Lesson Planning Guide

(adapted from Thompson Rivers University by Bernie Krynowsky )

The lesson plan template is designed as a guide for students to use when planning lessons. The plan may be adapted to specific
subject areas and modified as students gain experience or to suit their presentation style. The template is a basic outline that can
be used directly as printed or expanded from the electronic version. It is important that the lesson plan be sufficiently clear and
detailed so that another teacher could use the plan to teach the lesson.
Rationale: Why are you teaching this particular lesson at this time? One consideration is the context for the lesson (e.g. this
introductory lesson determines what students know and want to know about the topic, this lesson relates to previous and future
learning by )
Another consideration is student motivation (e.g. what are some reasons the learner might care about the
content/concepts/ skills for future learning, careers, or interests?).
Curricular Connections:
Big ideas capture the big picture or general area of learning (e.g. interdependence of living things with the environment, stories
are a source of creativity and joy). Curricular competencies are generally skills (e.g. analyzing and evaluating, recording
information, comprehending and connecting). The learning standards for content or concepts are a more specific
consideration of what students learn in lessons. Many of the standards have flexibility built in so they can be a bit vague. You can,
using the intention of the standard, make it clearer and more specific (e.g. learners will be able to describe the main idea in a
paragraph or story, learners will be able to classify leaves based on properties they identify). The lesson should have some
component of curriculum that can be identified and justified. A reminder that the direction of new curriculum has identified core
competencies of thinking, communication, and personal / social development as a foundation for all curricula.
Learning Intentions: How can you make clear and share with your learners what they are going to learn or have learned or
accomplished? Statements like: I can add two fractions help frame their learning in positive student language.
Prerequisite Concepts and Skills: What concepts and skills are needed for students to be successful? This communication
helps connect lessons together in a logical sequence by building/scaffolding new knowledge onto previous learning. For example,
if students are going to be engaged in debate did you build or scaffold group work strategies, communication skills, expected
etiquette, criteria beforehand?
Materials and Resources /References List all materials and resources that you and the students will need. What things do you
need to do before the lesson begins? (e.g. prepare a word chart.) What things do the students need to do? ( e.g. read a chapter
in the novel.) Have you honoured the sources of ideas or resources? Disorganized materials can ruin a great lesson.
Differentiated Instruction (DI): (accommodations): How will you accommodate for diverse learners in your class? How will
you allow for some variety in expression of learning? How can you modify the learning activities for success? How can you
provide engaging extra challenges for those that are ready? How might you alter the learning environment if needed? Have you
considered aboriginal and cultural influences? IEPs?
Assessment and Evaluation: Did the students learn what you taught them? What tools might you use for assessment (e.g.
check list, rubric, anecdotal record). How will you provide formative feedback to students about their learning? The results of the
assessment should be directly connected to what your students were able to write say or do related to the learning intentions and
or curriculum. Strive for accuracy and build assessment into teaching and learning and not as an add on at the end.
Organizational/Management Strategies: Have you thought-out organizational management strategies to facilitate a proactive
positive classroom environment? Some examples are: organizing for movement, distributing and collecting materials, grouping
strategies, blended grade classroom logistics.
Aboriginal Connections / First Peoples Principles of Learning:
knowledge, worldviews, or principles of learning?

Are there any connections to aboriginal or other cultural

Lesson Activities/Structure:
Introduction: How will you get students interested/motivated/ hooked into learning? How will you connect this lesson to past and
future lessons? How can you share the learning intentions in student friendly language? How will you provide a lesson overview?
Body: What sequence of activities will the students experience? What will you do? What will they do? Estimate how much
time will each activity take (pacing)? What are grouping/materials strategies? There are many ways to describe the body (step
by step, two columns dividing student and teacher activities, visual flow chart of activities and connections, others?)
Closure: How will the lesson end? (e.g. connecting back to learning intentions, summarizing learning, sharing of
accomplishments, connecting to next lessons). Google 40 ways to close a lesson.
Reflections: Complete the reflections section as soon as possible after teaching the lesson. What went well? What revisions
would you make to the lesson? Anything else ?

Lesson Title:
Name:

All About Me book

Kyla Senchar

Lesson #
Subject:

Date:
Literacy

September 22nd, 2016

Grade(s):

Rationale: (lesson context and reasons why lesson matters)

This introductory lesson supports literacy. It also determines what students know about making connections. It supports a
community of learners by understanding self and community, as well as place. This lesson is also an introduction about the teacher,
which can serve as a fun way to connect and break the ice.
Curriculum Connections : (which can be: big ideas / learning standards /curricular competencies/core competencies)
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
*Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy.
*Stories and other texts connect us to ourselves, our families, and our communities.
*Everyone has a unique story to share.
*Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world.
Learning Intentions- (learner friendly language such as: I can ..)
*I can make connections through images.
*I can use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning.
*I can demonstrate awareness of the role that story plays in personal, family, and community identity.
Prerequisite Concepts and Skill :( for student success)
Basic art concepts are needed for this lesson, as well as some basic words (the ability to form a sentence). The knowledge to know
to raise your hand before calling out is also important in this lesson, as you will be reading a story and asking the class to answer
some guiding questions.
Materials and Resources with References/Sources:

