Lesson Plan Challenge

My trial with UClass has propelled me into the challenge of planning lessons that multiple educators across the globe can potentially use. This challenge made me look carefully at UClass's two standard templates, the 5E and 5-Step lesson plans, and the lesson design template I recently created with the new Massachusetts Educator Evaluation Standards in mind. Since I know that all three lesson models have merit, I combined the emphasis in the chart below:

Next, I created a template based on all three to follow when creating UClass lessons.  I created this template to make sure that my work covered the essential elements of quality instruction.

Lesson Planning

Title	Phrased as a question if possible.
Lesson Objective, Rationale, and Success Criteria	Write an easy to measure, meaningful objective. Set goals with students when possible.	Objective: Rationale: Success Criteria:
Grouping In what ways will I group students to foster optimal learning?	Like ability grouping Stronger-more challenged grouping Role grouping Social grouping. Random grouping	Group Size Rationale Specific Groups
Classroom  Set-Up How will I set-up the learning environment to support student success?	Table arrangement Intro/share space set-up Visuals displayed including learning objective, activity menu, vocabulary and other important resources Technology ready to go.	Draw a map or make notes about the learning environment set-up.
Materials: What are the best materials to use in order to develop student learning?	Available and accessible to learners. Hands-on, paper/pencil, tech-related. Create or adapt materials for solving problems. Model material thinking, use and care during focus lesson. Choose materials that best meet the lessons objectives.	Materials List: (Including Technology)
Vocabulary What words and phrases will students need to learn and understand?	Key Words Students and/or teachers create vocabulary cards or bulletin board to support learning.	Word/Phrase Definition

Lesson Roll Out

E N G A G E	Lesson Introduction/ Opening: What engagement strategies will I employ at the start of the lesson?	Capture learners’ attention. Make connections. Tap into students’ emotions/experiences. Use narrative. Good questioning: perplexing, paradoxical, unexpected. Short videos, artifacts. or multi-sensory introduction. Pique curiosity. Connect learning to past learning. Look forward to future learning. 10-15% of entire lesson.	Circle chosen technique(s) on left-hand list.  Then write specific links, details below.
E X P L O R E E X P L A I N E L A B O R A T E	Student Activity What activities will engage students and develop learning?	70%-80% active learning. Give students time to actively explore the concept. Foster student explanation with peers, to the class, and in writing. Guide student learning. Facilitate investigations. Plan so that students are mainly actively engaged in the process with words and actions. Create enrichment and elaboration paths for students who are ready.	Guided Practice, Exploration, and Explanation. Independent, Collaborative Practice, Exploration and Explanation. Enrichment and Elaboration
E V A L U A T E	Closing/ Assessment/ Evaluation Measurable objectives How will the teacher and students assess learning at the end of a lesson?	10%-15% closing share, next steps discussion. Assess the learning using the predetermined measurement. Observation Exit Ticket Writing Quick Quiz Class Share Assessment of Activity Results Explain evaluation procedures with students. Rubric. Criteria list.	Closing Evaluation

After that I simplified the effort even more by leaving out the descriptive information that I won't need once I complete five or so lessons with this new template.

Lesson Planning

Title
Lesson Objective, Rationale, and Success Criteria	Objective: Rationale: Success Criteria:
Grouping In what ways will I group students to foster optimal learning?	Group Size Rationale Specific Groups
Classroom Set-Up How will I set-up the learning environment to support student success?	Draw a map or make notes about the learning environment set-up.
Materials: What are the best materials to use in order to develop student learning?	Materials List: (Including Technology)
Vocabulary What words and phrases will students need to learn and understand?	Word/Phrase Definition

Lesson Roll Out

E N G A G E	Lesson Introduction/ Opening: What engagement strategies will I employ at the start of the lesson?	Circle chosen technique(s) on left-hand list.  Then write specific links, details below.
E X P L O R E E X P L A I N E L A B O R A T E	Student Activity What activities will engage students and develop learning?	Guided Practice, Exploration, and Explanation. Independent, Collaborative Practice, Exploration and Explanation. Enrichment and Elaboration
E V A L U A T E	Closing/ Assessment/ Evaluation Measurable objectives How will the teacher and students assess learning at the end of a lesson?	Closing Evaluation

Though tedious at first, these structures will foster thoughtful, detailed lesson design--design that can strengthen response to students' needs, interests, and passions.