Did you know?

A strong lesson plan is the most effective form of classroom management.

Lesson Planning

Lesson plans provide a roadmap for the teacher and help keep teachers on track in the busy classroom. Think about it like a long trip in the car. You don't jump in the car and start driving - you first decide on a destination. You look at directions for roads to travel, highways to take, areas to avoid. When you map out your trip, you're careful to include interesting stops along the way. Your lesson plan is very similar. As a new teacher, you can't walk into the classroom and begin teaching. You have to pull apart the standards, select instructional strategies, determine what content they need to know, choose an activity that will show student learning.

The following list indicates some of the expectations of WCS:

Workshop Model

Bell Ringer / Warm-Up

Standards

Lesson Description

Differentiation

Assessments (formative and summative)

Walker County Schools: Non-Negotiables List

Walker County Schools Non-Negotiables

Behind the Scenes: Planning

1. Use your department's pacing guide to identify what content to begin with for the unit. How many days/weeks will you spend on this content?

2. Review the appropriate grade-level Georgia Standards for your content. What does the standard(s) say the student should know or be able to do?

3. THINK BACKWARDS: In relation to the standard(s), what can the students do to SHOW their understanding of the content? What can they make/create/write/read/perform/answer (insert your own verb)?

The answer to this question should become their assessment. How many days will students need to spend on this assessment?

*See Assessment Blueprint below in "Additional Resources" section for help with creating assessments

TIP: Create your assessment before you plan the lesson; otherwise you do not know what to teach

4. How many days do you have to spend on this unit? Subtract the number of day(s) you allotted for the assessment. Subtract the number of day(s) students will need for "review" activities, if any. The number remaining is how many days you have for instruction.

5. Create a timeline / chronological order showing when the information needs to be presented to students. What do they need to know first, second, next, last? What information is related and can be taught together?

6. Mini-Lesson: Now consider about HOW you will teach the content to achieve mastery on the assessment. What will the students need to know or be able to do? Gather information, pictures, graphic organizers, slides, worksheets, etc that relate to the content.

How will you present this information? Will you lecture from a PowerPoint? Will students read about it? Watch a video? Listen to a podcast?

TIP: Consider appealing to the senses: students need to see it, hear it, experience it, try it, watch it

7. Work Period: What will the students do to practice/apply the content you have presented? Will they work independently or with a partner or group?

TIP: Insert checkpoints to create a sense of urgency. Use a timer to tell students how long they have to work. You want to avoid off-task behavior that will arise if not kept in check. Don't give students 90 minutes to work on something - instead break the activity into parts, and ask students to complete parts of the activity within a certain amount of time.

Check for understanding: Make a list of questions you can use as checkpoints throughout the instruction to ensure students are understanding the content.

8. Write a basic script of what you will say or explain during the mini-lesson. No, you won't read it to the class, but it will help you get your wording together and help you avoid stumbling over your words. Make a bulleted list of points you want to make about the content. List things you want to remember to say aloud.

TIP: Explicitly write out the instructions you will give students for work period - these need to be clear and concise to avoid student confusion.

8. Closing (sharing): Students need to spend a few minutes reviewing the daily content. Summarize the main points and have students share something from their Work Period activity that would be beneficial to the discussion. Students can model a strategy, or explain their thinking.

9. Exit Ticket: write a question or two to assess students' learning for the day - require some application of what was learned during the lesson. This feedback can show which students mastered the content, making progress, and need additional instruction. You can use this information to guide your instruction for the next day.

TIP: Use the feedback to make 3 student groups - mastered, making progress, needs help - and differentiate the activities. The students who mastered the content are ready for what's next. Those who are making progress need to continue working and practicing. The last group needs more one-on-one direct instruction with an alternative practice activity.

Lights, Camera, Action: In the Classroom

For the first few weeks print out your lesson plan. Keep it at your podium or desk, on the whiteboard with a magnet, wherever you find yourself teaching from most often. You can refer to it throughout the lesson to ensure tasks are being completed.

Write on it! Make notes about what worked and what didn't work. If you timestamps were off, adjust how long it really took to complete the activity. Maybe you thought of a video or picture that would be helpful, write it on the lesson plan for the next time.

TIP: File the printed copies in a notebook or folder to save for next semester. As you look back at your notes next semester, you'll be thankful for the reminders and notes you made!