Preparation for teaching and learning is best understood as an ongoing process which evolves as we continuously learn new information about the children, their needs, their interests and their abilities

2.1. Planning learning activities
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider a
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider a

39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of

the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider a
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider a
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider a
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
39
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of
the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for
instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who
seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in
this endeavor. Among different options available, creating
“lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost
everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education
program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some
prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, hav-
ing become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons
according to this same format. If so, why is there such dis-
cordance between what successful teachers do and what
prospective teachers learn to do? How can teacher educa-
tors support and foster preparation for the practice of
teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an
activity of filling tables of rubrics? [1]
We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address
several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an
example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic
features and potential for success. With these features in
mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-
duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson
is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and stu-
dents. The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support
the preparation for a lesson, which involves, as Lampert
(2001) argues, both the work involved in being able “to
teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in
the lesson” (p. 119). However, in contrast with the lesson
plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the pos-
sible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an
example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of
this strategy with a d
Planning for instruction is an important and integral part of the complex activity of teaching. Learning how to plan for instruction continues to challenge teacher educators, who seek effective ways of supporting prospective teachers in this endeavor. Among different options available, creating “lesson plans” continues to be a popular one. In fact, almost everyone who has undergone a formal teacher education program has had to devise a lesson plan according to some prescribed format. We conjecture that almost no one, having become a teacher (even a very good one), plans lessons according to this same format. If so, why is there such discordance between what successful teachers do and what prospective teachers learn to do?
How can teacher educators support and foster preparation for the practice of teaching a lesson, without turning that preparation into an activity of filling tables of rubrics? We examine the roots of the traditional lesson and address several studies of teachers’ planning. We then consider an example of a traditional plan and analyse its characteristic features and potential for success. With these features in mind, and somewhat as a counterpoint to them, we intro-duce the notion of “lesson play,” in which part of a lesson is presented in dialogue format between a teacher and students.
The “lesson play” is offered as a means to support the preparation for a lesson, which involves, , both the work involved in being able “to teach a lesson, but also to learn from whatever happens in the lesson”. However, in contrast with the lesson plan, our model of preparation is one that speaks to the possible, the contingent, and the imaginative. We provide an example of a lesson play and discuss the implementation of this strategy with a dual agenda – as a professional development tool for teachers and as a window for researchers to investigate “mathematical knowledge for teaching” and lesson planning in particular, can be traced to the work of Ralph Tyler (1949). His framework is based on four components: specifying objectives, selecting learning expe-riences for attaining objectives, organizing learningexperiences, and evaluating effectiveness of learning expe-riences. Tyler considered the specification of objectives “themost critical criteria for guiding all the other activities ofthe curriculum-maker” (p. 62). Elaboration of Tyler’s ideasresulted in a variety of instructional design models, whosecommon components are the identification of: goals andobjectives, a teacher’s and students’ activities (teaching andlearning strategies), materials to be used in a lesson, feed-back and guidance for students, and assessment/valuation procedures determining whether the identified objective shave been met resulted inthe creation of a variety of forms or templates, many of which we do .The practical implementation of these models ot explicitly embody the ideals and theories that justify their existence. As such, when a prospective teacher is handed a template, she is not receiving the full benefit of the work that went into creating it, but rather an empty shell that stands in the place of grounded theories of teaching practice.
These templates have been criticised in the scholarly literature for over simplifying what it means to teach, as well as for failing to consider how teachers actually plan.
