Lesson Plan Format

Title of Lesson

Grade Level

Main Subject Area

Integrated Subjects All lessons should try to include at least three subjects somewhere within the same

lesson (for example: math, language arts, and music; science, art, and social studies, etc.). This will help

create a more interesting plan and push the teacher to show how knowledge in one subject does not exist

in a vacuum (shows authenticity) and real world usage.

Time Frame/Constraints Time anticipated to teach this lesson.

Overall Goal(s) In general, what is it that I really want for children to learn/accomplish by my teaching this

lesson? How will this lesson fit into the bigger picture of the unit/six-weeks/ semester/year?

TEKS/TAKS Objectives Which of the TEKS requirements is being taught or strengthened in this lesson?

Are these at the age-appropriate level/zone of proximal development for the child(ren)? Are they in the

correct sequence of knowledge and skills?

Objectives A statement of everything that students will do in the particular lesson. Formula = who is the

learner + what is the task/behavior + what is/are the condition(s) + what is the degree of

accomplishment? Should be stated in Bloom’s terms and should be observable and measurable. State

“The student or learner will . . .” (do not state that the learner understands, appreciates, etc. These can’t

be seen to be measured [are not observable].)

—Lower-level objectives only are not acceptable.

—Check to see that each activity that children will do has a corresponding objective—almost all lessons

have multiple objectives.

—Put all objectives in the order in which the teacher anticipates they will happen in the lesson.

—All four parts of a good objective given in the formula for a good objective should be included.

Readiness Skills or Prior Knowledge Needed Are there any skills or knowledge that students

absolutely must have to be successful in this lesson?

Possible Sponge Activity When children enter a room and the lesson will not begin for a moment (all

children are not there yet, the teacher needs to take lunch count or attendance, the room must be set up
again between classes, etc.), the teacher should plan for an individual or group warm-up that can be done

independently to help children begin to focus and remain in their seats until the lesson formally begins. A

sponge “soaks up” a few minutes of time so the teacher can complete executive tasks.

Environmental Concerns

1. Relating to an event/season/etc. Sometimes lessons are better and more meaningful when

taught at a certain time of year, in conjunction with certain events, during certain weather conditions,

etc. If so, place these thoughts here.

2. Any Anticipated Problem(s) Is any special seating needed or special attention to management in

any part of this lesson? Will there be possible problems getting materials to students or in grouping,

etc.? Note these possible concerns here.

Rationale What good reason should a student have for learning this lesson? (The mother of

memorization is necessity, so give children a reason to engage.) A rationale[answers the question,

“Teacher, why do I have to learn this stuff?” Provide reasoning at the students’ level (not by saying that

it’s going to be on the TAKS test, using educational jargon , or telling them that they will need it someday.

Relating the information to the real world is an excellent rationale, when possible.

Focus (Anticipatory Set, “Hook”) This is an event that creates interest and ties into the lesson to be

presented. It should entice students into the lesson. Thus, using only questions for discussion is not

usually acceptable, because these types of questions are often not as motivating and enticing for children

as the teacher believes. A focus can be used to enhance the relevance of new knowledge to interest

children.

Making Connections

1. Connections to Prior or Future Learning How will you find and relate what children may know

already to what they will learn here? Or how could this knowledge apply to future knowledge?

2. Connections to the Community Where would you find and tie in this learning to children’s known

world? Begin with things nearest to children’s lives first (i.e., home, neighborhood, city, and so forth).

3. Cultural Connections Is there any way to relate this lesson or knowledge to the cultures near the

school? Is there a multicultural element that you could reference?

4. Connections to Student Interests and Experiences How can you relate this concept or
 information to something that is interesting to children in their worlds? What does the child do in

his/her spare time? What are currently the favorite movies, toys, television shows, hobbies, sports,

music, and activities of children?

Materials List everything you need to teach this lesson, plus all that students will need (students’

needs/supplies and teacher’s list of things needed for this lesson). List where less-frequently used

teacher and student materials are located (if applicable) in order to find them easily for the lesson (or for a

substitute teacher). Check this list the last thing before leaving school in the afternoon and the first thing

before school each morning.

Activities/Instructional Input What will you do to get students through the objectives above? What

seating arrangements are necessary? List steps you will follow and the activities and strategies you will

use. Identify how you will model content and/or tasks. Tell why you are choosing the methods you are

using.

1. Guided Practice What will students do, activity-wise, as you “hold them by the hand” to get them

started through the materials to be learned? List steps: (The teacher will…. The student will….)

2. Independent Practice What activity will students perform all by themselves to exhibit that they

have learned the objectives?

What Will Students Do If They Finish Early? Decide and tell students exactly what you expect them to

do if they finish early. This should be used as a reinforcer and/or a management tool to keep them

working rather than disrupting others. It should not seem to be a punishment (i.e., just more of the same

work).

Assessment List not only the main activity you will evaluate (it is usually but not always the independent

practice), but also select one or more of the following questions to answer: How will you be able to tell

whether a student “got it” and how well they got it? Tell what a child must do on an activity (criteria) to get

an A, B, C, D, F (or an S/U). What are the teacher’s expectations for the achievement of these grades?

What is a passing grade? How will the activity be graded? Provide a rubric, if appropriate (see

Competency 10). Give the rubric or expectations to children in advance (for objectivity and student

success).

Closure How will you reinforce what children have learned one last time? (For miniclosures, tell how and
when you will close on information given throughout the lesson.)

Transition Think about moving to the next lesson or the next setting. Decide in advance how to do that

(singing a song, changing seating arrangements, referencing the past lesson, etc.).

Accommodations for Students with Special Needs Any accommodations for special needs students

must be included in a plan (see Competency 13).

Reflection Write down what went wrong AND right with the lesson so that the next time it is taught, it will

be more effective.

Remember that every part of the lesson should tie together in a “neat package”—all parts work

together to make sense as a whole and follow a path to the goal.

@Janice Nath from Becoming an EC-6 Teacher in Texas