Lesson Planning Tips and Video

Lesson planning can seem very overwhelming. It is something we get better at every year. I wouldn't dare show you my hand-written lesson plans from 20 years ago. Today's technology has allowed us to create, write and even submit our lesson plans electronically. Having a template or format that works for you will save you a lot of time. Let's take a look at the most important components of lesson planning and some helpful tips.

Weekly Lesson Plan Template

Tip 1: Lesson Objectives:

Lesson planning should include the lesson objectives. This is an essential piece of information. It is the focus and target of your lesson. This may seem small. However, it is one of the most important pieces of planning. Starting with the objective guarantees you will plan all your resources and activities to the level of rigor of the objective.

Tip 2: Grouping of Students

I'm a big fan of grouping students for small group instruction. Grouping is the best way to align our instruction to our student's needs. My Small Group Reading Template can help teachers group students in 4 different groups and then design instruction based on their learning goals and needs. This template you see below also has a place for grouping and centers.

Tip 3: Add the Details

Lessons should be readable and detailed just enough that a substitute could teach from them in an emergency. I do not think teachers should write extensive lesson plans that takes hours and hours to complete. This is just not necessary.

Details include: Time, Strategies, Activities, Sequencing and Assessments.

Time: What time is Reading? Math? How much time is given for these subjects?
Strategies: List your strategy or strategies for teaching the objective. This will help you provide support to all of your students.
Sequencing- Teaching any lesson should have a continuous flow. It is resembles someone telling a story. The story must have a flow so the story makes sense. It needs to capture their attention.
Assessments- How will you know what the students know? What kind of assessment techniques will you use?