Instructional Focus Document


The IFD is intended to be used to group the specified standards from the Vertical Alignment Documents and the Year at a Glance into a logical sequence for instruction.

With the inclusion of the TEKS in the IFD, skills are not taught in isolation but are offered in rational and reasonable grouping. They are presented in a procedural format which allows for the skills to be revisited, expanded, and applied in different contexts.

These documents are organized around essential questions and concepts where students can explore specific facts, concepts, and skills within this context. Essential questions frame around the key concepts, inquiries, and structure of the specific content areas. With the open-ended format questions, students are able to think and respond in their own way.


IFD's help to:

 Bridge between curriculum, assessment, and instruction
 Bundle of specified student expectations
 Rationale – why the TEKS are bundled (district add to this)
 Performance Indicators – product to show student meets expectations
 Concepts
 Key understandings – big ideas for the bundles of specified

Teachers use the Instructional Focus Documents to:
 Develop a depth of understanding of how the performance indicators will measure student learning of the bundled standards
 Determine exactly what is to be taught in each six weeks
 Maintain focus of standards and performance indicators BEFORE planning and during instruction


Math Sample Document
Science Sample Document
Social Studies Sample Document