Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Chapter 10/How do we plan lessons, and why is it important? 3

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Harold O. Williams, Jr.

Dr. Dwight W. Allen

Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education

23 September 2006

                      How Do We Plan Lessons and Why Is It Important

Lesson planning is a critical step to good teaching. All teachers should have a good plan when they step into the classroom. Planning in the educational arena has to meet various requirements. A lesson plan may cover one or more tasks depending on the size and content of those tasks. You may plan a lesson lasting several days, months, an academic year, or just one single lesson. You have to ensure when you plan for a series of lessons they are linked together by a common thread or theme. Good lesson plans cover the instructors plan and the students plan. "Knowledge of the subject is a fundamental requirement prior to writing a lesson plan" (Carey).

First you want to identify the purpose of the lesson. This should be developed based on your state or school standard. In Virginia it is the Standards of Learning. You also want to be aware of what grade level you are developing the plans for. Next you want to look at the parts and format you want to use to put the lesson plan together. Lessons are usually developed to teach students how to master a certain task. However, lesson plans may address a certain topic rather than a task. "A lesson plan will help you set the objectives for overall performance objectives and enabling objectives" (Jones). Dr. Jones says "lesson plans give the teacher directions, reminds the teacher of the points to cover and provides a means for delivering the content" (Jones).

The parts of an effective lesson plan should include an overview of clear objectives: performance and enabling objectives, the content outline for the lesson, process of evaluation, and identification of the equipment needed to carry out the plan.

The overview would include information such as the name of the course, name of the unit, the lesson title, the class period, the grade, the time of day the lesson will be taught, and the task or topics to be learned.

The performance objective is the overall objective or end result and would contain the performance and the criterion. The enabling objective forms a basis for the lesson and helps make up the key points outlined in the lesson. Be sure to include the objective that will enable the student to reach the performance objective. Prior knowledge or what the student already knows about the subject matter should be considered also. "Teachers need to choose learning opportunities which are developmental and provide for individual differences" (Lyons). Students differ in many ways including interest, abilities, and background information. Therefore, a variety of activities should be available to students. Also include the SOL that the students are developing in this lesson.

          Bloom classified objectives into three main areas or 'domains'
          cognitive (knowledge and thinking), affective (feeling), and 
          psychomotor (practical).  Objectives involving understanding, 
          application, analysis, synthesis, and judgment would be based 
          upon the cognitive domain while the development of attitudes 
          and feelings lie within the affective domain.  Psychomotor 
          skills involve those 'doing' skills, more significant for 
          more practical subjects.  Objectives of lessons vary,          
          obviously, but all three domains should be considered in 
          lesson planning over time (Wilkerson). 

The content should have an introduction. This is where you get the students attention and get them all on the same track. After you have the student’s attention you want to introduce the objectives in the lesson, then go into the body of the lesson. After you have outlined the lesson you should put in a summary of the lesson. Summarizing the key points covered. In the content area you would also include the learning activities and resources used. This would include how the lesson would be taught. Here you would also include learning activities you want to put into your lesson and if they are teacher or student activities. Be sure to include any slides, transparencies, or handouts you might be using also as a resource.

The evaluation should outline the technique for evaluating the learning. The key in developing your assessment is to make sure that the assessment specifically measures whether the objectives were reached or not. This section measures if the students have reached the desired destination. Thus, there should be a direct correlation between the objectives and the assessments. There are different ways to assess student learning. Usually it is done by gathering student's work, giving a quiz, or test, and then assessing this work using some kind of grading rubric based on the lesson objectives. Be sure to describe the method you will use. The evaluation process also gives you an opportunity to evaluate your teaching.

The identification of the equipment to be used should include any equipment, textbooks, other books, worksheets, resources, or materials you might use to deliver your lesson. Also list the references you used to develop the lesson in the event you may want to go back to obtain more information when you revise your lesson.

Careful planning of lesson plans is important. Good planning does not mean success in teaching but it is a sign of being well prepared. If a teacher enters the classroom unprepared, students notice it. Students may feel if the teacher is not prepared, why should they work hard and be accountable for doing well in class. "Being well prepared for teaching does instill confidence within the teacher for teaching" (Ediger). Implementation of your plans may not always be possible, therefore you must be flexible and ready to change you lesson plans if they do not reach the desired result.

                                     Bibliography

Carey, Michael A. Poetry: Starting From Scratch: A two Week Lesson Plan for Teaching Poetry Writing. Lincoln, Nebraska: Foundation Books, 1989.

Ediger, Marlow (2002). Social Studies and the Guidance Counselor: Experiments in Education. Retrieved September 20, 2006, from Old Dominion University, Wilson Web Site: http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu

Lyons, Paul. Thirty – five Lesson Formats: A Source Book of Instructional Alternatives. Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1992

Wilkerson, Trena. Examining an Assumption of Linkage Between Lesson Planning and Implementation, Educatiion, Fall 1992.

Class Lecture. Dr. "Raymond Jones". April 16, 2005.

                                   Wiki Questions

1. All teachers should have a good _____________when they step into the classroom.

            a. Attitude
            b. Choice
            c. Class
            d. Plan

2. _____________of the subject is a fundamental requirement prior to writing a lesson Plan.

            a. Books 
            b. Filmstrips
            c. Knowledge
            d. Materials

3. One of the components included in the overview of a lesson plan should include__________?

              a. Fundamentals used in delivering the lesson
              b. Plans for the lesson
              c. Questions about the lesson
              d. Title of the lesson 

4. In the content area of a lesson plan you would have an introduction, this is where you get the students ______________.

              a. Abilities
              b. Attention
              c. Homework
              d. Prior Knowledge
       

5. Careful planning of lesson plans is ___________________.

              a. Optional
              b. Good to do
              c. Important
              d. Not necessary

Essay Question:

What are the two types of objectives and their responsibilities in an effective lesson plan.

        Answer Key

          1.    D
    
          2.    C

          3.    D

          4.    B

          5.    C.

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