Of course, they are worth criticizing if and only if they are used as proxies for preparation, which often can be how they appear to future teachers. Future teachers c an easily assume that the cleardentification and organization of content outcomes will result in the acquisition of this same content by the students. know now that the articulation of objectives, although necessary, is far from sufficient when planning for teaching. Research from the 1970s and 1980s showed that specify-ing objectives is not a central part of teachers’ planning(Peterson et al., 1978; Zahorik, 1970). Yinger (1980) found that when using Tyler’s model “no provision was made for planning based on behavioral objectives or previously statedin structional goals” .More recently, John (2006)conducted a comprehensive analysis and critique of the dominant Tylerian model and its extensions. He argued that the emphasis on “outcome-based education” has “led to teaching based on a restricted set of aims, which can in turn misrepresent the richer expectations that might emerge from constructive and creative curriculum documents” and that the approach does not acknowledge elements ofteaching “that are not endorsed by the assessment structure”. However, as Maroney and Searcy (1996) point out, the results of these studies have also had little influence on current practice: “teacher educators are not assisting teachers or their students by continuing to teach only traditional comprehensive lesson planning models, knowing that the majority of teachers will not use those models”.Why, despite the ongoing criticism and acknowledgement that “real teachers do not plan that way” has the traditional rational model sustained its popularity? John (2006) suggests several interrelated reasons. He its various components⁷.

gure 1 presents an example of a good “lesson plan.” We
work from the premise that it is important to attend to one
specific plan in order to illustrate its affordances before
focusing on the components of preparation it necessarily
ignores. Following a possible variation of the Tylerian
model, this plan clearly identifies learning objectives, sets
procedures for attaining these objectives, and specifies the
procedures for evaluation. We note the following among
other positive aspects of a lesson to be carried out accord-
ing to this plan:
• Students are engaged in an activity of producing
rectangular arrays. This occurs after the teacher
has provided clear directions and illustrated usi
Other identified reasons arise in the beliefs that prospective teachers need to know how to plan in a rational-traditional framework before they can attend to the complexities of particular curricular elements, national curriculum documents have prescribed the model for teachers to follow, the model creates unified agreement between school practice and teacher education institutions ,and the use of the model reinforces a sense of control based on prediction and prescription. In the mathematics education literature, teacher-researchers such as Lampert (2001) have shown how expert planning and preparation for teaching a lesson involves extensive work in connecting particular mathematics to particular students, moving back and forth between mathematics and the structure of tasks appropriate for particular learners. Thus, Lampert begins by designing mathematical tasks, but the implementation of these tasks shifts in accordance with students’ responses. Yinger might describe this type of by-the-seat-of-your-pants tea ching as improvisation, for which the traditional lesson plan is ill-suited, to say the least, but which may well require even more preparation. While the Yinger-style of improvisation may appear favourable, when handled by someone like Lampert, it may also quite easily draw on teach ers’ own schooling experiences, which, as Lortie (1975) hasargued, contribute to an “apprenticeship of observation” that cannot easily be changed, and may well align with outcome-based education.
In recent studies comparing Japanese and American teachers, Fernandez and Cannon (2005) examined what teachers think about when constructing mathematics lessons. Their results, which show differences in terms of responsiveness to students, can be summarized in terms of a content-versus-process interplay. That is, American teachers’ thinking emphasized students’ learning of specific conten t, while Japanese teachers attended to the process of students’ learning, focusing on the discovery of concepts.
They also find that teachers differed in their attitude towards planning – Japanese teachers considered planning as an important part of their work, reported spending on it a significant amount of time and “conveyed an attitude that good planning is difficult to achieve” (p. 494), while American teachers reported spending only a modest amount of time on preparation of lessons. ⁸
Fernandez and Cannon conclude that “although it is important for teachers to emphasize the learning of content, this cannot be done without attending to how students learn content” (p. 494) and they see as “disconcerting” the fact that most American teachers did not describe the need to craft specific elements of their lessons to attend to students’ learning .In this article we introduce the “lesson play,” which we propose might provide a novel juxtaposition to the traditional planning framework as a method of preparing to teacher lesson. These two exercises structure the act of preparation in two fundamentally different ways, and while the affordances of the lesson play may be layered onto a modified lesson plan rubric, they are the defining principle andthe unavoidable result of a lesson play. Before elaborate these affordances, we consider the specific values of a good “lesson plan. ”Lesson plan: an example Figure 1 presents an example of a good “lesson plan.” We work from the premise that it is important to attend to one specific plan in order to illustrate its affordances before focusing on the components of preparation it necessarily ignores. Following a possible variation of the Tylerian model, this plan clearly identifies learning objectives, sets procedures for attaining these objectives, and specifies the procedures for evaluation. We note the following among other positive aspects of a lesson to be carried out accord ing to this plan:
• Students are engaged in an activity of producing rectangular arrays. This occurs after the teacher has provided clear directions and illustrated using6 as an example
.• Students are using manipulatives to construct the array
.• The teacher attempts to mediate between the students’ work with concrete objects and the mathematical ideas of prime and composite numbers
• The teacher asks students to make observations based on a completed table. This represents a thoughtful attempt to build on students’ ideas ratherthan simply provide information.
