1. Effective Lesson Planning
Illinois State Board of Education
English Language Arts Content Specialists
Hosted by Kathi Rhodus, June, 2012
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2. Today’s Targets Essential Components of a Lesson Plan
1. Target/Standard AND Assessment
2. Hook/Grabber (Anticipatory Set)
3. Activate Prior Knowledge
4. Relevancy Piece or “What’s In It For Me?”
5. Differentiation Ideas
Steps in Acquiring and Processing Information
Closure
(Jensen and Nickelsen )
There are many different educational researchers that have designed lesson plan templates and organizers. This is just one example dervied from “Deeper Learning” by Eric Jensen and LeAnn Nickelsen.
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3. When writing your lesson plans or units consider this…
“To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means you know where you’re going…so the steps you take are always in the right direction.”
In Grant Wiggins’ and Jay McTighe’s book Understanding by Design, teachers are encouraged to plan their lesson “backwards.” They should start planning their lesson by thinking about and planning their assessment.
(Wiggins and McTighe )
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4. Traditional Design Traditional design is like...
Traditional design follows…
…setting out on a trip and not knowing where you are going (what skills) and not knowing how you will know when you get there
…textbooks …reading series ...favorite themes
On this slide, the presenter can talk about how lesson plans are traditionally designed.
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5. What Is Backward Design?
It’s thinking about assessment before deciding how you teach, planning instruction, what resources you will use and finally and most importantly….
“How will the student prove he/she has learned the target?”
(Wiggins and McTighe )
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6. #1 #2 #3 Identify desired results Determine acceptable evidence
This slide reminds teachers of the necessary order in planning lessons. #3
Plan learning experiences
& instruction
(Wiggins and McTighe)
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7. Learning/Achievement Targets Are….
Step #1
Statements of what we want students to learn and be able to do.
These statements come from the Common Core State Standards!
This slide describes step #1 in the lesson planning process. Teachers are to create targets that students can “hit” as well as an assessment to measure if the student has “hit” the target. All targets should come from the Common Core State Standards.

8. Learning Targets should…
Be posted daily for students to see
Be discussed with students at the beginning of the lesson
Be reviewed with students at the end of the lesson
How do you know students reached the target? (formative & summative assessment)

9. Our target: Swim and not drown! It’s authentic if:
This method of instruction will most likely lead to this end result.
As teachers develop targets for their students, they need to think about what method of instruction will lead to successfully mastering the target. On this slide we can note that if we were wanting students to learn how to swim, we most likely should teach them “in the water” instead of “behind the desk”.
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10. The Swimming School Tune: “On Top of Old Smoky”
Last year I decided
To be fit and trim
So I took a class called,
“Let’s Learn How to Swim”
The classroom was tidy,
the textbook was cool
It had colored pictures of folks in a pool.
Jean Spanko wrote this song to remind all educators to carefully align their instruction so students can hit their target. The presenter may sing this to the particpants as a solo or together as a whole group. (slides 10-13)
Written by Jean Spanko
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11. I read every chapter, I read every line
I did all the worksheets - success would be mine.
The teacher said, “First thing,
We’ll learn not to drown.
I’d suggest you take notes now,
‘Cause this is profound.
The test will be Friday, it’s fill-in-the-blank
I grade on the bell curve
To see where you rank.”
Swimming School, pg. 2
Written by Jean Spanko

12. So now I was ready to swim shore to shore. I rushed to the pool
Well, wonder of wonders,
I got the best score
So now I was ready to swim shore to shore.
I rushed to the pool
Which was right down the block
I jumped in the water and sank like a rock.
The lifeguard who saved me
Was not too impressed
When I showed my grade card
That proved I was best.
Swimming School, pg. 3
Written by Jean Spanko

13. He said, “Swimming’s a pattern of kicking and strokes
But you have no program, your class was a hoax.”
So now I’m enrolled in
“Let’s Learn How to Knit,”
I’m making a muu-muu~
Forget being fit!
Swimming School, pg. 4
Written by Jean Spanko

14. Hook The beginning of the lesson – the place where you draw the student into your lesson. It can provide a sense of direction and purpose for the learning.
Step #2
The second step of the lesson planning process is the “hook.” Talk to participants about different methods of “hooking” their students. Teachers can use video clips, skits, visuals, stories, or objects to get the interest or hook the student. Ask participants what types of “hooks” they use in their classrooms.
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15. Activating Prior Knowledge
Step #3
Activating Prior Knowledge
Background knowledge is what a person already knows. The relationship between students’ background knowledge and their achievement is strong; it provides the platform, the schema, and vocabulary needed for success.
(Zull, 2002)
Step #3 is activating a student’s prior knowledge. As a presenter, think of a time when activating prior knowledge in your classroom was a necessary component of your lesson plan. Share that instance with participants.
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16. WIIFM – Relevancy (What’s In It For Me)
Step #4
WIIFM – Relevancy (What’s In It For Me)
This may be taken care of in the hook, but if not, why do students need this skill?
Not only do students need to know what is expected of them to learn from the lesson, they also need to know why they need to learn it or how they will personally benefit form learning the concept or skill. All brains want to know “What’s In It For Me?”
(Jensen and Nickelsen )
Step #4 is an important piece in a lesson plan. Have participants read silently the quote from Deeper Learning.
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17. 3 Questions To Ask Students
1. Why do you think you need to learn today’s concept or skill? How will it help you now and when you are an adult?
2. How does today’s concept or skill relate to what you already know or have recently learned?
3. How does today’s concept or skill connect with a bigger picture or concept?
Tell participants that when they incorporate the relevancy piece, they should seek to answer at least one of the questions on this slide. Discuss.
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18. Differentiation Ideas
Step #5
Differentiation Ideas
1. What do I need to do to scaffold instruction for those who are below level? 2. How do I meet the needs of the student who may already have the skill? Both types of differentiation are important and needed: spontaneous strategies and preplanned strategies.
Step #5 reminds all teachers that not everyone in our class is “on level”. Have participants get in small grade-level groups or pair up with a partner and share how they differentiate instruction in their classroom. Ask one person from each group to share the findings.
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19. Steps in Acquiring and Processing Information
This is the largest part of the plan:
1. Chunk information.
Brain must see correlation/connection between target and the learning.
Provide ample guided practice!
Target
Step #6 is the step that requires the most planning from a teacher. This is the step that helps take the students from the target to the assessment. This step may take place in one class period or throughout one week. The amount of time it will take to go from target to assessment depends on the task and the plan.
Steps to get there
Assessment
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20. Stop and Start Reflection
Activity
On an index card, write down at least one thing you want to STOP doing based on today’s workshop.
Have participants complete this activity and share out.
On an index card, write down at least one thing you want to START doing based on today’s workshop.

21. Contact Information
Sarah McCusker,100 N. First Street, Springfield, Illinois (217) Erik Iwersen, Area I-A,B,D (708) Amy Robinson, Area I-C (630) Jill Brown, Area II (815) Katy Sykes, Area III and IV (815) Kathi Rhodus, Area V and VI (618)
This slide lists the ELA Content Specialist for the Illinois State Board of Education.
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