Prepare to Teach
Before School Starts/Before Each Module
At a Glance Work through the Module Study Protocol and Lesson Study Protocol before your first module and first few lessons. This preparation helps you teach every lesson with intention and speeds up significantly after year one.
Your classroom is set up—now it’s time to get ready to teach. Arts & Letters uses two study protocols that give you a structured, repeatable way to prepare for instruction. The upfront investment pays off quickly: Teachers consistently report that preparation time decreases substantially after the first module as the protocols become second nature.
Use the Two Study Protocols:
1. Module Study Protocol: Get to know the module’s topic, texts, and the knowledge and skills students will build. This big-picture view helps you see how individual lessons connect to the module’s Essential Question.
2. Lesson Study Protocol: Dig into what’s happening in each lesson—and why—so you can teach with intention. Working with colleagues on this protocol deepens the learning for everyone.
Send Home the Curriculum Overview for Families, which includes a welcome letter, module glossaries, and helpful tips and is available in multiple languages.
Key Actions
Prepare: The Module Study Protocol and then complete the Lesson Study Protocol for arcs of lessons as you go
Share: The Curriculum Overview for Families to build home–school connection from day one
Listen: Melissa & Lori Love Literacy® on why building background knowledge is key to reading comprehension