• Students have an eir ideasand observations regarding the patterns they see. • The lesson is organized so that the main concept –prime numbers – can be built out of reflection on the activity.
• Evaluation procedures are set to check the degree to which the concepts of prime and composite numbers has been built
.• There is an opportunity for students who complete their work before their classmates to extend/challenge their understanding by exploring numbers greater than 100.⁹
The plan appears to present a constructivist student-centred approach, in which concepts are built through reflectionon an activity. Like an abstract, or a book review, it is descriptive, and thus summarises what a good lesson would look like. However, as John (2006) points out, “the model does not take into account contingencies of teaching”. He further states that while the standard approach to lesson planning presents a “powerful generic idea, it tells us very little about the substance of the particular activity we apply it to” (ibid.). While economic, and perhaps eveniconic, this particular lesson plan ignores: • what definition for a prime number the teacher might use in relation to the manipulatives and the students’ prior experiences.
Zahorik, J. A. (1970) ‘The effect of planning on teaching’, The Elementary
School Journal 71(3), 143–151
Zahorik, J. A. (1970) ‘The effect of planning on teaching’, The Elementary
School Journal 71(3), 143–151
Good planning is the first step towards an effective classroom. A well planned class reduces stress on the teacher and helps minimize disruptions. When teachers know what they need to accomplish and how they are going to do it, they have a better opportunity to achieve success with the added benefit of less stress.
Further, when students are engaged in the entire class period, they have less opportunity to cause disruptions. Organizing and planning of teaching-learning is the framework on which effective teaching is based. Careful and thoughtful planning allows instructional time to be maximized, standards to be addressed, prior knowledge to be activated, misconceptions to be confronted and the diverse characteristics and learning needs of students to be considered. Classroom management issues are resolved and the focus can be on instruction and increasing student achievement.
In addition, instruction can be scaff oled more effectively and assessments of learning goals and content can be aligned to maximize understanding. For curricular planning, it should be done before the academic year. In this case, selection of textbooks, their distribution, conduct of exams, preparation of time-table, allotment of staff for each subject in different classes, monitoring of each class by teachers, etc. are very important. All these activities highlight the importance of annual planning, unit planning and lesson planning which are presented in details in the subsequent paragraphs.
An annual plan provides a method for tracking the progress of some of the key tasks your service needs to complete regularly, as well as specific ‘one off’ projects. For some projects you will need to develop much more detailed time lines identifying ‘who, what, when’. An annual plan allows you to easily tick items off as you go and check progress. You can ensure that tasks are spread over the year and in the right order. You need to have a copy of the currently approved curriculum guide (program outline). The instructor’s copy may include additions, deletions, and other unofficial modifications needed for curriculum planning.
Substitutions must be approved per the procedure for Approval of Program, Title, Hour, and Content Changes. However, the curriculum guide is not in sufficient detail to ensure sound instruction; therefore you need to maintain plans of instruction such as lesson plans. An annual plan contains all academic and co-curricular activities in social science to be taken in the specified academic year. It gives a detailed description about the units to be covered in each month and the related activities to be undertaken along with the unit.
