What are the 5 key ingredients of a great lesson plan?
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The 5 key ingredients of a great lesson plan
No two lessons are the same, but they should always
be underpinned by the same core set of teaching principles.
Delivering great lessons requires great planning, and here we
have the five key ingredients to ensure that your lessons hit the mark every
time.
1. Follow-up / recap
· Have pupils retained knowledge from previous classes?
Great lessons don’t exist in isolation and each should be
linked to the last when possible. One way to do this involves recapping at the
start of lessons, either through small activities or classroom discussion.
An alternative is to talk through homework tasks if they
relate to the last topics covered, with pupils encouraged to discuss areas they
found difficult and topics they struggled with.
This part of the lesson is also vital when one lesson is used
as the building block for next, as a teacher will need assurances that pupils
understand the basics before progressing onto more complex material.
2. Objective setting
·
What do you want
to achieve in the lesson?
It’s important for all lessons to have recognisable learning
outcomes and these can be detailed in the form of learning objectives.
What elements of the curriculum are being covered and what
should a child be able to do by the end of the lesson?
By telling pupils what they should be able to achieve, they
are given a sense of purpose and those with a competitive streak will often
strive to out-do their peers.
Ideally all of these objectives will follow the SMART approach
too, as it provides a good way for teachers to track progress. This means they
will be:
Ø
Specific
Ø
Measurable
Ø
Attainable
Ø
Relevant
Ø
Time-bound
3. Introduce the new concepts
·
A chance to
explain the core theory and principles being looked at
Any lesson needs to build on a pupils existing knowledge by
introducing something new, as this ensures a constant process of learning and
development.
Numerous approaches can be used to do this, from
presentations and class readings to demonstrations showcasing experiments in
the sciences.
Less is usually more in the first instance, as pupils can
take the information on-board, process it and then follow up if they are
unsure.
There should be time for discussion, giving pupils the
opportunity to ask questions and for a teacher to revisit anything that is not
fully understood.
4. Practice by
doing
·
Allow pupils to
put the theory to the test
After discussing the theory and the principles on which it is
based, pupils should be given time to put it into practice through a range of
tasks and activities.
This may include elements of textbook learning, further
research, pre-set questions or a set of hypothetical situations displayed on
the board.
All should be underpinned by the new subject matter and must
direct pupils towards achieving the objectives set out at the start of the
lesson.
5. Wrap-up
·
Test pupils
knowledge and understanding
A great lesson looks back over what has been taught and looks
to ensure that pupils can demonstrate their understanding.
This might take the shape of quick-fire questions or a
mini-test, a game or even a discussion, depending on the subject.
Teachers can then shape future lessons based on the outcomes,
as the wrap-up should demonstrate whether pupils have grasped the core learning,
or whether a different approach might be needed to embed understanding.
And there you have it, the five key ingredients for a
delectable lesson plan!
Start your Tradewind journey today and put your good lesson planning into practice!
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