Teachers organize curriculum and present a multitude of topics to diverse groups of students every day. They work to achieve student success by incorporating meaningful content and relevant activities. Lesson plans can be tailored to specific classroom needs.
Lesson Planning for Elementary Students
Elementary school teachers, ranging from kindergarten through fifth or sixth grades, usually teach several subjects in one day. They may plan lessons in English, science, social studies and math and must also include time for special subjects such as music, art and physical education. Lesson plans should be written for each subject and be part of a larger plan that maps out the entire day. For example, from 9:00-9:45 a.m. is set aside for Language Arts every day. Students may have a fifteen minute recess. 10:00-10:30 is set aside for math skills.
Lesson plans must include curriculum objectives, goals, an instruction method, practice or a class activity, and an assessment strategy for each subject area. Elementary teachers should also list materials needed, particularly for activities using manipulatives, art supplies or science experiments. Teachers should also add notes for accommodations or individualized instruction for special needs students. Try this Lesson Plan Template.
Lesson Planning for Middle and High School Students
Unlike elementary teachers, secondary school teachers must plan in-depth lessons for a single subject area such as English, Algebra, Physics or World History. Their day is generally divided into longer blocks, from 45 to 90 minutes per class, but with a greater number of students.
Secondary lesson plans contain many of the same components as elementary teachers, such as curriculum goals and objectives. Because students switch between classes, many secondary teachers include a bell ringer or warm up activity such as journal writing or a skills worksheet. Warm ups allow students to settle into the new classroom environment before introducing a new lesson. The rest of the lesson plan includes review, lecture, reading, or note taking, class activity, and assessment.
Lesson Planning for Special Accommodations
Students in special education programs have individualized goals and objectives. Often, a general classroom teacher adapts lessons so that special education students’ needs are met, and so that they are learning the required content. For example, a teacher may plan that a student with dyslexia read aloud, individually, to the teacher so she may check his progress, while the rest of the class reads in a partnered pair-share activity. Behavior goals and objectives are often part of special education lesson plans. Use behavior journals, documentation forms, and individualized education plans.
Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL) requires teachers add language skills to their lesson planning. In addition to achieving content goals in science, math or history, ELL teachers must include time in their lesson plan for student speaking, listening, reading and writing. These teachers must also take into account student's background knowledge and cultural references.
Read more at Strategies for Teaching ELLs Effectively and Writing an IEP for Special Education: IEP Samples and Resources.
Sheila Lamb - Sheila writes across a wide variety of genres, including web content, educational curricula, creative nonfiction, and fiction. Her first ...
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