Hence, we can say that an annual plan reflects the total activities of the school. From the annual plan the unit plan can be constructed. Generally, the annual plan is prepared before the beginning of the new academic year. It is useful in scheduling the activities of the school as well as the availability of time to accomplish the activities. 1. 2. Resources Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources July August, September, October 7 7 Narration of a situation. Proper planning of a unit is very important for a teacher’s success in his/ her teaching. Unit planning can be one of the most enriching and empowering experience for a teacher since it demands his/her ability to relate knowledge and professional values to knowledge of the learner, knowledge of the subject matter and knowledge of teaching methods.
What exactly is a unit plan?
What makes it so important?.
A unit plan is a series of lesson plans designed around a specific topic, lesson, etc. Unit planning begins with the selection of a unit, the starting point for this process could be examination of the chapter headings in the students’ text. Borich describes unit planning as creating a diagram or visual blue print of what one wants to teach.¹⁰
Unit planning is a process wherein teachers select, organize, order, evaluate and revise both what they teach and how they teach it. The unit must be a comprehensive and significant aspect of the environment.

Now that you have your learning objectives in order of their importance, design the specific activities you will use to get students to understand and apply what they have learned. Because you will have a diverse body of students with different academic and personal experiences, they may already be familiar with the topic. That is why you might start with a question or activity to gauge students’ knowledge of the subject or possibly, their preconceived notions about it. For example, you can take a simple poll: “How many of you have heard of X? Raise your hand if you have.” You can also gather background information from your students prior to class by sending students an electronic survey or asking them to write comments on index cards. This additional information can help shape your introduction, learning activities, etc.

When you have an idea of the students’ familiarity with the topic, you will also have a sense of what to focus on. Develop a creative introduction to the topic to stimulate interest and encourage thinking. You can use a variety of approaches to engage students (e.g., personal anecdote, historical event, thought-provoking dilemma, real-world example, short video clip, practical application, probing question, etc.). Consider the following questions when planning your introduction:  How will I check whether students know anything about the topic or have any preconceived notions about it?
What are some commonly held ideas (or possibly misconceptions) about this topic that students might be familiar with or might espouse?  What will I do to introduce the topic? (c) Plan the specific learning activities (the main body of the lesson) Prepare several different ways of explaining the material (real-life examples, analogies, visuals, etc.) to catch the attention of more students and appeal to different learning styles. As you plan your examples and activities, estimate how much time you will spend on each. Build in time for extended explanation or discussion, but also be prepared to 91 move on quickly to different applications or problems, and to identify strategies that check for understanding. These questions would help you design the learning activities you will use:
What will I do to explain the topic?
What will I do to illustrate the topic in a different way?
How can I engage students in the topic?
What are some relevant real-life examples, analogies, or situations that can help students understand the topic?
What will students need to do to help them understand the topic better?
Now that you have explained the topic and illustrated it with different examples, you need to check for student understanding – how will you know that students are learning? Think about specific questions you can ask students in order to check for understanding, write them down, and then paraphrase them so that you are prepared to ask the questions in different ways. Try to predict the answers your questions will generate. Decide on whether you want students to respond orally or in writing. You can also ask yourself these questions:
What questions will I ask students to check for students understanding?
What will I like students to do demonstrate that they are following?
Going back to my list of learning objectives, what activity can I have for students to check whether each of those has been accomplished?
Develop a conclusion and a preview Go over the material covered in class by summarizing the main points of the lesson. You can do this in a number of ways: you can state the main points yourself ,you can ask a student to help you summarize them, or you can even ask all students to write down on a piece of paper what they think were the main points of the lesson.
You can review the students’ answers to gauge their understanding of the topic and then explain anything not understood by students in the following class. Conclude the lesson not only by summarizing the main points, but also by previewing the next lesson. How does the topic relate to the one that is to be taught in the next class? This preview will spur students’ interest and help them connect the different ideas within a larger context.
