An Introduction to Lesson Planning

An Introduction
• Outstanding learning cannot take place in a classroom
without thorough planning by the classroom teacher.
• This planning starts with the construction of a lesson plan.
• All schools will use a slightly different template on which to
plan, however the key elements of planning the lesson are
the same.
• In this lecture, the key structure of a lesson are introduced.
This includes a review of the key components, Bell Activity,
Starter, Initiation Activity, Main activities and Plenary.
Why do we plan lessons?
• To focus in the learning of our students so essentially a
‘plan for learning’.
• A process of thought.
• What happens in the plan should be a reflection of what
happens in the classroom.
• A record of learning.
• Logical sequence.
• A ‘working document’.
Learning Objectives
• Begin to establish an understanding of the need for planning.
• Identify the key components of a detailed lesson plan with the focus
on the University lesson plan template.
• Start to develop an insight into how to plan for different aspects of
the lesson plan.
• Establish how to use learning objectives and outcomes.
Long
Term Plan Medium
• Consistent with the Term Plan Lesson
National Curriculum
• Overall Year Plan
• Linked to Key Stage
• Set on a unit by unit
basis
Plan
• Logical bounds to • Learning outcomes
Overview. • Differentiation plans
• Contains strand by unit
• Contains strategy for • Plans and strategies
strand transition for assessing
maps assessment
• Contains link to the progression (AfL)
bigger picture • Seating plan
• Contains links to • Activities and
resources which can resources
be used in detailed • Clear pedagogical
lesson planning. planning for the
lesson
 Long-Term Planning
• There are different ways of describing long-term plans. These plans are a programme
of work for a subject across the school, covering one or more key stages.
• These plans for a subject, happen in the context of a school’s overall curriculum plan
(the long-term planned programme of work in all subjects covering every year group
in a school).
• An individual school will develop their own individual curriculum plans to reflect their
context and characteristics, as well as their values, aims and priorities.
• These plans shows how units of work in a subject are sequenced and distributed
across years and key stages. Schools make decisions about the order and timing of
units in a subject, focusing on curriculum continuity and progression in pupils’
learning.
 Medium-Term Planning or a
Scheme of Work

• There are different ways of describing medium-term plans. For the purpose of
these materials, a medium-term plan will be referred to as a scheme of work.
• This is a planned sequence of work for a subject (or for more than one subject)
for a period of weeks, such as a half-term or term, or for a number of lessons.
• Scheme of work planning focuses on the organisation of coherent units of work.
• These plans identify learning objectives and outcomes and indicate the activities
that will enable these to be achieved.
• They usually show a sequence of activities that will promote progression and
some information about the amount of time needed to cover the objectives
(whether in blocked periods or regular lessons over a period of weeks).
Scheme of Work

Logical progression from week to week.

 Short-Term Planning

• There are different ways of describing short-term plans. For the purpose of
these materials, a short-term plan is a set of activities for a week, a day, or a
lesson. We refer to this planning as lesson planning.
• Short-term planning is based on the needs of schools, teachers and individual
classes.
• We often use short-term plans to think through the structure and content of a
lesson and to note information such as key questions, resources,
differentiation and assessment opportunities, especially where this is not
already included in the medium-term plan.
• As a trainee, you will need to provide a lesson plan for every lesson that you
teach.
 A Focus on the learning
Consider:

• Where are the students starting from?

• Where do you want the students to get to?
• How will you know when your students are there?
• How can you best help your students get there?
(Source: DfES (2004)Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools
– Unit 1: Structuring learning London: DfES.)