Instructional Playbook

Scaffolding for WISR

Using the WISR framework as a guide for instructional planning helps educators design engaging learning experiences that balance high challenge with strong support. This approach fosters a safe environment where students feel empowered to take ownership of their thinking and learning. When students are engaged in meaningful and rigorous tasks, they actively participate in the learning process. They ask purposeful questions, engage in discussions to make sense of ideas, read to deepen their understanding, and write to express and refine their thinking. Through these practices, students work toward building shared understanding and collective meaning. The scaffolds listed below, when intentionally utilized, help ensure that ALL students can access rigorous instruction, with high support.

WISR Learning

Writing

Inquiry

Speaking & Listening

Reading & Viewing

Writing Scaffolds

Inquiry Scaffolds

Cornell Notes Graphic Organizers Sentence Stems/Word Banks Quick Writes

Costa’s Levels of Questions Claim, Evidence, Reason Discussion Diamond Share Trade Conversation Board

Speaking Scaffolds

Reading Scaffolds

Dyad Reading Close Reading Reading in 4 Voices Reading Activities/Tasks Scaffolds for Accessing Text

Novel Ideas Signals and Cues Choral Response Think Pair Share Sentence Frames Novel Ideas