What goes into lesson planning and lesson plans

What Makes a Great Lesson Plan?

Earlier, we mentioned that good lesson plans, regardless of subject, grade level, school, teacher or class, share some common components. In this section, we dive deeper into what those components are, and what teachers should include in each.

1. Lesson objectives

Each lesson plan should start by considering what students will learn or be able to do by the end of class. The best objectives are action-oriented and focus on the most important and essential learning needs of the class. They should be measurable, so teachers can track student progress and ensure that new concepts are understood before moving on, and achievable considering the time available.
Examples:

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  Describe the weather outside using their target language
  
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  Identify the parts of a fraction
  
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  Explain the different states of matter using water
  

2. Materials

What supplies and resources are required to support the lesson? In this section, list everything needed to deliver on the lesson objective. Identifying these items upfront makes sure teachers can gather everything ahead of time so they’re not caught short during the lesson.
Examples:

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  Textbooks
  
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  Computers or tablets
  
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  Handouts or worksheets
  

3. Learning activities

This is the heart and soul of a lesson plan: the step-by-step walkthrough of the lesson itself. In this section, teachers break down the lesson into individual learning activities – the mechanisms through which they deliver the lesson – and describe what will happen in the classroom during each one.
To help pick the right activities for each lesson (and there are a lot of possibilities out there), consider:

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  How they align with the learning objective, along with other standards or requirements students need to meet
  
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  Whether it’s a meaningful and engaging way for students to learn
  
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  The amount of time the activity will take
  

Since activities make up the bulk of learning time, it’s important to incorporate a variety of them within a single lesson plan. Giving students new ways to explore and use their knowledge helps solidify their learning while providing valuable experience that carries forward into other areas of their lives.
Examples:

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  Read a poem as a class and lead a discussion about its symbolism using critical thinking questions students answer aloud (and list some thought-starter questions)
  
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  Split into small groups to create posters that explain the water cycle
  
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  Individually complete a worksheet to practice graphing linear equations. Check-in with students to see if they need assistance or have questions.