DESIGNING A LESSON PLAN By Rev. Fr. Dr. Odubuker Picho Epiphany , & Suzan Laker MUNI UNIVERSITY
The Day on Which One Starts Out is Not the Time to Start Your Preparations Nigerian Proverb
Objectives of the Lesson By the end of the Lesson, students should be able to: Define a lesson Plan List the importance of a lesson plan Describe how to Make Lesson Plan Name the parts and flow of a lesson Trace how to plan great lessons Write what a teacher should consider before lesson planning: Outline guidelines for making a lesson plan Describe how to write a perfect Lesson Plan Describe six Steps for Preparing a Lesson Plan by Tom Foster Describe ten key components lesson plans by Kelly Tenkely
Procedure : Buzz groups of twos or threes are formed. These groups have to discuss the following questions and later on share with the larger group. Define a lesson Plan List the importance of a Lesson Plan Describe how to Make Lesson Plan Name the parts and flow of a lesson What should a teacher consider before lesson planning? Discussion : The discussions amongst buzz groups take place and are later on shared. The facilitator enables participants to focus on each question at a time. After the sharing from buzz groups, additions may be made by the facilitator in the form of an input. This may also involve presentation of a standard format of a lesson plan. Materials : Newsprint, felt pens and masking tape. Any available lesson plan in an area of interest may be photocopied and given to participants.
What is a lesson? Lesson plan have been defined differently by different authorities. The definitions, however, converge to give one meaning to what a lesson plan, thus: An organized set of activities designed to present one piece of your course while working toward achieving one or more learning objective Lesson and Lecture have two different meanings –don’t confuse them! You may have more than one lesson in a 90 minute lecture or lab. A lecture is a teaching technique that you can use to facilitate your lesson.
What is a plan Written account of intended future course of action (scheme) aimed at achieving specific goal(s) or objective(s) within a specific timeframe. It explains in detail what needs to be done, when, how, and by whom. A detailed proposal for doing or achieving something, an intention or decision about what one is going to do, a detailed map A scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance: e.g. battle plans . A set of decisions about how to do something in the future A plan is a method of achieving something that you have worked out in detail beforehand
What is a Lesson plan? A lesson plan is a framework for a lesson A guide which helps execute a mission that is to be accomplished in the classroom with the children A lesson plan can be defined as a creative process which provides a framework for purposeful learning If you imagine that a lesson plan is like a journey, then the lesson plan is the map. It shows where you start, where you finish and the rout you take to get there. Lesson plans are product of teachers’ thoughts about their classes that they hope to achieve and how they hope to achieve it. They are usually in a written form.
What is a Lesson plan? Cont. There are many different kinds f plans as there are teachers. Trainee teachers often have to produce very detailed written plans, with descriptions not only of each activity but also listing the exact questions and instructions they will give the class as well as the timings for every activity In full-time teaching situation, it is impractical to expect teachers to plan with this level of detail each lesson they teach newly qualified teachers may rely on a less detailed, but still fairly comprehensive written plan.
What is a Lesson plan? Cont. As teachers gain experience and confidence, planning is just as important, but teachers develop their ability to plan much quicker and with less need for detail. Very experienced teachers may be able to go into a class with just a short list of totes or even with the plan in their head. Whatever the level of experience though, it is very important that all teachers take the time to think through their lesson before they enter the classroom
Why lesson planning is important Imagine starting a journey but with no idea where you are going. You are the driver of a bus full of students and although you know you have to drive them for a particular period of time, without your map you have no idea where you want to or how to get there. It may still be an interesting journey but it would be very easy to get last and our passengers would not be very happy. Without some kind of planning a lesson would be just as chaotic and could leave the students with no clear idea of what they were doing or why. This kind of uncertainty is not good for effective learning or class discipline.
Why lesson planning is important Cont. One of the most important to reason to plan is that the teacher needs to identify his/her aims for the lesson Planning is a sign of professionalism. Students expect teachers to be professional. If you are prepared, the students can tell. They also know if your are not prepared – planning is a way to help gain the respect of your students By planning you are considering your teaching situations and your particular students. However, good your teaching materials or course book may be, it is unlikely that it was prepared for your particular students.
