Lesson Planning 101:

Essential Parts of a Lesson Plan

by Sarah Sahr
[email protected]

Part 1: Objectives
No one would argue that writing a good lesson plan starts with an excellent objective or
two… Let’s start with some definitions:

Objective: a specific statement about what students are expected to learn or to be

able to do as a result of studying a program: more specifically this is a learning
objective; a measurable operationalisation of a policy, strategy or mission: this is
an implementation objective (Harvey, 2004-09).

Objective: [a written] precise and delineated goals for what you want your
students to be able to accomplish after the lesson is completed (Lewis, n.d.).

In my opinion, you should always be able to identify two parts in a quality objective: a
Skill or Goal and a Desired Action.

Examples:
 Students will be able to (SWBAT), organize pictures from the story into the correct
order.
 SWBAT compare a future house to their current house by using a Venn diagram.
 SWBAT interpret the story by using role-play as a way of retelling the story’s main
ideas.

Useful verbs when writing objectives

In writing objectives, verbs are essential. Below are lists of verbs categorized by
their domains to help create measurable objectives. (Of course, I’m using Bloom’s
Taxonomy (Blooms, 1956).... just can’t get enough of it!) The six domains are listed
in order of difficulty to obtain: Knowledge Based being the easiest, Evaluation
Based being the hardest.

Knowledge Based
check, define, locate, reproduce, choose, describe, match, select, circle, identify,
name, state, cite, indicate, outline, write, complete, label, recall, count, list, recite

Comprehension Based
change, distinguish, generalize, rearrange, classify, estimate, give example,
restate, convert, expand, indicate, rewrite, choose, explain, infer, summarize,
demonstrate, express, interpret, translate, describe, extend, paraphrase,
transform, differentiate, extrapolate, predict

Application Based

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 apply, develop, modify, reconstruct, arrange, diagram, operate, record, build,
discover, order, relate, change, discus, organize, report, classify, dramatize,
participate, show, collect, employ, perform, solve, complete, generalize, plan,
state, compile, illustrate, predict, teach, compute, make, prepare, transfer,
construct, manipulate, produce, use, demonstrate, model, prove

Analysis Based
analyze, debate, discriminate, organize, associate, deduce, distinguish, outline,
break, down, design, generalize, point out, categorize, detect, graph, relate, chart,
determine, illustrate, separate, classify, diagram, infer, subdivide, compare,
differentiate, investigate, summarize, conclude, dissect, order, survey, contrast

Synthesis Based
arrange, design, invent, reconstruct, categorize, develop, modify, relate, classify,
devise, organize, reorganize, combine, document, originate, revise, compile,
forecast, plan, rewrite, compose, formulate, predict, summarize, constitute,
generate, produce, synthesize, construct, incorporate, propose, transmit, create,
integrate, rearrange

Evaluation Based
argue, decide, interpret, standardize, appraise, determine, judge, summarize,
assess, distinguish, justify, support, compare, discriminate, rank, validate,
conclude, dispute, rate, verify, contrast, evaluate, relate, weigh, criticize, grade

Try to have objectives from more than one domain. Critical thinking skills are found in
the last three categories. Use them! They are our friends.

Part 2: Scaffolding!
Scaffolding is an instructional technique whereby the teacher models the desired
learning strategy or task, then gradually shifts responsibility to the students.

Metaphorically, it is exactly what a teacher needs to do when building new concepts for
students. Think of a house… the carpenter needs to support a house with an exterior
structure while the house is being built. Once the house is sturdy, the scaffold is
removed. Now, think of a classroom… the teacher needs to support the student with
step-by-step modeling while the information is being absorbed. Once the student is an
autonomous learner, the teacher is removed.

When teaching, it is good to remember the following steps:

1. Let students know what they will be doing. Never present an “academic surprise.”
2. Model and provide visual cues when available.
3. Use other students as examples.
4. Give students Time to Think!
5. Give students Time to Practice!
6. Give students Time to Share!

Below is a sample of a lesson plan template and an example of how one might use it.