Teacher

Students

All About Me book

Handouts

Pencil crayons
Pencil

Differentiated Instruction (DI): (accommodations)

To keep students brains alert and engaged, I would have them switch seating every once in a while. For example, when I am
reading the story, I would have the class sit at the carpet area. During our 3 chunked breaks, where we discuss what we have
learned so far, I would move the class to their desks. For someone who is constantly fidgeting, give them special tasks such as
reporting out what they have learned. For students who need more time/help, I would allow them more time, and help them. Maybe
a EA/TA will be in the room to also aid these students. For students who finish early, I may ask them to help their classmates, or
even draw me another picture describing something about themselves that they would like me to know.
Assessment and Evaluation: (formative and summative possibilities related to curricular connections)
Students show what they know through showing connections through story. They apply/transfer new ideas and prior knowledge
through images and words. I will see what they know/have learned by seeing their finished product of their drawing/ writing
connecting to the All About Me book.

Organizational/Management Strategies: (anything special to consider?)

Telling students what to do before they go ahead and do it. For example, when I am giving students instructions, I will say when I
say go, so as to prevent them from getting up and running to where they are supposed to go next before I have finished my
instruction. Sticking to your word is very important. If I tell students to only speak once I call on them if their hand is raised, I cant
abandon that rule. Separating students who often talk to one another may be a good idea as the class will need to be listening to
the story to complete the assignment.
Possible Aboriginal Connections / First Peoples Principles of Learning
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/principles_of_learning.pdf and
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/pdf/aboriginal_education_bc.pdf
* Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
* Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
* Learning requires exploration of ones identity.
Lesson Activities:

Teacher Activities

Student Activities

Pacing
(mins)
5-7

Introduction (hook/motivation/lesson overview)

Inquiry Question~ How can we support a community
of learners through deeply understanding self,
community and place?
*The book itself is the hook; students will want to
know what the book is
*Bring out book. Ask class what they believe the book
will be about

*Try and guess what the book will be about

*Introduce the book and explain that it is about

yourself, and that they are going to try and make
connections from the book to their own lives
*Guiding Question~ Can you find something about me
that you can relate to?

*Think about guiding question

*Hand out previously prepared sheets (box to draw

picture in, and lines underneath to describe picture
and connect to book). Explain what sheets are for.
Get special helper to help hand out the sheets. Ask
class to get out pencils and pencil crayons.

*Special helper helps to hand out sheets to the

class. Class gets out their pencils and pencil crayons
and awaits further instruction.

*When you say go, get class to sit at carpet area

quietly
.

*Go and quietly sit at carpet area when teacher has

said to go

Body

(lesson flow/ management)

*Read All About Me book to class at carpet area

*Listen to the story being told; look at the images

*Chunked into 3 parts*

*After each part, pause to let students reflect. Get
students to partner share, then go around and ask
what are some answers they have come up with
*Record student responses on graphic organizer (tchart) after each chunk. One side represents the part
in your book they connected to, the other side
represents their connection.

*Talk with a partner about what was discussed in the

book. Talk about any connections you may have that
relate to your own life (example- I have a brother
too!). Share answers when called on

30 (10
mins
each
chunk)

*Ask simple questions throughout reading (examplewhen reading birthdate, ask if anyone can guess how
old you are) This can trigger memories from their own
lives that they can relate to. (example- if I show a
picture of my dogs and ask if they have any pets, they
will think of their own lives and their own pets if they
have any. This can later be used as their drawing and
explanation that demonstrates their understanding of
the guiding question and learning outcomes).

*Think of any things in the book you can relate to

*First chunk- Family. Your birthdate, parents/siblings

names, where you live, what you did when you were
little
*Second chunk- Hobbies/pets. What you like to do,
where you have went on vacation, do you own any
pets, and if you do, what are they
*Third chunk- Growing up/future. Do you know
anyone who went to prom/graduated? What do you
want to be when you grow up?
Closure ( connections within lesson or between
lessons, sharing successes, summaries)

10

*Get class to go back to desks

*Return to desks quietly

*Connect back to guiding question- read it again out

loud. See if class can answer it. Give them time to
think it over/discuss with a partner. Go around and
ask them what they found as an answer to the
question.

*Try and figure out the guiding question if you can

with a partner and share your findings when called
upon

*Get them to draw a picture and describe it so that it

shows their understanding of the guiding question and
the book.

*Draw a picture of yourself that relates to the All

About Me book (example: draw yourself with your
dogs, as I have two dogs). Describe your picture in
the space provided below

Reflections: (over)
Reflect on what went well, and what you would rethink for next time you would use this lesson.

Total
Time:
45-47
mins