Lesson plan! What are the components?

The lesson plan is one of the most essential teaching tools. Teachers cannot do without it at all. Teachers who fail to plan their lessons are planning to fail. A poor lesson plan leads to poor lesson structure and a poor lesson structure will result in poor delivery. When the lesson is poorly delivered, effective learning may not take place because the teaching will be a kind of 'cut and join 'process.

A teacher who wants a positive future for the learners must plan his or her learning.

.According to Benjamin Franklin,

If you fail to plan,

You are planning to fail-

What is a plan?

Based on the Cambridge dictionary, a plan is simply a set of decisions about how to do something in the future.

This shows that a teacher must know how to carry out his or her lesson before the lesson. That means that there is planning (process of making) before the plan so we need to get to work

Remember, it is not a rigid concept, there is always room for adjustment when necessary.

What is then a lesson plan? It is a teaching document that contains what the learners need to learn and how they can learn that effectively. It is important to identify the learning objectives before you plan your lesson. This is because every aspect of the plan is geared towards the objectives (what the learners need to learn). The lesson plan be productive –this means that though everything may not work out as planned, effective learning will take place.

 

Components of a lesson plan

There should be a plan for before the lesson and a plan for after the lesson

A successful lesson plan should integrate the following

 

 

Plan before the lesson

1. The learning objective is simply the 'takeaway'.What do I want them to learn, and do at the end of the class? Objectives must be clear (what, why, and how -the link to other contexts), specific, measurable, achievable, attainable relative, timely(SMART), challenging enough for all learners, and must embrace differentiation.

It must align with the Bloom's taxonomy. The objectives must transcend from the lower to the higher orders. This will inspire the learners to think critically as they learn deeply.

It is important to note that Bloom's revised taxonomy of objectives as a useful and credible resource can be used to generate achievable learning objectives.

 

The objectives should be written and highlighted to draw the attention of the learners to What They Need to Learn. You can use this acronym (WINL-What I Need to Learn) to keep each learner focused on what he /she needs to learn. The objectives will help you to determine the kind of learning resources and activities you will deploy in the class

2. Learning resources- involves all the resources that can enable the achievement of the stated objectives. These include audio, video, textbook, pictures diagrams credible online resources that can help to maximize effective learning. These resources must be sourced for, gathered, and ready for the class. They must be accessible for the learners under the supervision of the teacher. It will be out of place for a teacher to be running around to gather resources when the learners are already in the class. This will disrupt learning and will hinder the flow.

3. Content

·          Introduction –This is a crucial part of the plan. The beauty of introduction as part of the lesson plan depends on how the teacher wants to kick-start the lesson. A well-planned introduction helps to ignite learning curiosity. The classroom is a diverse world and as such the introduction should be planned to be able to communicate the learning objectives and actively engage learners. Prior learning is an active part of the introduction that enables learners to reflect on what they already know about the topic and their experiences about it. Prior learning gives teachers a sense of focus and helps them to ascertain how informed the learners are about a particular topic Starter is another wonderful trigger that is capable of leading learners towards the achievement of the objectives. It can be in the form of a short question, simple activity, or short video clips that is thought-provoking. Scenarios can also be painted, real-life examples. These will help to create an engaging introduction. An engaging introduction makes the learning journey easy. (Visit the post on lesson structure).

 

4. Learning activities

How can learners learn unless they practice? Learning activities are part of the lesson plan that promotes problem–solving ability, critical thinking, and confidence in learners. With activities, learners demonstrate their skills and what they have learned about a topic. Evidence of learning can be ascertained through class activity. Learning activities should be achievable and time-bound and must be connected to the learning objectives. Planning learning activities requires the teacher to estimate the time so that learners can be able to work with time. Learning activities should be catchy and should embrace different learning styles. It requires careful planning.

Ask yourself the following

·    What type of activities do learners need to understand this topic? ( discussion, reading a text, worksheets, presentations, demonstration, watching of videos etc

·    How many activities do I need to present?

·    What is the estimated time frame for each activity?

·    What resource(s) will they need to effectively carry out the activities

·         What learning support can I provide for learners who might have challenges during the activities?

Ensure that the resources needed to carry out the activities are provided and are accessible to the learners. Build in time for extended discussion but endeavour to touch on different aspects of the topic.

5. Assessment- This is the part of the plan that measures the learners' understanding of the topic The teacher should be able to plan how to assess his /her learners.

In planning for assessment, think about the following:

What type of assessment can be used to demonstrate the learning objectives?

What type of questions will I ask learners to check for understanding?

Will the assessment be an Individual or peer assessment?

What will be the rubrics? ( criteria to be used to measure performance )

Will there be an assignment after the assessment?

6. Plan for feedback

Will there be a provision for feedback?-Remember that this is non -non-negotiable because feedback helps learners to improve their learning-(Visit the post on Lesson structure to read more on feedback).

Note –Use traffic light method- introduction of a traffic light scheme is also an important aspect. Of lesson plan. This will help the teacher to ascertain the levels of learners' understanding. :

·    Green face means I completely understand the learning for the day

·    Yellow face I do not completely understand the learning for the day

·    Red light means 'I do not understand the learning for the day and need help

The student will indicate the traffic light that relates to them.

 

           

https://www.twinkl.com.ng/teaching-wiki/walt

 

After the Lesson

7. Evaluation and Reflection- This is a great part of the lesson plan- With evaluation and reflection, a teacher makes provision for the examination of his activity during the lesson. It is a moment set out by a teacher to think about his or her action(s) during the lesson.

The questions are always:

Was the lesson properly delivered?

Did the learners learn effectively?

What worked well and why?

What did not work well and why?

What could I have done differently?

Do I need to reteach the lesson?

Note-Identifying what worked and what did not work well in a lesson will help teachers adjust well and improve. The lesson plan is not a rigid document, it can be revised.

Additional resources  

Strategies for effective learning

Centre for Teaching and Excellence

Learning Objective

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