Why lesson planning is important Cont. Planning gives you the opportunity to tailor your material and teaching to your class Planning gives the teacher a chance to predict possible problems in the class and think about ways to deal with them by thoroughly researching and being prepared for the difficult questions. This makes the teacher feels confident in the class If you imagine the lesson as journey, then the lesson plan is like a map
Why lesson planning is important Cont. Lesson plan is important for: A newly trained teacher who could be faced with varied unpredictable situations Lesson plan is important throughout the service of a teacher. Every class or generation of students offer different experience to the teacher Teachers who want to reduce over reliance on textbooks and to adopt
Why lesson planning is important Cont. Lesson plan comfortably aligns classroom instruction with curriculum goals and objectives. Lesson plan serves as a checklist that guides teachers to be systematic in the delivery of their lessons. Teachers know what to do next at every point of delivery. Lessons are orderly presented Lesson plan serves as a historical document of what the teacher did in class. The teacher is able to look back, recognize and update his lesson for future usage
Why lesson planning is important Cont. Lesson plan prevents over reliance on textbooks as a direct material for teaching. Some books are written in such a way that they serve as guide to teachers. Teachers are tempted not to initiate their own lesson plan These kind of teachers become limited since no textbook provides solution to all the specific needs in a lesson for the teacher and students. This show that even in the availability of good course material, the teacher still needs a lesson plan
Why lesson planning is important Cont. Lesson plan gives the auxiliary teacher the details of what he /she needs in a lesson If every good game deserves a plan to win, then every teacher needs a good plan to be highly successful The best football coaches still draw their plan for every match
Characteristics of a good lesson plan Should have clearly stated objectives Should be linked with previous lesson’s knowledge Should show and specify illustrative aids Should have suitable organized matter Should be divided into units Should not make the students passive learners Should allow flexibility in changing lesson plan Should include the summary of the whole lesson Should prove full justification to all It should plan for students’ assignment Must have plan for self criticism and self evaluation
Pre-requisites for making good lesson plan The teacher should have: Good knowledge about the students’ interests, traits and ability Mastery over the subject matter and adequate training on the subject Principles of teaching and learning Awareness of individual differences among the students The knowledge of what the students posses about the topic Organization of the material in a psychological and logical fashion Fully conversant with new methods and techniques of teaching the subject Ensure active pupils participate
Pre-requisites for making good lesson plan Cont. Every lesson is a complete segment that you create for purposes of new learning. Keep your students in mind as you plan a lesson and ask these questions: Who are my students? What do they already know? Why should they learn about this? What must they learn? What must they do to learn? The parts, or stages, of the lesson determine what the instructor and students do. Regardless of activity or lecture, each lesson should build on the last and flow seamlessly into the next.
Using the appropriate technique The techniques you plan to use in your lessons depend on: the types of students in your class and their previous knowledge the type of learning you are aiming for. The physical teaching environment and the available equipment and resources
To convey information, use: lecture field trips discussion group interviewing an expert selected reading case studies demonstration by an expert etc.
Planning Great Lessons As you plan your lessons, keep the following things in mind: Attention span of your students, age group, and diversity of learners. Complexity of material and time requirements for each instructional component. Decisions concerning whether whole-class presentation, small groups, or partners are best for teaching and learning a particular concept.
Planning Great Lessons Cont. The best configuration of student groups for optimal learning, for example, homogeneous or heterogeneous ability groups, complementary interests, or personalities that work well together. Activities that best facilitate the learning of each student. Pre-assessment of skills and background knowledge to determine what students already know, what they need to know, and what their misconceptions are. Selection of regular and supplemental materials to augment learning. Strategies for frequently monitoring and adjusting the lesson.
What a teacher should consider when lesson planning: Is there enough information written to make the lesson clear? Have you selected a variety of activities? Are the goals and objectives clear and attainable, and do they match the proposed instruction? Does this lesson build on previous knowledge and lend itself to future lessons? At lesson's end, are students set for independent success?
What a teacher should consider when lesson planning Cont. Good lesson plans are always well worth the effort. During a teacher’s first years of teaching he/she always has the plan book opened on his/her podium for easy reference as he/she walks by during instruction. Later, after writing the formal plans he/she creates note cards with reminders to carry him/her so that he/she does not have to refer to the formal plans as often. Every step he/she takes in planning leads to ease of implementation. Even plans he/she has to discard because they end up not meeting the learning needs of his/her students increases his/her knowledge and understanding of the essentials of good lessons.
After the Lesson After each lesson, consider what went well and what needs to be adjusted. This is easily done with a post lesson appraisal. Great teachers always reflect on their lessons. An appraisal form can also be completed by paraprofessionals, volunteers, or substitute teachers who have worked with your students to provide feedback on their instruction and student learning.
