This tool is designed to take a closer look at the four questions of the PLC. It is necessary to use the IFD from the TEKS Resource System to assist with this work. The IFD is the document that will guide you through this process. There is a lot of vital information found within the IFD document. TRS is the official curriculum of the district and the scope and sequence found within TRS is the order in which we will teach each unit.The first step is to look at the TEKS that are to be covered in the unit. It is necessary to record these on the protocol with the idea that this will provide a framework as we become crystal clear on our focus for the unit.PLC Question #1: What knowledge and skills should every student acquire as a result of this unit of instruction?This question is answered in the area that says Learning Outcomes. These should be specific and intentional.The next area to address is to list the learning tasks that can be used during the lessons. This key here is to discuss as a team the various strategies that can be used to address the topic. This is a very important step, it provides the opportunity to discuss best practices and share strategies that work. During this process, teachers are able to share and focus on how best to teach the concepts to have the greatest instructional impact. This is key in that first teach is the most important element for improvement of instruction.After looking at learning tasks this protocol asks the learning community to think about how they will respond if there are students that are not successful. This information is addressed in the section labeled "Learning Task for Intervention". Through this activity the learning community addresses Question #3.PLC Question #3: How will we respond when some student do not learn?The next section has the team addressing learning tasks for enrichment. Here the team will discuss what to do for the students who have already mastered the learning. Again the key to addressing this area is to be specific to create in advance a plan for these student to extend their learning. This discuss will address Question #4.PLC Question #4: How will we extend and enrich the learning for students who are already proficient?The final area to address with this protocol is to discuss the common formative assessments that will take place during this unit. On the back side of Protocol A teams will address the common formative assessments. Common formative assessments allow for us to address PLC Question #2.PLC Question #2: How will we know when each student has acquired the essential knowledge and skills?By using common formative assessments we are able to ensure that students are being successful, and if they are not we know what needs to happen for individual students to be successful based on the assessment. CFAs also help the professionals gauge their instructional practices and performance. Before the unit even begins the team should agree upon the common formative assessment that will be used, the level of mastery and date that it will be given. If it is necessary to have a rubric to assess the CFA, it should be created and included with the protocol prior to giving the assessment. Included in the IFD are Performance Assessments, these make excellent CFAs as is or you can tweak them to meet the needs of the team. Understand that once the CFA is given you move to Protocol B to look at that data.