Writing Lesson Plans

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Writing Lesson Plans

• ECED 3400

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General Information

• Name
• School/Mentor Teacher
• Grade Level
• Subject Area(s)
• Date Taught
• Total Duration of Lesson
• Signature of Mentor
• Date of Mentor Approval

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Total Duration

• Make sure the total length of the lesson is
  appropriate for the age and developmental level
  of the children.
• State the duration in hours and minutes rather
  than periods.

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• Title of lesson

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Primary Learning Outcomes

• Primary learning outcomes (PLO) are statements of
  what a student is expected to be able to DO as a
  result of a learning activity.
• Write each primary learning outcome (PLO) as a
  statement.
• Do not include additional learning outcomes.

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Primary Learning Outcomes

• Primary learning outcomes
• Focus on specific behavior that is to be changed.
• Serve as guidelines for content, instruction, and
  assessment.
• Convey to learners exactly what is to be
  accomplished.

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Three Characteristics of Good Learning Outcomes

• The specified action by the learners must be
  observable.
• The specified action by the learners must be
  measurable.
• The specified action must be done by the
  learners.

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How do you determine if an outcome is unclear?

• Ask a simple question
• Can it be measured?
• Which of the following outcomes are written
  clearly?
• 1. Students will understand nine reasons for
  conducting a needs assessment.
• 2. Students will list nine reasons for conducting
  a needs assessment.

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Choosing the Correct Verbs for Learning Outcomes

• Primary learning outcomes should include action
  verbs which result in overt behavior that can be
  observed and measured.
• Certain verbs are unclear and subject to
  different interpretations in terms of what action
  they are specifying. Such verbs call for covert
  behavior which cannot be observed or measured.

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Choosing the Correct Verbs for Learning Outcomes

• Examples of good action verbs
• compile, create, plan, revise, analyze, design,
  select, arrange, recognize, list, name, label,
  classify, describe, discuss, identify,
  contrast,demonstrate, construct, write, predict,
  compare, assemble, choose
• Examples of verbs to avoid
• know, become aware of, appreciate, learn,
  understand, become familiar with

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Assessed QCCs/GPS

• Assessed GPS / QCCs must be aligned to the
  primary learning outcome(s).
• Identify one or two GPS or QCC standard(s)
  closely aligned to each primary learning outcome.
  
• Include the strand, number, topic and standard as
  stated in the GPS / QCC.
• Do not include every GPS / QCC that is aligned to
  the PLO.

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Assessment

• The assessment is actually planned when the
  lesson outcome is written.
• As learning outcomes and assessments are planned,
  teachers should remember that assessment is not
  necessarily a paper and pencil test. It can take
  many forms.
• Make sure the assessment is directly related to
  the learning outcome.

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Assessment

• The assessment is a clear description of the
  method that will be used to accurately determine
  whether or not the students have mastered the
  learning outcome.
• The purpose of the assessment is to inform the
  teacher and the students of how well the students
  are progressing.
• It also helps the teacher determine whether it is
  appropriate to build on the current lesson or
  whether he/she needs to reteach or change the
  lesson model, methods, or materials.

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Assessment

• Assessment needs to be of each individual
  students independent performance. Do not confuse
  assessment and teaching.
• Monitor the students during the body of the
  lesson and during guided practice to give you an
  idea of when to formally assess.

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Assessment

• What are some different ways outcomes can be
  assessed?
• If the assessment will take place at a time other
  than during the lesson, specify when the
  assessment will occur.

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Assessment

• Use letters for each assessment that correspond
  to the letters used to identify PLO(s).
• Describe the evidence the student will provide to
  document achievement of each PLO.
• Explain how you will assess and record this
  evidence for each PLO for each student.
• Identify the step(s) in the procedures in which
  the assessment will be done.
• Note
• Attach a copy of any written assessment
  technique(s) used by the teacher or students
  (e.g. graphic organizer, data chart, test, quiz,
  or other print resource).

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Example

• Outcome
• Students will identify and name at least 2 types
  of transportation.
• Assessment
• During centers, students will be called up
  individually to place their hands in a Feelie
  Box, pull out miniature models of transportation,
  and name the type of transportation. Students
  will receive satisfactory for identifying at
  least 2 types of transportation correctly.

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Example

• Outcome
• 1. In a given role play, students will correctly
  think aloud and demonstrate each step in standing
  up for someone.
• Assessment
• 1. The following day, the teacher will pull a
  small group of students at a time. Using a new
  scenario provided by the teacher, each group will
  think aloud and demonstrate each step in standing
  up for someone.

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Example

• Outcome
• A. When shown a blank diagram of a volcano,
  students will label all five parts correctly.
• Assessment
• A. During independent practice, an unlabeled
  diagram of a volcano will be passed out, and
  students will label the five parts.

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Assessment

• The assessment must match the primary learning
  outcomes. Write the letter of each primary
  learning outcome and how each will be assessed.
• All outcomes must be assessed.
• Do not align assessments with GPS / QCC standards.