Guidelines for making a lesson plan It is important to recognize the different aspects of instruction at the different stages of the lesson. When preparing a lesson plan, use the following checklist: At the start, I plan to: 1 Review prior learning and student /teacher expectations 2 Make the learning outcomes clear 3 Use a lead - in to capture students’ interest and engage them in learning Halfway, I plan to: 1 Apply strategies to actively involve students in the learning process 2 Utilize a variety of media to illustrate concepts and processes 3 Make sure that the lesson flows easily and logically 4 Confirm that students are learning material that is meaningful and new 5 Facilitate opportunities for practice and feedback 6 Review and build on related material At the end, I plan to: Provide the proper closure students find important. To do this, I will: 1 Assess what students have learned 2 Summarize the lesson 3 Relate the lesson to real life and/or the next lesson *This document was adapted from Preparing a Lesson Plan (1996) BCIT Learning & Teaching Centre. At the start, I plan to: 1 Review prior learning and student /teacher expectations 2 Make the learning outcomes clear 3 Use a lead - in to capture students’ interest and engage them in learning Halfway, I plan to: 1 Apply strategies to actively involve students in the learning process 2 Utilize a variety of media to illustrate concepts and processes 3 Make sure that the lesson flows easily and logically 4 Confirm that students are learning material that is meaningful and new 5 Facilitate opportunities for practice and feedback 6 Review and build on related material At the end, I plan to: Provide the proper closure students find important. To do this, I will: 1 Assess what students have learned 2 Summarize the lesson 3 Relate the lesson to real life and/or the next lesson * Adapted from Preparing a Lesson Plan (1996) BCIT Learning & Teaching Centre.
An effective lesson plan Making an effective lesson plans takes time, diligence, and an understanding of your students' goals and abilities. The goal , as with all teaching, is to motivate the students to take in what you are teaching and to retain as much as possible . Writing a lesson plan will ensure that you are prepared for your class and will make it run more smoothly. It is important to break the material up into several sections and choose activities suitable for each .
An effective lesson plan Cont. Knowing approximately how much time an activity will take is important, but after the first lesson you may need to adjust things accordingly. It is best to be flexible as different classes will respond to material differently. If at any point students struggle, you will have to dedicate more time to instruction or drilling before moving on to practice activities.
How to Write a Perfect Lesson Plan 1. Warm up A warm up activity can be used in a number of ways. It can get your students thinking about material that will be used later on in the class, review material from a previous class. This activity should only take up a small portion of your lesson, perhaps five minutes .
2. Introduction A good introduction will create a need for students to learn the material you are going to present and get them interested in the day’s topic. This is the part of the lesson where the teacher does the most talking so try to get students involved and use choral repetition to keep students talking about half the time. Start out by asking students to say what they know about the lesson’s topic. Depending on how complex the topic is or how much new vocabulary there is, the introduction could take some time but in most cases, about ten minutes should be sufficient .
3. Practice The practice activity would normally be about ten minutes and have students working individually or in pairs. Practicing model dialogues, completing worksheets, and doing short activities would be appropriate. This may take about ten minutes including going over the answers or having some demonstrations.
4. Production In the production activity students should have to produce material on their own. Longer activities which can be done in groups, or activities for the whole class, where students work in teams, would be best. The remaining class time can be devoted to this activity .
4. Review It is a good idea to plan another five minute activity that can be done at the end of class as a review or used as the warm up in the following lesson. If the production activity does not take up the remaining portion of the class period, you have a backup plan. The idea behind a lesson plan is that another teacher could pick it up and successfully teach your class without further instructions.
Six (6) Steps for Preparing a Lesson Plan by Tom Foster The lesson plan is central to a successful lesson. You know what you have to cover in a lesson, but how will you do so and keep students engaged? Follow these simple steps to preparing a lesson plan, and hopefully you can’t go wrong.
Step 1 Ask yourself what you want your students to learn in each lesson. Then write down what you need students to understand by the end of the lesson. The topic of the lesson will inform your learning objectives. Think about the activities you can use in class to achieve the learning objectives. How will you organize the lesson? Your objectives should match the learning outcomes you want for each class.
Step 2 How will you introduce the topic to the class? You could give a brief outline of what you want to cover in the lesson, or you can ask the students what they know already about the topic. Always make sure that the students understand the concept that will be taught or discussed in class. Ask questions to find out if they have understood. It is pointless asking “Do you understand” as they will all say “Yes” whether or not they have. Students don’t like losing face, and nor do we. Ask for explanations and elicit understanding. Give students the opportunity to ask and answer question. These can be addressed to other students as well as to you. Let the students take charge of the lesson if they are able to. You are not the only source of information in the classroom.
Step 3 Timing an introduction and activities is vital to a successful lesson. Work out in advance what the difficulties might be and allow more time for these aspects of the lesson than for other, easier to grasp concepts and idea. Activities don’t have to take the same amount of time. Plan for the quicker students and have a bank of extra material that can be given to these students so that the slower ones can catch up. If you don’t do this, you may well find that the more able students become disruptive.
