Writing a Lesson Plan

1. Writing a Lesson Plan September 5, 2013 * Stanley Teacher Preparation Program

2. Objectives *Interns will define the purpose of a lesson plan. *Interns will create a lesson plan using pieces of a completed plan.

3. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. ~ Benjamin Franklin

4. What is the purpose of writing a lesson plan? On the piece of paper that has been handed to you, answer this question: What is the purpose of a lesson plan?

5. Share with a partner… Find a person wearing the same color shirt you are wearing and share your answers.

6. Let’s walk through the lesson planning format Start with the basics… • Your name • Date of the activity or lesson • Lesson/Activity Title

7. Standards: Why do we need them? Educational standards help teachers ensure their students have the skills and knowledge they need to be on course toward college or career readiness by providing clear goals for student learning at each grade level. Standards establish what students need to learn, but they do not dictate how teachers should teach. Instead, schools and teachers decide how best to help students reach the standards. (http://www.cde.state.co.us/sites/default/files/documents/communications/download/factsheets/standardsfaq.pdf)

8. Lesson Plan: Standards Addressed • For the intern program, you will be using the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS)—a maximum of 3 standards per lesson. • View the complete standards at http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/ColoradoStandards-AcademicStandards.asp (see page 8 of the program handbook) • You may also use alternative sources or your district/program standards for areas not covered by CAS such as social-emotional.

9. Purpose • Answers the question: “Why are you teaching the lesson?” • Show or describe how the lesson fits within the larger curriculum unit (webbing, essential questions, etc.) • Make a plan for how you will communicate the purpose to your students.

10. Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to… • Observable and measurable description of student learning linked to the standards addressed in the lesson/activity—maximum of 3 objectives per lesson. • I recommend writing 2 objectives maximum—it will help you stay focused. • Think: What do students know or what are students able to do as a result of this lesson? • Make a plan for how you will communicate and periodically refer to the objective with your students.

11. Setting • Describe the situation in which the lesson will be taught—location, setup, number of students and adults, size of group.

12. Materials and Preparation • Make a list of resources and materials prepared and collected before the lesson/activity begins; tasks to complete prior to the actual lesson/activity. • How will you present the materials in an aesthetic manner? • Think: How will you distribute the materials efficiently and effectively?

13. Activity Procedure • Introduction Think: How will you engage and/or motivate students? How will you articulate your learning objective? How will you communicate how the lesson/activity is connect to prior learning or their lives—establish relevance How long will you need for the introduction? (Keep in mind what is developmentally appropriate)

14. Activity Procedure (Continued) • Procedure What is the sequence of how the lesson proceeds? How will the teacher support and interact with students during the lesson (modeling, scaffolding, facilitating, coaching…) How will the teacher promote active engagement and how will students practice/apply the skill in their learning? How long will each part take?

15. Activity Procedure(Continued) • Closure How will students share what they have learned and make their thinking public? How will the teacher summarize students’ learning? How will you revisit the objective? How will you celebrate/highlight student learning and/or mastery of the objective? THE CLOSURE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED—BE SURE TO PACE YOUR LESSON SO THAT YOU HAVE TIME FOR CLOSURE!

16. Activity Procedure (Continued) • Clean up How will the students clean up? How long will clean up take? • Transition How will students transition to the next activity?

17. Differentiation • How will you accommodate differences in learning modalities, skill level, and special needs of the students. • What variations will there be in presentation, materials, setting, etc. based on individual or small group needs. • How will all students be able to access the learning objective?

18. Assessment • How will you know your students met the learning objective? (The assessment needs to align directly with each learning objective). • What criteria will you use to evaluate student learning? (work samples, rubrics, checklists) • Document how you will record observations and results in order to monitor progress and use assessment for future planning. • If appropriate, how will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?

19. Extensions • How can the learning be extended or continued from this activity?

20. Let’s create a lesson plan • You will work with 3-4 peoplefor this activity. • Inside the envelope you will find the pieces of a lesson plan written by a former intern. • You also have a blank lesson plan template. • Read through each piece of the lesson plan and decide where it belongs on the template. • When you are finished, read through the lesson plan.

21. Closing Reflection: Let’s revisit the question of purpose What is the purpose of a lesson plan?

22. And becauseeven the best laid plans may go awry…