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Materials and Equipment

• Provide a list of all materials and equipment
  that you will need as you teach, practice, and
  assess each PLO.
• Write all references using the correct APA format.

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Materials and Equipment

• If modifying a lesson from the Internet or
  another source, provide a copy of the original
  lesson.
• Include copies of anything you give to students,
  sketches of materials you prepare,
  examples/models you show to students, and copies
  of transparencies used.

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Technology Connection

• Note Optional unless required by the course
  instructor.
• Include a component for technology enhancement by
  describing an appropriate computer-based activity
  or including the use of an Internet resource(s).
• Describe the computer-based activity.
• Provide the information below for the Internet
  resource(s)
• Title (List the title of the web site.)URL
  (Copy and paste the URL here.)

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Procedures Overview

• Step One Introduction
• Step Two Teaching the PLOs
• -Develop content relevant to the PLOs
• -Check for understanding
• -Provide practice and feedback related to the
  PLOs.
• Step Three Closure

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Introduction

• An introduction prepares students' minds for
  learning. A good introduction contains four
  elements
• Getting the students attention and getting them
  excited about the lesson.
• Sharing the lesson's outcome(s), in general
  terms.
• Relating the new learning to the students past
  knowledge and experience.
• Telling students why the knowledge or skill they
  are learning is important to them.

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Example of a Good Introduction

• Holding up a very large tomato (getting
  attention), the teacher says, "Class,think for a
  second about what we learned in our last science
  unit. What conditions are needed to grow healthy
  plants, like this tomato? (relating to past
  experience/knowledge)." The teacher then lists
  student's responses on the board. "This week,
  each of you will each be acting like a scientist
  to design and then conduct your own experiments
  to produce big and healthy vegetables (sharing
  outcome in general terms). Not only will this be
  a lot of fun, but what you learn this week will
  help you design a science fair project, which
  we'll be doing later this year (creating a need
  to know).

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Introduction Strategies to Motivate or Focus
Students

• Tell or show students the lesson outcome.
• Use an anticipatory set that relates directly to
  the lesson to capture student interest.
• Tell the purpose, rationale, importance, or
  application of the lesson outcome.
• Provide a key idea or ask a thought-provoking
  question as an advance organizer.
• Preview lesson content through a graphic
  organizer.
• Provide initial examples that are humorous or
  personalized.

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Introduction Strategies to Help Students Make
Connections

• Connect the learning to personal experience and
  prior knowledge.
• Review earlier lessons or activities.
• Preview upcoming lessons or activities.
• Show students an outline of the whole unit.
• State the relationship of the outcome to a more
  long-term goal.
• Connect to other subject areas.

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Teaching

• Presentation of Information
• The teacher presents the information students
  need to know to meet the lesson outcome(s).

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Teaching

• Demonstration
• Before, during, or after the presentation of
  information, teachers need to demonstrate-show or
  model-the new knowledge or skill.
• Examples of demonstrations
• Show a product
• Model a process
• Use visual supports
• Perform a skit or role play

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Teaching

• During the presentation of information portion of
  the lesson, teachers will probably show examples
  or demonstrate specific steps, but it is
  essential that they model the whole product or
  process as well.
• The presentation of information and demonstration
  must match the learning outcome(s).

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Guided Practice

• Guided practice provides opportunities for
  students to practice under the guidance or
  supervision of the teacher.
• It is very important that the teacher controls
  and monitors this practice, so students are not
  practicing errors.
• Guided practice activities must match what was
  taught during the teaching portion of the lesson.
• All parts of the lesson must match the learning
  outcome(s).

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Independent Practice

• Independent practice is often provided through
  activities, seatwork, and homework that help
  students master, transfer, and retain the
  information or skill.
• Independent practice must match what was taught
  during the teaching portion of the lesson and the
  learning outcome(s).
• Monitoring this practice will provide students
  with important performance feedback and help you
  determine when students need more instruction.

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Closure

• The lesson closure helps students tie the
  material together.
• It may follow the guided practice or independent
  practice.
• Lesson closure may be elaborate or simple, but
  there always needs to be one.

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Closure

• The lesson closure may include one or more of
  the following
• review of key of the lesson
• opportunities for students to draw conclusions
• preview of future learning
• description of where or when students should use
  their new skills or knowledge
• a time for students to show their work
• a reference to the lesson opening

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Plan for Early Finishers

• Provide a meaningful activity for students who
  finish early
• The activity should be related to the PLO(s)
• Plan an activity even if the design of the lesson
  is that all students will finish at the same time
• This is not an extension or remediation activity

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Accommodation

• Accommodations are required for Lesson Plan 2
  and 3 in Professional Semester 1
• Plan for how the lesson can be taught differently
  for diverse students and/or students with
  exceptional needs.
• The same PLO(s) will be used.
• Extension and Remediation are not required for
  Professional Semester 1 lesson plans