5 Common Types Of Lesson Plans.

 

Since I looked at the 5e lesson plan last time, I'm taking time to look at five general categories.  Some schools require a week's worth of daily lesson plans turned in on the Monday.  Others look at unpacking standards to create a unit or semester plan, and then there is the yearly pacing guide.  I think it it important to look at each of the general categories in detail.

The first type of lesson plans are the daily ones. A daily lesson plan usually has the learning objective and some sort of assessment to determine if the students learned the material.  It is also the most detailed lesson plan filled with standards, purpose, activities, timing and are based on unit lesson plans.  This is the one I've been most often required to do.  The best situation was when I had to turn in the plans at the end of the week showing what I actually got done.

Next is the weekly lesson plan.  This lists the learning objective for the whole week.  These can be fairly detailed because they provide the overall view of the whole week from start to finish.  The idea is the teacher uses the first three days to cover the topic and lets the students practice the material for the last two days.  In addition, there is an assessment planned for the final day so the teacher can see how well students learned the material.

The third type of lesson plan is the unit lesson plans which looks at a whole unit.  The whole unit might be a complete chapter in the textbook, or it might be fractions from start to finish.  This type of lesson plan allows the teacher to vary the pace based on how well the students learn the material.  This type of lesson plans looks at the scope and sequence for the unit along with the sequential lessons, that make up that part of the scope and sequence.   These are better for teaching students to meet long term goals.

Next is the subject specific lesson plan. This type of lesson plan is used by a teacher who teaches more than one subject.  This could apply to the math teacher who teaches geometry, algebra I, and algebra II, or the elementary teacher who teaches science, reading, and math.  Such lesson plans can allow more time to differentiate so students are able to make certain goals.

Finally, there is the grade specific lesson plan.  This applies to those who teach social studies across 5th, 6th, and 7th, grades where they have to have a separate lesson plan for each grade.  Each grade requires certain things be covered so that each grade is done separately so the standards are met.  I teach a 6th grade math, 7th grade math, and 8th grade math and I have a lesson plan for each grade because each book covers different topics in a different order.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.