Lesson Plans
How do you make a detailed lesson plan?
Dr Meers,
Thank you for presenting a simplified lesson plan structure. I will definitely apply it.
Hilda
Hi Christina,
This is a great plan for how to formulate an instructional plan. This information is valuable for instructors as they prepare their own lesson plans. Thanks for sharing this method with us.
Gary
What has worked for me in the past is to make sure that a.You Overplan! b. Working backwards is sometimes helpful, such as what is your overall message for the class (what skills should these students have when leaving?) and then c. break down into daily lessons and perhaps and objective for each lesson. I would plan out in time frames (5-7 minutes of journaling, 10 minutes of discussion, 10 minutes of reflection on previous content, 15 minutes of intro and tie in for new content, reading/lesson/activity/reflection)
Hope this is helpful. The more detailed you can be right down to planning the time frame, the better you are for the next time. I try to take time when I am finished with a class to review and figure out what worked and what I want to do differently for next time as well.
-Christina
Lesson plans are really abundant with my employer. I like to look at what past instructor have done, then add my teaching style and any content changes that have to be made. Works out really well for me.
Hi Melody,
Thank you for sharing your experiences concerning the development of lesson plans. Yes, they are a lot of work at the beginning but as you say once you get them completed they allow you to focus on other parts of the delivery process.
You will in the future be able to spend time on developing PP presentations, small group activities, etc. rather that trying to put together the basic content. This is where it really gets to be fun as an instructor because you can be creative while developing these components.
Gary
There are also great resources on-line and fellow instructors at your facility or in your facility's network can be resources as well!
Never having written a formal lesson plan, my first attempt was an outline. It was sent back to me with "more detail needed" as the comment. Then I learned from the Faculty Dean that what was needed was a document that would allow anyone else (with a medical background) to step in and teach the class in my absence. OKAY, had I known that the first round. So now I fleshed out my outline basically point by point, incuded how long each area was to take, what method of instruction to be used (demo, PP, handout) , and even when break was to occur.
It was a lot of work since I was a new instructor learning my subject matter for 3 courses, facility procedure, completing massive training, ect. BUT it really has been helpful and is getting easier! I figure next quarter I can finesse, refine, and make those changes based on feedback from this quarter's students.
First, I always write out what needs to be learned (either to meet course objectives or information that is going to be built on later). Then I write details on how I am going to present this information- will it be through a lecture, power points, class discussion, small group project. I always have at least two strategies listed on my lesson plan for each topic we are going to cover.
First, I map the module out, then I divide by week and set daily goals. I ensure all material is covered.
Hi Rich,
I would suggest that you talk with some of your fellow instructors and see how they develop their lesson plans. This way you will have a model to follow.
A lesson plan has as its' core a central theme or concept you want to accomplish for that class meeting. Think of the core as the trunk of a tree, then the other parts of the lesson can be thought of as being the branches. You can share information that supports the central trunk, then more information (branch) then central trunk until you have covered the information and reached your goal for that day.
In ED 102 there is more information about how to set up your lesson plans and organize your instructional delivery.
Gary
