class:

• Characterization Lesson

  Lesson plan for characterization lesson; includes classroom examples of some of Cochrane's "Non-Negotiables":

  • Essential Question
  • Activating Strategy
  • Graphic Organizer
  • Higher-Order-Thinking Questions

Examples from various ninth-grade math lessons:

• Algebra Expressions Unit Outline

  Outline for algebra expressions unit

• Algebra Expressions Lesson

  Lesson plans for algebra expressions unit

• Algebra Expressions Student Learning Map

  Overview map of algebra expressions unit

Culture at Cochrane

• Cochrane Restructuring Plan

  Presentation on the restructuring plan at Cochrane

• Raising Expectations

  Presentation on raising expectations for students in the classroom

• Five-Star Teacher Expectations

  Expectations for teachers at Cochrane

• Five-Star Parent Expectations

  Expectations for Cochrane parents

• Cochrane Bell Schedule

  Daily schedule at Cochrane

Useful Websites

• Cochrane Collegiate Academy weekly video podcast -- by Principal Josh Bishop

• Parent Resources at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

• Ed Helper -- website with free graphic organizers

• Worksheet Works -- website with free graphic organizers

• Frayer diagram example -- from Worksheet Works

• Learning-Focused -- website for K-12 professional development

• Learning Upgrade -- website with animated math and reading courses

• Flocabulary -- website with educational hip-hop music for K-12

• BrainPOP -- website with animated educational resources, including curriculum-based online games