E FFECTIVE L ESSON P LANNING AND D ESIGN By: Sheri Keppers

B ACKWARDS D ESIGN M ODEL OF D ESIGNING I NSTRUCTION Backward Design is a model of lesson planning that looks at the desired outcome of the lesson first, then it looks at what needs to be done to reach that goal. Goal Determine what confirms learning Lessons and activities to be used Introduction to goal

Backward design is a way to look at the desired outcome and narrowly focus on how to reach that outcome without getting side-tracked. If the teacher follows the lesson plan he/she will reach the desired outcome by having the lessons and assessments clearly laid out in advance.

T RADITIONAL L ESSON P LANNING Traditional Lesson Planning Plan Lesson Choose Activity/Verbal Lesson Choose Assessments Choose Outcome

B ACKWARD D ESIGN L ESSON P LANNING Backward Design Lesson Planning Choose Outcome Choose Assessments Learning Objectives Plan Lesson

E XAMPLE Learn to Read Ability to blend sounds to form words Identify both upper and lower case letters Identify sounds each letter makes Be able to blend more than one sound Alphabet identification flashcards by name Alphabet identification flashcards by sound Picture matching letters to picture sounds Flip books - form words by changing one letter

Important elements of effective lesson design are developing interest engaging students actively participate in learning repeat important information go as far with the lesson as you can while keeping the students interest

Good learning objectives are critical to planning effective instruction because it keeps your lessons and your focus rooted in teaching the goal you have set for your students. An example of a good learning objective aligned with the Common Core State Standards is with Money Math. Identifying coins by name and value.

Some common pitfalls in planning effective lessons are not having clear guidelines. This problem can be avoided by clearly identifying objectives, goals, and assessments.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative play a role in designing effective instruction because they set a basic skills that must be met by each student. This provides an outline for teachers to follow when making their lesson plans. Students must learn the key components before they are expected to use them for the larger skill (Rasinski & Radak, 2013).

Backwards design means planning from desired outcome backward to the lessons and activities needed to meet that outcome. This method focuses on the goal and how to get there rather than choosing activities and seeing what goal they bring you to.

S TAGE In this stage of a lesson plan the teacher picks which state standards that are going to be covered with this lesson. Coin Money State Standard – Monetary Values School Standard – Coin Value Teacher Standard – Ability to identify penny, nickel, dime, and quarter visually. Advanced Skill – Learn the amount of each coin

S TAGE T WO Assessment Evidence is the second stage in backward lesson planning. Separate a mixture of coins into separate piles Identify which cup (labeled with coin amount) each coin goes in Place the coins in value order (penny, nickel, dime, quarter) from smallest to largest and visa versa Advanced Skills Place one coin on side A and use other coins to make the same amount on side B (one nickel on side A and five pennies on side B) Add and subtract the coins by their value not the number of coins present

S TAGE T HREE While playing grocery store allow the students to use fake money, in coin form. These coins should resemble real money with similar color, shape, and size. Play with the students using the same coins. As the model in the game use the coins in the correct way by Naming coins by name when using them Identifing values of the coins verbally when using them Showing the students real coins and allowing them to compare them to their fake money. All of this will raise the students interest in money to get the lesson started in the right direction by peaking their interest (Newman, 2013).

R EFERENCES Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and Learning in the 21 st Century: Connecting the Dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Rasinski, T. & Radak, N.D. (2013). From phonics to fluency: Effective teaching of decoding and reading fluency in the elementary school. NJ: Pearson.