Creativity, costumes, and nature used to engage students 

HISD “Caught in the Act” cameras, along with Chief Secondary Curriculum and Instruction Officer Annie Wolfe, recently captured an out-of-the-box and creative instructional lesson during a visit to the classroom of Furr High School teacher David de Hoyos Salazar.

During the 40 minute lesson, students in Salazar’s environmental sciences class left the school building and traveled to a nearby park to take part in an interactive activity that required critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. Watch the video below to see how Salazar, dressed as the movie character Indiana Jones, uses some creative teaching techniques to engage his students.

[su_vimeo url=”https://vimeo.com/161942676″ width=”500″ height=”280″ responsive=”no”]

Throughout the 2015–2016 school year, the HISD video team, along with Wolfe or Chief Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Officer Lance Menster, will be dropping in on classrooms to observe and point out examples of effective instruction based on the six qualities of the Global Graduate profile: adaptable and productive, a leader, a responsible decision-maker, a skilled communicator, a critical thinker, and a college-ready learner.

Teachers can be nominated for the video series by school offices, chiefs, principals, and teacher development specialists. To nominate someone, please send an email to HISDcia@houstonisd.org.