Writing a Lesson Plan Dr. Harland C&I 306

Behavioral Objectives: ABCD method Behavioral Objectives: 4 parts: 1)Audience? 2)Behavior (observable) What will student do? What will be observed? 3) Condition How? What circumstances? 4) Degree To what level? Verbs: identify, solve, compare, contrast, recite: Chose from a verb list: use Bloom’s Taxonomy Given a map, without notes, given a vocabulary list… At least 85%, four out of five (Heinich, et al., 1996) Students Link

Daily Lesson Plans: Rationale What was taught prior to lesson/unit What is the class/grade level Why is the unit important What standards it fulfills What will be after the lesson/unit What is the main affective objective How will this unit benefit the student long-term

Parts of a Daily Lesson Plan Date: When the lesson is being taught Housekeeping Stuff –Attendance, announcements, long-term reminders, collecting or handing back homework (BOHA) Student/Classroom Description –Describe: Classroom & students # of students, # of boys, # of girls Time of day, cultural composition Known exceptionalities

Parts of a Daily Lesson Plan Illinois State Standards –Go to ISBE website, give key codes and copy & paste actual standards – Materials/Equipment –Handouts for students –Tools for you—overheads, computer/ppt

Daily LP: Intro: Set Induction Start with a Set Induction (Anticipatory Set) –The “Hook” to get students interested –To figure out what students already know –To create a framework on which to build the lesson: –To highlight misconceptions –To create a personal connection to the material: help students care about what they are going to learn Examples of set inductions: –A demonstration, movie clip, cartoon, audio clip- followed by a question for students to discuss

Daily LP: Content: The “stuff” Content –The What? Topic to be covered –The How? (what method works for the subject?) Discussion Lecture/presentation Cooperative learning This is what you will probably have in front of you when you teach –Content details: Notes, overheads, ppt, discussion questions, steps for cooperative learning Case Studies Guided practice

Daily LP: Closure Def: Wrap up/review of lesson –NOT “Do you understand?” –Student led… “Share one thing you learned today.” –Reinforce why topic is important: relate to student’s life –Gear students to the next logical topic Purpose: to let you know: –if additional practice is needed –whether you need to re-teach –whether you can move on to the next part of the lesson –If objectives were met

Last Parts of a Daily Lesson Plan Literacy Techniques –List all used techniques (reading, writing, listening, speaking) and what you are doing to improve student skills in these areas.

Tips for Writing Daily Lesson Plans If possible vary the types of activities you do in one class session Ex. Start with discussion or journal writing, do some lecture, group work & end with an interactive way to review the content. Teach to as many learning styles possible. Consider “lost” students as opportunities to expand your teaching “bag o’ tricks” Makes the class time go quickly for you and for your students Teach---ReTeach—Review--Reteach

Tips for LP writing (cont.) Vary where you get “content material” Use more than just the textbook—Be creative Newspapers, cartoons, college texts, internet Use Journals from your content area to get lesson plan ideas Share Steal—Beg & Borrow to get Lesson Ideas

It may be easier to re-design a lesson than to write one from scratch Make notes about what you want to change next time you teach a lesson/unit (You think you’ll remember…you won’t!) Save computer files in more than one place so you have them for years to come Tips for LP writing (cont.) Next year…

Planning at the Beginning of the School Year Tips for New Teachers

1 st Quarter2 nd Quarter 3 rd Quarter4 th Quarter Planning the Year – Long Term Talk to others who have taught the course –Read course description –Ask for curriculum guide Divide Year into large chunks (quarters?) Decide what large topics will be taught when –Use logic when deciding order: What topics build on others? Post-it Notes: Unit/Topic/Chapter

Unit = Major Topic you want to cover –Units can be a single chapter or a group of chapters –Units can be thematic Content based around a social or current event Topics; covered within a unit: Ex. –Short Stories: topics; parts of a short story, story examples, characterization –Hurricane Katrina: topics; infectious disease, immune system –Cancer: Cells, cell growth, –War: topics: how different countries prepared and performed on the battle field over time Planning the Year – Quarters

Don’t start a new unit on a Friday Plan an exam the night after a huge school activity Plan difficult/low motivational topics for the end of the year Unit Planning Tips Do Stagger classes so that end/beginning of units don’t occur at the same time Determine approx. point values for various activities before unit begins

Good News Lesson Planning gets easier with time!