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 Lesson Plan Template
Grade, Book: Time:

Lesson and Title: Materials:

Objectives:

Introduction (Motivation): ***build your scaffold***

Information:

***Have a strong Scaffold***

Guided Practice:

Independent Practice: ***start removing scaffold***

Closure:

Assessment:

Homework:

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 Lesson Plan: The Lion and the Mouse

Grade: Middle School Time: 45 minutes

Materials:
• The online story of The Lion and the Mouse (Aesop, n.d.)
• teacher generated handout (see next page), markers/crayons

Objectives:
SWBAT predict what “The Lion and the Mouse” is about in English.
SWBAT choose the correct answers to a series of multiple choice questions.
SWBAT communicate a story in English about when they helped someone.

Introduction (Motivation): ***build your scaffold***

a. Think About: Picture Boxes
Have students draw pictures of the vocabulary words in the boxes. If they do not know
the word, no problem. They will soon share their pictures with a classmate.
b. Vocabulary: Share
Students should share their pictures with other students so that all students know
what each vocabulary word means.
c. Predict (verbal): Guess what this story may be about…

Information:
Explain to students that you are going to listen to a story called The Lion and the Mouse. Read
the story two or three times. Ask simple questions to the class about the plot.

***Have a strong Scaffold***

Guided Practice: ***almost done scaffolding***

a. Explain how to answer multiple choice questions… yes, I know, everyone knows how to
do that… just explain it again.
b. Read the first multiple choice question and answer it as a class.
c. Check the answer to make sure everyone is correct and that everyone understands what
they are supposed to do.

Independent Practice: ***start removing scaffold***

a. Read all the questions and answers to the students, more than once if necessary.
b. Give time for each student to answer the questions.
c. Students will be able to answer the last three questions on their own.
d. Correct their answers as a class.

Closure:
What was the lesson found in “The Lion and Mouse?”
a. Think to yourself: Think of a time you helped someone bigger than you.
b. Pair yourself: Tell your story to a partner. Practice what you are going to say to the class. If
need be, practice in your native language first, then in English.
c. Share with class: Discuss your thoughts with the whole class.

Assessment:
Students can circle the happy face, the medium face, or the sad face to self-assess how good they
felt their speaking was in this lesson and this lesson only.

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 “The Lion and Mouse”
Handout
Introduction
Think-About: Draw a picture in the box of each of the words you see below.
LION MOUSE

CAUGHT HELP

NET HAPPY

Vocabulary: Share your pictures with your neighbor. Make sure you understand each word.
Predict (verbal): Guess what this story may be about…
Information: Listen as your teacher reads The Lion and the Mouse.
DIRECTIONS: Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. The lion was going to ____ the mouse. 3. The mouse helped the lion by _____
A. drink the net.
B. eat A. cutting
C. love B. removing
2. The ________ was caught in the net. C. nibbling
A. lion 4. The lion and the mouse became ____.
B. mouse A. friends
C. hunter B. family
C. coworkers
Closure:
What was the lesson found in “The Lion and Mouse?”
 Think to yourself: Think of a time you helped someone bigger than you.
 Pair yourself: Tell your story to a partner. Practice what you are going to say to the
class. If need be, practice in your first language, then in English.
 Share with class: Discuss your thoughts with the whole class.

Assessment:
How good is your speaking for this lesson?        

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References:

Aesop, (n.d.), The Lion and the Mouse Retrieved from

http://www.longlongtimeago.com/llta_fables_lionmouse.html

Bloom B. S. (ed.) (1956), Taxonomy of educational objectives, the classification of

educational goals – Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. New York: McKay.

Harvey, L., (2004–9), Analytic Quality Glossary, Quality Research International,

http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/glossary/

Lewis, B (n.d.), Lesson Plan Step #1 - Objectives and Goals. Retrieved from
http://k6educators.about.com/od/lessonplanheadquarters/g/lpobjectives.htm

__________________________________________

Sarah Sahr works at TESOL and has her Masters in ESL administration. She has
managed a school in Vietnam, trained teachers in South Korea, implemented school
reform in Qatar, run a circus train classroom for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey,
and taught 8th grade writing in Maryland. Prior to all that, Sarah was a Peace Corps
Volunteer in Ethiopia. She is also a certified ashtanga yoga instructor and has
managed an eco-lodge in Chugchilan, Ecuador.

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