A lesson plan is a teacher’s guide for running a specific lesson. It includes the goal (what students are supposed to learn), the method how the goal will be reached, and measuring how well the goal was achieved (exit ticket, test, homework, etc.).
Lesson planning is a vital component of the teaching process. It keeps teachers organized and on track, allowing them to teach more effectively. As a result, students reach objectives more easily.
Lesson planning:
Provides a framework for smooth and efficient teaching
Helps the teacher become more confident when delivering the lesson
Helps the teacher become more organized
Gives a sense of direction with regard to the syllabus
Provides a basis for future planning
Helps a teacher to differentiate to meet the needs of individual students
Is proof that a teacher makes an effort to improve the quality of learning
Elements of a Lesson Plan
Title of the lesson
Time needed to complete the lesson
List of materials
List of objectives, which may be knowledge objectives (what a student knows at lesson completion) or behavioral objectives (what a student can do at lesson completion)
Instructional component that describes the series of events that make up the lesson
Summary, where a teacher wraps up the discussion and answers questions
Evaluation of learning objectives
Steps for Preparing a Lesson Plan
1) Outline learning objectives
Objectives are crucial to effective instruction because they help teachers plan the strategies and activities that they will use. Determine what the topic of the lesson is, and what you want your students to learn and be able to perform at the end of the class.
After outlining the learning objectives, rank them according to importance. Identify the most important concepts and ideas so in case you are pressed for time, you know beforehand what can and cannot be omitted.
2) Develop the introduction
Decide what specific activities you want to use to make students understand and apply the things they have learned. You can start with a question/activity to gauge their knowledge of the subject. For example, you can ask, “How many of you are familiar with…? Raise your hand.”
Create an introduction that will encourage thinking and stimulate interest. Use different approaches to engage students – e.g. historical event, practical application, short video clip, etc.
3) Plan the specific learning activities
Prepare various ways of explaining the material to catch the attention of students (examples, analogies, visuals). Estimate how much time you will be spending on each. Consider time for extended discussion, but be prepared to move on quickly if the need arises.
4) Check for understanding
Check for student understanding, i.e. verify if the students are learning. For this purpose, you can think of specific questions you can ask and write them down. You can ask the students to respond in writing or orally.
5) Develop a conclusion
Summarize the main points of the lesson. This can be done in a number of ways. First, you can state the main points yourself. Second, you can ask a student to summarize. Third, ask all your students to summarize the main points of the lesson and write them down on a piece of paper. Review the students’ answers and explain anything that is unclear next time.
6) Have a realistic timeline
It’s easy to run out of time and not cover all the main points of the lesson. If possible, narrow down the list of ideas, concepts, or skills you want your students to learn to the most important ones. Prioritizing learning objectives can help you adjust the lesson plan and make decisions on the spot. A realistic timeline will allow teachers to be flexible and enable them to adapt to the classroom environment.
Conclusion
A well-developed lesson plan is the main ingredient of a successful lesson. Having an effective lesson plan will ensure that teachers are prepared for class and will make it run smoothly.
INcompassing Education provides high-quality professional development for educators in Indiana and other neighboring states. We help teachers upgrade their knowledge and skills by sharing best practices in the teaching profession. If you want to improve the performance of your school, get in touch with us. We can help!