Step 4 Plan how you will check that students have understood the main points covered in the lesson. Of course, integral in lesson planning is having time to answer students’ questions, or allowing another student to answer and explain.
Step 5 Find a way of summarizing what has been covered in a lesson. You can either do this yourself, or elicit what they have learned from your students.
Step 6 Leave time at the end of the lesson to recap and to explain what will be covered in the next lesson and how this will build on what students learned in the present one. Also answer any queries that the students still have at the end of the lesson. After each lesson you should reflect on what happened in the classroom and ask yourself if you could have done something differently to achieve your objectives. If you are to become a better teacher, reflection should be integral to your teaching. This is known as post lesson appraisal.
What went well? Why? What needs work? What will I do to improve the lesson? What do I need to do in tomorrow's lesson? How will I get it done? What special considerations are there, and how should I handle them? Additional comments and thoughts: Post lesson Appraisal
Ten (10) key components lesson plans by Kelly Tenkely | Teaching.monster.com : Master teachers are also master lesson planners . They can look at a learning goal and piece together key components that will ensure that their students meet the goal. Not all lessons need to be a reinvention of the wheel, but there are several hallmarks of well-crafted lesson plans. Whether you are building your own lessons, or searching through databases of lessons, be sure to include these 10 key components:
1. Learning Goal- Every lesson plan should have a clearly defined learning goal, after all, that is the reason for teaching! I have seen some very inventive lesson plans that lack this important ingredient. No matter how entertaining a lesson may be, if it is lacking a learning goal, it has missed its mark. When the learning goal is lost, so is the learning. When writing lesson plans, make sure you always have a clear learning objective in mind: everything hinges on this.
2. Resources List the resources needed for a lesson. Nothing is worse than having the perfect lesson planned only to find that you are missing an important material. Jotting down a list of resources needed for the lesson will ensure that you have all the paper, glue, copies, etc. when the time comes to use them. Don’t forget to list digital resources as well. A great lesson you created at home could come to a screeching halt if you can’t access the video you found the night before. Also, be sure to note any of the plug-ins that may be required for a website (Silverlight, Flash, Shockwave, etc.). Often, if you can plan ahead, your tech department can confirm that you have everything in place for your lesson.
3. Standards It is important to note any standards being met by the lesson. Most schools are requiring a standard tie in for every lesson. Even if your school doesn’t require that you note which standards you are meeting, it is good practice to be familiar with your state and national standards. You will be surprised how many standards you are meeting in any given lesson. You may also choose to note ho w a lesson falls into the scope and sequence for yearlong learning.
4. Anticipatory Set The anticipatory set is a short activity at the start of a lesson that focuses the students' attention and gets them ready and excited for the material you are about to present. The anticipatory set should grab the students' attention, connect to their prior learning, and prepare them mentally or physically for the lesson ahead. After the learning goal, the anticipatory set is one of the most important ingredients in a quality lesson plan. The anticipatory set engages your students in the learning that is about to happen. It sets the tone for the lesson and makes students hungry to learn more. Think of the anticipatory set as a movie trailer. The trailer doesn’t tell everything about the movie but provides enough glimpses to leave you wanting more.
Anticipatory Set Cont. A good anticipatory set activates prior knowledge or encourages students to ask questions . Students learn, by making connections and exploring. This gets students thinking about what they will be learning, activating prior knowledge, and asking questions. It takes 2-3 minutes of guessing before we begin the lesson and it readies students for the learning that will follow. It seems to me that the anticipatory set is the piece most often left out of lesson plans, and it is a shame because it’s what excites students about learning.
5. Introduction In the introduction : Tell your students what they will be learning (the learning goal) and give them an overview of what will be expected of them during the lesson. During the introduction , you can also begin to activate prior knowledge about the subject. Do this through class discussion or through small group or buddy (friend or partner) discussion.
6. Direct Instruction Direct instruction is the meat of your lesson. This is where you are actually teaching or coaching your students. This can be done in a variety of ways. Sometimes direct instruction is simply giving students directions and guidelines for the self-guided, discovery learning they will be completing independently or with a friend. During direct instruction, make sure that you are incorporating different learning styles.
7. Guided Instruction Guided instruction is the instruction that happens in small groups or one on one with students. This is the point where students have actually begun a project or assignment. As students work, you can encourage and guide students in their learning. Guided instruction gives you the opportunity to find out what your students know and can do through anecdotal assessment. You are observing and helping or redirecting as needed. Students can pair up in partners or work in small groups to guide each other in new learning or review. During this time, if you notice students who aren’t quite getting it, you can pull them into smaller groups to re-teach.
