Elementary Education (K-6) Lesson Planning Unit

General Directions: Elementary Education (K-6) Lesson Planning Unit

Throughout the methods courses, teacher candidates will develop a lesson planning unit.
Candidates will create one lesson plan per content area (reading, math, science, health/physical
education, social studies, and integrated arts) in a variety of grade levels (K-6).
Each content area meets CIEP curriculum indicators (refer to attached individual rubrics for
each content area).
EE CIEP Standards (Reading): 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.8.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4
EE CIEP Standards (Math): 2.2.2, 2.3, 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3, 2.8.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4
EE CIEP Standards (Science):2.2, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.5.1, 2.2.5.2, 2.2.5.3,
2.2.5.4, 2.2.5.5, 2.2.5.6, 2.8.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4
EE CIEP Standards (Health/Physical Education: A Health Lesson Plan Integrated with Physical
Education):2.6, 2.6.1, 2.6.2, 2.6.3, 2.6.4, 2.7, 2.7.1, 2.7.2, 2.7.3, 2.7.4, 2.7.5, 2.7.6, 2.8.0, 3.1,
3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4
EE CIEP Standards (Social Studies): 2.4, 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.4, 2.4.5, 2.4.6, 2.4.7, 2.8.0, 3.1,
3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4
EE CIEP Standards (Integrated Arts): 2.5,2.5.1, 2.5.2, 2.5.3, 2.5.4, 2.8.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4
Candidates must use the lesson plan template provided and respond to all prompts in each
section using 12-point font, Times New Roman. Each lesson plan must include an informal and
formal assessment tool(s) to evaluate learning in the content area with respect to the content
standard(s) addressed.
Section Directions: Instructions are provided in red for each section below. Guiding notes
and examples are included on the lesson plan template.

Central Focus for the Unit (CIEP EE 3.1): Give a description of the important understandings
and core concepts that students should develop within the learning segment based on the content
standard(s).

Content Standards - Alabama College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) (CIEP EE
3.1): Include the number and text for each selected content standard (no more than 2) that are
central to the student learning that you expect to support throughout your lesson plan.

Learning Objectives (CIEP EE 3.1): Include 1-3 learning objectives that guide the
development of the assessment tool that will be used to evaluate students’ knowledge/skill after
instruction.

Lesson Timeline (CIEP EE 3.1): Include a detailed timeline for the 60-minute lesson.

Essential Questions (CIEP EE 3.3): Identify 1-3 big ideas that summarize this lesson
guide instruction.
Instructional Resources and Materials (CIEP EE 1): List all instructional materials and
resources. They must be numbered in the lesson plan and on each attachment. For example: IM
1:1 (Instructional Material 1: Lesson 1); IM 2:1 (Instructional Material 2: Lesson 1). Provide a
link for each resource or material listed.

Introduction to Lesson (Anticipatory Set) (CIEP EE 3.3, 3.4, 3.5): Identify step by step and in
detail what you (the teacher candidate) will be doing to introduce the lesson. Steps must be
sequentially numbered.

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks (Procedure) (CIEP EE 3.3, 3.4, 3.5): Identify
step by step and in detail the instructional strategies that you (the teacher candidate) and the
students will be doing. Steps must be sequentially numbered.
Guided and Independent Practice (CIEP EE 3.3, 3.4, 3.5): Identify step by step and in detail
the guided practice followed by the independent practice that you (the teacher candidate) and
the students will be doing. Steps must be sequentially numbered.

Closure (CIEP EE 3.3): Identify step by step and in detail what you (the teacher candidate)
and the students will be doing to summarize and conclude the lesson. Steps must be sequentially
numbered.

Technology (CIEP EE 2.2.2): Describe in detail how the technology included in the
instructional strategies and learning tasks add value to the instruction and assessment.

Differentiation and Planned Universal Support (CIEP EE 2.8, 3.2): Identify and describe in
detail your plans to assist learners who experience difficulty or require enrichment. Include
modifications, accommodations, and differentiations.

Language Function Students Will Develop and Additional Language Demands and
Language Supports (CIEP EE 3.5): List and describe the strategies and resources you will
use to help your students understand and learn to use the identified language function and/or
demands, vocabulary, syntax, and discourse. Include the language supports you will provide.
Types of Student Assessments and What Is Being Assessed—Informal Assessments (CIEP
4), Formal Assessments (CIEP 4), and Modifications to the Assessments (CIEP EE 3.2):
Describe and develop the assessment tools used to evaluate learning with respect to each
standard(s) addressed in the instruction used in the lesson plan. Include all assessment tools
with the lesson plan. They must be numbered in the lesson plan and on each attachment. For
example, A 1: 1 (Assessment 1: Lesson 1); A 2: 1 (Assessment 2: Lesson 1).

