plan, plan, plan and expect the unexpected

Lesson planning- the bane of a teacher's existence.  This week in class we focused on lesson planning. I have to admit, lesson planning has always intimidated me and still does.  After this weeks class I do feel I have a better understanding of the basics of lesson planning.  Lesson planning is a neat science that requires the teacher to lay out all the specifics in a neat highly organized fashion.  Learning about the 3 stages of lesson planning has been extremely useful. The pre-planning phrase, lesson planning/implementation, and post lesson activities divide lesson planning into three neat categories.  I believe that the only way that one can get good at lesson planning is through lots and lots of practice and experience.  I enjoyed working   and discussing lesson planning with my peers in class.  We worked together to come up with definitions and shared helpful lesson planning websites.    What resonated the most with me is the fact that lesson plans do have to be very well calculated and specific but during  the actually implementation  of the lesson a teacher cannot be rigid and inflexible. A teacher should constantly be adjusting and modifying to fit the situation and needs of his or her class.  If a teacher is not flexible during a lesson this can lower  student learning outcomes. It made me think of this rule of thumb: when planning and writing a lesson make sure you are using a pencil with a good eraser.  Here are some more  facts that I learned about  lesson planning: 


A lesson is a period of instruction during which the learner is taught a particular subject. In a broader sense a lesson is a new insight gained by a learner that they previously did not have.

A plan is a calculated, well devised plan of "attack" to achieve the desired learning outcome. It is series of steps that are formulated to carry out a particular goal.

A lesson plan is a guide to classroom instruction. It details the steps that will be taken so that a particular subject or skill can be successfully conveyed to students. The way that a lesson is structured is dependent on several factors: the teacher's style, student needs, subject matter, and the environment. In every lesson plan there are goals and objectives that must be achieved in order demonstrate that learning has occurred. Lesson plans are guiding principles but should be delivered in a flexible manner. As we all know in a live classroom many different situations arise that were not incorporated in to the devised lesson plan. Adaptations need to be made as different circumstances will undoubtably arise. 


There are 3 stages of lesson planning:

1)pre-lesson preparation: content, goals, student levels, needs are all considered,

2)lesson planning/implentation: unit title, instructional goals, objectives,rationale, content, procedures, evaluation materials.

3)post lesson activities- evaluation and revision (this should be occuring throughout the implentation of the lesson as well).

The number of lessons possible are as unlimited as the imagination/creativity of the teacher. Teachers employ and custom fit a lesson to best serve their students. Some include: whole class activities, whole class lecture, role-play, cluster involvement, independent work, peer groups, webquests, guided instruction, readings, case study, etc.

Below are three websites that offer a plethora of lesson plans for all different subjects and grade levels. You can get very good starting ideas and add a creative twist to make the lessson your own. Plus they are free.
 www.lessonplanspage.com
www.educationworld.com
www.lessonplansearch.com


www.rubistar.com- Is also a great site that allows you to design your own rubrics and look through the rubrics of other educators. It is  free to use as well. : )