How to Plan a Lesson

The importance of planning each lesson cannot be overemphasized. No instructor can go to laboratory or class unprepared and adequately teach. Preparation is absolutely necessary. He/she must know exactly what they will teach and how they will teach it. The lesson plan should be organized on paper and used as a guide every time a lesson is taught. To cover the planning phase thoroughly, the instructor should do each of the following things:
1. Determine target group and need 2. Select topic,Write a descriptive title, Determine time 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Write the goal or goals Write the objectives to support each goal Determine the means for motivation Determine the content Determine the new terms to be taught Determine the most effective teaching technique and learning strategy Determine the instructional aids to be used Determine the means of securing student participation Determine the means of application Determine the methods for checking understanding Determine the points of summary Determine specific assignments Determine specific references

How to Plan a Lesson

1. Select a Descriptive Title for the Lesson The title of the lesson plan should be descriptive of the lesson to be taught.
2. Determine Time to be Devoted to the Lesson Each lesson plan should include a statement of overall time to be devoted to the lesson. This information is particularly helpful if the lesson plan is to be used by more than one instructor. The time to be devoted to each main point should be recorded in the margin of the lesson plan alongside the point. This will serve as a timetable for the teacher as he/she progresses through the lesson. 3. Write a goal/s for the lesson The goal is a broad statement of what you want your audience to achieve. 4. Write a Specific Objective/s for the Lesson The objectives or aim of each lesson should be clearly and specifically stated. 5. Determine the Content to be Taught All things taught should conform to course objectives. Subject matter for each lesson should be selected which contributes to the knowledge or skills that trainees are expected to acquire. The lesson content should be within the ability and experience of the trainees. The instructor should include in his/her lesson plan an outline of the content to be presented.

How to Plan a Lesson

5. Determine the New Terms to be Taught New words in the content outline should be underscored to remind the instructor to explain them when they are used. Definition, if necessary, should be included. 6. Determine the Most Effective Method for Presenting the Content The lesson content should be studied carefully to determine which teaching methods will be most effective in presenting it. This cannot be determined until adequate consideration is given to such possible methods as question and answer, discussion, film strip, motion picture and demonstration. The methods to be used for teaching various points should be noted, if necessary, as a reminder to the instructor. 6. Determine the Instructional Aids to be Used: Each point is the content should be analyzed with the question in mind, What instruction aid, if any, can be used to help teach this point more effectively? Before this question is answered, consideration should be given to the tools, materials, apparatus, charts, diagrams, models, mock-ups, motion pictures, film strips, and other aids discussed in the chapter, Instructional Aids. These aids should be listed near the top of the lesson plan so that the instructor will not forget to take them to class. Notes should be included at the proper point in the presentation to remind the instructor where aids are to be used.

How to Plan a Lesson

8. Determine Means for Motivating Students in the Lesson The good instructor not only prepares his own lesson but also prepares his students to receive it. Interest should be aroused by explaining the need and importance of the lesson, telling how it can be applied, forming connections with past and future lessons, reviewing personal experiences, and asking students for their experiences as they apply to the lesson. The motivating points in the lesson plan should be listed.
9. Determine the Methods to be Used for Securing Participation The lessons should be analyzed with this question in mind: How can student participation be secured which will contribute to effective learning? The following means for securing participation should be considered: a. Asking questions b. Encouraging student to ask questions c. Stimulating discussion d. Using the smart board/other boards e. Having the students help in giving demonstrations and using visual aids f. Using notebooks g. Using study guides h. Solving problems i. Performing experiments

How to Plan a Lesson

10. Determine the Means of Application Application may be made both by the instructor and the students. The instructor should apply the content to practical situations whenever possible.
When planning his/her lesson, the instructor should provide for student application of the content presented. For example, after a principle has been explained in the classroom, a few practical problems involving principles taught may be immediately assigned for the student to solve. Actual performance of experiments in the laboratory provides practical application of the content taught in both the classroom and laboratory. The means for applying the content should be clearly indicated in the lesson plan. 11. Determine the Methods for Checking Understanding Both during and after a class or laboratory lesson the instructor should check student understanding of the work covered. This may be done by asking questions during and after the presentation, giving written tests, assigning problems to solve and experiments to perform. Questions should be written in the outline at the point were thy will be asked.

How to Plan a Lesson

12.Selecting Main Points for Summarizing A list of key points should be included in the lesson plan to aid the instructor in making his summary. Such a list will make it unnecessary for the instructor to thumb through the lesson plan during the summary to pick out high points of the presentation. 13.Determine Specific Assignments When assignments are made, they should specifically state: a. What is to be done b. When it is to be done c. Who it is to be done (directions for doing it)

d. Why the assignment is made

How to Plan a Lesson

14. Determine Specific References

Several sources of information on the topic of the lesson should be carefully checked and the best ones listed in the lesson plan. These references should be listed under two headings: a. References for the students b. References for the instructor The following standard form for listing textbook references should be used: a. Author, title of book, address of publisher, publishers name, date of publication and page.
A practical application is: Timbie, William H., Basic Electricity for Communications, New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1943, pp. 9-22 15. Revise and Improve the Lesson Plan A lesson plan should always be tentative. Whenever improvements in content and methods of presentation are discovered, the lesson plan should be revised and the improvements incorporated.

Extracted from Basic Teaching Techniques, by C.C. Caveny, 1958