Relevant Theories and/or Research-Based Practices (CIEP EE 1, 3.1): Identify and justify
the best practices that you are utilizing in the lesson giving credit to the appropriate theorists.
Formal citations are not required.
 Elementary Education (K-6) Lesson Planning Unit Template
General Directions: Elementary Education Lesson Planning Unit
Throughout the methods courses, teacher candidates will develop a lesson planning unit.
Candidates will choose one theme and one grade level (K-6) and create one lesson plan per
content area (reading, math, science, health, physical education, social studies, integrated arts
in a variety of grade levels from K-6).
Each content area meets CIEP curriculum indicators.
Candidates must use the lesson plan template provided and respond to all prompts in each
sections using 12-point font, Times New Roman. Each lesson plan must include an original
assessment tool(s) to evaluate learning in the content area with respect to the content
standard(s) addressed
Section Directions: Instructions and guiding notes are provided in red for each section
below.

Central Focus for the Unit (CIEP EE 3.1): Give a description of the important
understandings and core concepts that students should develop within the learning segment
based on the content standard(s).

Content Standards - Alabama College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) (CIEP EE
3.1): Include the number and text for each selected content standard (no more than 2) that are
central to the student learning that you expect to support throughout your lesson plan.

Learning Objectives (CIEP EE 3.1): Include 1-3 learning objectives that guide the
development of the assessment tool that will be used to evaluate students’ knowledge/skill
after instruction.

Lesson Timeline
(CIEP EE 3.1)
The lesson must be 60 minutes. The timeline might look like this example but remember your
timeline will be unique to your lesson. See example below:
Introduction/Anticipatory Set - 10 minutes
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks – 20 minutes
 List the activities with approximate times for each.
Guided and Independent Practice – 15 minutes
 List the activities with approximate times for each.
Closure – 5 minutes

Essential Questions:
(CIEP EE 3.3)
Identify 1-3 big ideas that summarize this lesson. Think how they can be used to guide your
instruction? At least one of the essential questions must be connected to the academic
language.

Instructional Resources and Materials:

(CIEP EE 1)
These must be numbered in the lesson plan and on each attachment. You must provide a
link for each resource or material listed. For example: IM 1:1 (Instructional Material
1: Lesson 1); IM 2:1 (Instructional Material 2: Lesson 1)

Introduction to Lesson (Anticipatory Set):

(CIEP EE 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)

Identify step by step what you (the teacher candidate) will be doing (details) to
introduce the lesson. These steps must be sequentially numbered. How will you activate
the student’s thinking? This is the hook for the lesson to tap into prior knowledge and
develop student’s interests. This should tie directly to the standards and should promote
higher-level thinking. How will you introduce content specific vocabulary words? How
will you use your knowledge of the student’s academic, social, and cultural
characteristics? How will you introduce the purpose of the lesson and identify the
reason the student’s need to know this information?

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks (Procedure):

(CIEP EE 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)

Identify step by step the instructional strategies that you (the teacher candidate) and the
students will be doing. Number each step rather than write in paragraph format. This is
where you teach your content. Describe what you do to teach the content, step by step,
after you have introduced the lesson? Where and how will you collect evidence to be
used as the informal assessment? What strategies and learning tasks will you use to
support diverse student needs. These steps must be sequentially numbered. Think: I do
one (Teacher models it.). We do one (Class helps teacher model it again.). Depending
on the class, you may need to repeat these steps more than once. When and how often
will you model for students the use of the language function and demands (function,
vocabulary, syntax, discourse)? What language supports will you provide and leave
visible throughout the entire lesson? These steps must be sequentially numbered.

Guided and Independent Practice:

(CIEP EE 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)
Identify step by step the guided practice followed by the independent practice that you (the
teacher candidate) and the students will be doing. Number each step rather than write in
paragraph format. After you have introduced the lesson and provided instructional practice,
it is time for guided and independent practice. How do you get students to interact with the
content? During this portion, you are guiding their practice. This portion might require
students to work in teams or pairs. Think: You do one with a partner or in a group (Teacher
is still guiding and assisting.). You do one independently (Teacher supports the student to
work independently.). As they work, you are guiding their practice and learning? When you
determine, they are ready for independent practice and independent assessment, you have
moved from guided to independent work. During the independent practice, you will collect as
appropriate their work for the formal assessment. Prior to this time, you have been assessing
informally. How will you organize this portion of the lesson? What questions will you ask to
promote higher-level thinking? What opportunities will you provide for students to practice
content language/concepts/vocabulary? What language supports will you offer? These steps
must be sequentially numbered.

Closure:
(CIEP EE 3.3)
This is your last opportunity to “drive home” the learning. Bring the students together as a
group and summarize the lesson. Describe how you will summarize and conclude the lesson.
These steps must be sequentially numbered. Think about how you can determine if they got the
most important thing. Teachers love to use exit slips for this but remember to be creative.
There are hundreds of ways to do exit slips. But closure comes in many shapes and sizes. It
does not have to be an exit slip. If you use an exit slip, the exit slip does not qualify as your
formal assessment. It falls in the informal category.

