Lesson Planning- the cornerstone of good teaching

1. Lesson Planning- the cornerstone of good teaching January 2012 for CTEP Chemistry

2. Lesson Planning in a Nutshell • Tell them what you are going to learn. • Teach them. • Find out if they learned what you taught.

3. Lesson Planning Essential Components -1 The learning goal and expectations of the lesson (the what and the why) • Where are we going in this class? • What is my focus??? Knowledge, Values, Skills….. Consider: • Prior knowledge • How can I make the learning relevant? • What are your expectations for student learning?

4. Lesson Planning Essential Components-2 The learning experience (the how) • How will we get there? • What will I do? • What will the students do? (besides listen or copy?)

5. Lesson Planning Essential Components-3 On-going observation and assessment of student learning • How will I know that students learned what I intended them to learn? • What will I use to find out?

6. What do I want them to learn? How will I know they have learned it? How will I design the learning so that all will learn? Planning with the End in Mind • Big Ideas • Broad Areas of Skills • Overall and Specific Expectations • Learning Goal

7. Questions to help focus planning: • How can I make the learning relevant and interesting • How will I consider perspectives from various cultures in order to honour the cultural diverisity of the students in my class? • How will I show respect for the privacy, personal beliefs and personality differences of my students?

8. Questions to help focus planning: • How can I make the classroom a safe place where all students feel they can take risks, contribute, and share in the decision-making processes?

9. Questions to help focus planning: • How do I ensure that all the students feel included in the class work regardless of race, ethnicity, language differences, ESL issues, cultural differences, religion, socioeconomic class, gender, sexual orientation, family values; preferred learning styles, and ability?

10. More Questions • For learning: Are students engaged in visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic activities? • Strategies: Is there variety? • Timing: Is there sufficient time allocated to each segment of the lesson?

11. Lesson Plan Components • Overview, Expectations and Rationale • The Learning Experience • Supporting Materials

12. Overview, Expectations and Rationale • Big Ideas • Always begin with the Big Ideas • Ministry Expectations • Consider which Ministry expectations the lesson will address • Student Learning Goals • Use student friendly language to explain what the student will learn and do during the lesson • “By the end of this lesson you will….”

13. Overview, Expectations and Rationale • Prior Knowledge • You can plan more effectively and use class time more wisely if you consider what students already know • Rationale for Teaching and Learning Strategies • Why have I chosen the particular strategy that is used? What makes it pedagogically sound?

14. The Learning Experience • 3 part lesson plan • Minds On (Elicit and Engage) • Action(Explore, Explain) • Consolidation(Elaborate, Evaluate, Extend) • Next Steps

15. Minds On (Elicit and Engage) • One or two short activities which will focus student’s attention, stimulate their thinking, and access prior knowledge. • Why? This is the connection phase designed to focus students on learning, ‘learning to get ready”.

16. Action (Explore, Explain) • Provide an introduction to the main purpose of the lesson • Tell students upfront what they will be learning – called Learning Goals • Why?

17. Action (Explore, Explain) • Lesson “chunks” – Introduce new learning activities and/or tasks a small bit at a time • Why? • Give students opportunities to use the new knowledge, understanding, or skills • Why?

18. Consolidation(Elaborate, Evaluate, Extend) • Give students the opportunity to review the learning and to reflect on the learning process itself • Why?

19. Next Steps CONSIDER: • Is the homework meaningful follow up? • Are students encouraged to make conceptual connections outside the classroom?

20. Supporting Materials • Student Chalkboard Notes • Classroom Ready Materials • Teacher Notes • References

21. Chalkboard Notes and Student Records • Student notebooks often reflect exactly what teachers have placed on the chalkboard • It is important that these notes are carefully planned in advance • What do I want my students to have in their notes? • What records of demos and discussions will they have in their notes.

22. Classroom Ready Materials • Consider what materials and equipment are needed to support your lesson. Locate and organize these materials. • Consider distribution of these materials as well. • Include BLMs (Black line masters) and any handouts for students.

23. Teacher Notes • These vary according to your needs • Include detailed instructions for each activity, background information, safety considerations, lists of materials etc.

24. References • Lists of texts and relevant information used in the lesson so access can occur at a later time. • Download useful web resources (e.g., text, video) for future use. Don’t rely on technology!

25. Overall Summary of Main Ideas • Do the students know what to do? • Are they doing it? • How do you know they have learned? • Assess Prior knowledge • Ask vs. Tell (if you can) • Make students work harder than you! • Is there a place for each student in my classroom? (“in my curriculum?”) This deals with equity, classroom management…...