Create a realistic timeline A realistic timeline will reflect your flexibility and readiness to adapt to the specific classroom environment. Here are some strategies for creating a realistic timeline: Estimate how much time each of the activities will take, then plan some extra time for each Planning and Organising Teaching Learning Experiences 92 Pedagogy of Social Sciences . When you prepare your lesson plan, next to each activity indicate how much time you expect it will take .Plan a few minutes at the end of class to answer any remaining questions and to sum up key points .Plan an extra activity or discussion question in case you have time left .
Be flexible – be ready to adjust your lesson plan to students’ needs and focus on what seems to be more productive rather than sticking to your original plan (g) Presenting the Lesson Plan Letting your students know what they will be learning and doing in class will help keep them more engaged and on track. You can share your lesson plan by writing a brief agenda on the board or telling students explicitly what they will be learning and doing in class. You can outline on the board or on a handout the learning objectives for the class. Providing a meaningful organization of the class time can help students not only remember better, but also follow your presentation and understand the rationale behind in-class activities. Having a clearly visible agenda (e.g., on the board) will also help you and students stay on track. (h) Closure Whenever possible, use a cliffhanger at the end of a lesson.  Teacher summary.
Be sure to summarize the important points or critical elements of a lesson for students. Discuss what you taught and what they learned. This might be the most valuable 3 to 5 minutes of any lesson.  Student summary. Provide opportunities for students to summarize a lesson as well. Inviting them to put a lesson into their own words can be helpful to you in determining how well they learned the material.  Lesson product. Invite students to incorporate the major elements of a lesson into a final product.¹¹
As described earlier, this product may take the form of a poster, brochure, model, or portfolio. (i) Reflecting on Your Lesson Plan A lesson plan may not work as well as you had expected due to a number of extraneous circumstances. You should not get discouraged – it happens to even the most experienced teachers. Take a few minutes after each class to reflect on what worked well and why, and what you could have done differently. Identifying successful and less successful organization of class time and activities would make it easier to adjust to the contingencies of the classroom (j) Self-Evaluation As you write lessons, include a brief section at the end that allows you to self-evaluate. This will be important when and if you decide to teach able 3 to 5 minutes of any lesson.  Student summary
. Provide opportunities for students to summarize a lesson as well. Inviting them to put a lesson into their own words can be helpful to you in determining how well they learned the material. Lesson product. Invite students to incorporate the major elements of a lesson into a final product. As described earlier, this product may take the form of a poster, brochure, model, or portfolio. (i) Reflecting on Your Lesson Plan A lesson plan may not work as well as you had expected due to a number of extraneous circumstances. You should not get discouraged – it happens to even the most experienced teachers. Take a few minutes after each class to reflect on what worked well and why, and what you could have done differently. Identifying successful and less successful organization of class time and activities would make it easier to adjust to the contingencies of the classroom (j) Self-Evaluation As you write lessons, include a brief section at the end that allows you to self-evaluate. This will be important when and if you decide to teach
the lesson again. It will also provide you with some important insights relative to your perceived level of success. You might consider some of these self-evaluative questions:
“How was my pacing?”
“Did students understand the content?”
“Did students understand the important concepts?”
“Did I use my time appropriately?”
“What changes should I make the next time I teach this lesson?”
“Were students engaged and involved?” 
“What new activities or procedures could I include?”
“Did I present the lesson well?”
Planning a unit depends on nature of the topic, the importance assigned to it by a teacher, decisions about how lessons will be organised, students’ interest and time availability. Generally, 2-3 weeks is a manageable amount of time for transacting a unit. It allows a class to explore a topic with some depth and to engage in intellectual discourse on an issue. With every unit, try to provide students with a lesson schedule and a homework assignment sheet, design some form of unit project, and include a unit test. As you plan, it is useful to ask yourself some of the following questions:
● Does this unit build on the previous unit or has some connection with it?
● Does this unit lay the basis for future unit/units?
● Are there materials for students to analyze in class? Do the lessons include enough activities for students to do?
● Are the teaching-learning activities varied and interesting?