Designing Lessons
Summary:
This page provides a preview of the Designing Lessons pages of the website and links to detailed information on each topic.
Components of Effective Lesson Plans
Effective lesson plans that are sure to improve student performance consist of a set of components that provide a framework for planning and implementing instruction. These components are based on a body of research that supports their importance in the instructional process. It’s important to include all of the components in a lesson plan. Leaving out a component may reduce the impact of a lesson. Follow the links to explanations of these components:
- Write the objective
- Introduce the lesson
- Present the content
- Provide practice and feedback
- Summarize the lesson
- Assess student learning
For more information on creating effective lesson plans,
Download a lesson plan form (PDF, 2 pages, 48 KB) that outlines
these components to guide the design of effective lessons.
Download Designing Lessons for the Diverse Classroom (PDF, 105 pages, 1.3 MB), a handbook that provides an easy tool for teachers to learn how to plan effective instruction.
Sample Lesson Plans
Three complete lesson plans for elementary school, middle school, and high school that include all components of effective lesson plans are available. Accommodations for students with disabilities are highlighted within the lesson plans.
- Elementary School – Language Arts: Identifying Nouns
- Middle School – Science: Comparing and Contrasting Plants
- High School – Mathematics: Calculating the Area of a Circle
Incorporating Accommodations into Lesson Design- examples of the five types of accommodations in the context of a middle school lesson plan
Effective Instructional Strategies – strategies and techniques to ensure that lessons will help students learn
Life-Prep Curriculum – a database of units of effective lessons that include real life applications for middle and high school students
Resources – links to guide you to more information