Technology:
(CIEP EE 2.2.2)

Describe how the technology included in the instructional strategies and learning tasks add
value to the instruction and assessment.

Differentiation and Planned Universal Support:

(CIEP EE 2.8, 3.2)
Identify your plans to assist learners who experience difficulty or require enrichment. Include:
Modifications: What modifications will you provide for individual students? Students who are
far behind their peers may need changes, or modifications, to the curriculum. For example, a
student could be assigned shorter or easier reading assignments. Kids who receive
modifications are not expected to learn the same material as their classmates.
Accommodations: What accommodations will you provide individual students?
Accommodations can help students learn the same material and meet the same expectations as
their classmates. If a student has reading issues, for example, she might listen to an audio
recording of a text. There are different types of classroom accommodations, including
presentation (like listening to an audio recording of a text) and setting (like where a student
sits).
Differentiations: What differentiation strategies and learning tasks will you use throughout
the lesson? Differentiating instruction means creating multiple paths so that students with
different ability levels, learning styles, and interests can all be successful in learning and in
demonstrating what they have learned. For example, during your pre-assessment to gather
information about your learners, you discover that your students have different learning
styles. By assessing your students, you also find out how they learn and what engages them.
You then offer multiple ways for the students to interact with the content – e.g., digital texts,
books on CD, PowerPoint presentations, films, individual work, small group work, etc. – all
chosen because they will help the students in the particular class you’re teaching.

Language Function Students Will Develop and Additional Language Demands and
Language Supports
(CIEP EE 3.5)

What strategies and resources will you use to help your students understand and learn to use
the identified language function and/or demands? What language supports will you provide?
A table is useful to help display your language functions/demands with your language
supports. Example: If your learning task is for students to evaluate a friendly letter, they need
to understand the embedded examples.

Language Functions/Demands (Note: Language Supports

You will have only 1 Language
Function)

Language Function: What key word Example: Discuss what evaluate means. Model how
in the standard do the children need to evaluate a well written letter. Leave it displayed
to understand in order to on the smart board for students to refer to during the
demonstrate their knowledge of the lesson.
standard? Students need to be able
to explain, infer, compare, justify,
distinguish, etc. Choose just one
word.
Examples – evaluate, explain

Vocabulary: What vocabulary do all Example: As a class, define greeting, salutation,

students need to understand in order body, and signature and create word wall for
to learn the content within your vocabulary words.
learning segment? Examples –
greeting, salutation, body, signature
 Syntax: What visual will you give Example: As a class, review a letter and
students to help them complete their demonstrate how the greeting will look and where it
assignment? What knowledge of is usually located. Leave posted so that students can
conventional writing and refer to it. Identify other symbols that represent
communicating such as the words like x and o represent kisses and hugs.
organization of words, phrases, and
symbols fit into structures that need
to be understood in order to learn the
content within your learning
segment? Examples _ Dear Ms.
Jones, Your friend, and xoxoxo
represents hugs and kisses

Discourse: What discourse is used by Example: Write a friendly letter and share it with the
particular disciplines to talk and class.
write? How will they communicate
what they have learned? Example –
write a friendly letter and read it to
the class.

Types of Student Assessments and What Is Being Assessed:

Describe and develop the assessment tools to use with the lesson. The assessment tools should
evaluate learning with respect to each standard(s) addressed in the instruction. All
descriptions must be included here and all developed assessments must be attached. These
must be numbered here in the lesson plan and also on each attachment.

Informal Assessments:
(CIEP EE 4)
For example, A 1: 1 (Assessment 1: Lesson 1); A 2: 1 (Assessment 2: Lesson 1). Informal
assessments could include observation checklists, rubrics, entry/exit slips.
Formal Assessments:
(CIEP EE 4)
For example, if you have one informal assessment and one formal assessment, then your
informal assessment would be A 1: 1 (Assessment 1: Lesson 1) and then your formal
assessment would be A 2: 1 (Assessment 2: Lesson 1). Formal assessments could include a
quiz, graphic organizer, rubric, tri-fold, puzzle, illustrated diagram, etc. The formal
assessment would be synonymous to a post-test in some grades, but not the lower grades.
Modifications to the Assessments:
(CIEP EE 3.2)
Modifications must be provided for children identified in the Context for Learning.
Describe and attach copy of modifications made for individual students. Remember that at
least one of your assessments must be used to collect pre- and post- instruction data to
identify/prove impact on student learning.

Relevant Theories and/or Research-Based Practices

(CIEP EE 1, 3.1)

Identify best practices that you are utilizing in the lesson giving credit to the appropriate
theorists. The purpose here is to justify why you are doing what you are doing. Draw upon
education philosophy and specific theories of development, learning, and motivation, as well
as conceptions and research-based practices of the discipline you are teaching. Formal
citations are not required.