8. Assessment Every lesson should have some form of assessment. This can be formal, informal, or anecdotal in nature. Formal assessment is usually in the form of a test, quiz, worksheet, or project that is turned in and graded. Informal assessment can be done during direct instruction. Asking students to write down their answer on a small whiteboard/paper and hold it up, using clickers with an interactive whiteboard, or a simple “thumbs up if you agree, thumbs down if you disagree”.
Assessment Cont. These are all great informal ways to gauge understanding. Anecdotal assessment is usually done during guided instruction as you are walking around and observing your students understanding. Not every lesson needs to be graded but every lesson does need to be assessed. As the teacher, you need to know if your students understood the learning and what re-teaching or follow-up teaching may be required. Every lesson should include informal and anecdotal assessment throughout the lesson.
9. Closure Every lesson should have some type of closure where students can summarize or wrap up their learning. This could be done in several ways: Through informal class assessment with clickers or thumbs up/down Students could each list something they learned as a ticket to line up or go for lunch Students could write a sentence in their journal summarizing a lesson Students could whisper the answer to a question to their elbow buddy
Closure Cont. The class could complete the KWL chart Students could blog about their experience or learning Students can add a piece of learning to a Wall Wisher wall www.wallwisher.com Often times a completed project is adequate closure for students, but don’t let them just turn the project in, let students show off their work to others and discuss.
A SAMPLE LESSON PLAN 1. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION Name of Institution Muni University Name of Teacher Rev. Fr. Dr. Odubuker Picho Epiphany, MIDM Number of Learners 63 Subject General Methods of Teaching Topic Scheme of Work Preparation Sub-Topic Definition of key concepts related to scheme of work. Definition of Scheme of work. Identification of factors to consider when designing scheme of work. Important considerations to be born in mind when preparing a scheme of work. Components of a scheme of work. Design a scheme of work. Class Year II Students Date Monday 19 th April 2018 Duration 3 Hours
2 .LESSON BACKGROUND Rationale Student Teachers will become effective teachers if the know how to design good scheme of work Lesson Objectives By the end of the lesson the learners should be able to: Define key concepts related to scheme of work. Define Scheme of work. Identify factors to consider when designing scheme of work. Mention important considerations to be born in mind when preparing a scheme of work. List the components of a scheme of work. Design a scheme of work. Pre-requisite Skills and Knowledge Listening and communication skills, knowledge of methods of teaching and Curriculum Studies Teaching and Learning Recourses O’L Syllabus, Flip Charts, Indian Markers, Textbooks and Notes References No one Taught Like this Man
3. LESSON DEVELOPMENT Time Step Teacher’s Activity Learners’ Activity 05 Minutes i Lecturer is introduced by School Practice Coordinator and Lecture gives his contacts to students. Students take note of the contacts. 05 Minutes ii Lecturer acquaints himself with the level of knowledge of students by asking the students, by show of hands: How many of them where already teachers and Wow many are not. Lecturer asks whether some of the non-teachers had or where once Lenience Teachers Students indicate by show of hands: How many were trained teachers How many are not, How many of those who were not had ever taught.S 15 Minutes iii Lecturer give class work: Procedure: Buzz groups of twos or threes are formed. These groups have to discuss the following questions and later on share with the larger group. What is a scheme of work? What purposes does it serve? What are the main components of a scheme of work? When and how is a scheme of work made? Discussion: The discussions amongst buzz groups take place and are later on shared. The facilitator enables participants to focus on each question at a time. After the sharing from buzz groups, additions may be made by the facilitator in the form of an input. This may also involve presentation of a standard format of a scheme of work. In buzz, students discuss and write down their answers for 15 minutes. In the next 15 minutes students give their answers and the lecturer writes them of the flip charts. Students take note of the various responses from the different buzz groups. 25 Minutes iv Lecturer, by use of Power Point Presentation delivers the content of the lecture: Definition of key concepts related to scheme of work. Definition of Scheme of work. Identification of factors to consider when designing scheme of work. Important considerations to be born in mind when preparing a scheme of work. Components of a scheme of work. Design a scheme of work. Students listen, take notes and asks questions to which the lecturer gives answers. 05 Minutes vi Lecturer gives oral evaluation exercise by question and answer method Learners do the evaluation exercise. 05 Minutes vii Lecturer summarizes the lecture and give a take home assignment Learners take note of the summary of the lecture and the take home assignment..
Self Evaluation This is a post lesson appraisal. After each lesson, consider what went well and what needs to be adjusted. Be honest to say the truth. Its purpose is to help you improve on your teaching. Not to condemn you