Key Elements of a lesson plan.

A lesson plan is much like a road map for teachers. It gives a starting point and an ending point. In the middle of it are goals to reach and lessons to learn. This plan, or map, aids in giving direction in which way to go. When we look back at the lesson and the road taken we can decide what to change and how. Much like a road trip, we can always change the route to reach the final destination. However, in order to get to the final destination, we must have some set guidelines to follow. A lesson plan must contain the following elements in order for us to reach our objective. Learning Objective In this section of the plan, there should be a short description of what the goal of the lesson will be. It will identify what the students will have learned or be able to do by the end of the lesson. This needs to be only 1 to 2 clear sentences. Student Population A lesson may be aimed at a certain learning level or certain skill level. With this in mind, the lesson should always specify what the student population. It will include descriptions such as small groups, pairs, if it is by skill level, or if it is an all class activity. State Standard and Learning Targets This section of the lesson is very specific. This entails what specific CCSS is being taught in the lesson and is listed with the learning targets. The standard is listed with the number and the target is listed by knowledge, reasoning, performance, or product. Both sections of this lesson are to be easily identified and to correctly correlate with the objective of the lesson. Procedure This is a very important part to the overall lesson. This is where you will detail the instructions for the lesson. Clear directions are provided in a sequenced or step by step order. These need to be easy and clear to understand so that if anyone else were to teach your class, they would understand the process. Assessment This needs to be very specific as to what method you will be using to evaluate the students understanding. It can be a combination of common, formal or informal assessments. Methods such as worksheets, quizzes, standardized test, or as simple as a ticket out the door or question and answer process can be used. However, it must be a practical and logical way to assess the understanding.

Reflection - As simple as it seems, one can always look back on their work and wonder how it went. It is important to do this when you are teaching. It provides you the opportunity to discover what did or did not work with the lesson and to make adjustments. The ability to plan a lesson is a fundamental skill and requires much practice and commitment. These skills take time to develop and are a key element in providing students with a successful and effective learning experience. Teachers that can plan well will have great success.

P-2 Explain the key elements of a lesson plan.