Lesson Planning in the Elementary Classroom

Lesson planning is a critical part of teaching in the elementary classroom. Effective lesson planning can lead to increased student learning and decreased behavior problems. Lesson planning can come in many different models and forms because there is no ideal format to follow. Teachers need to ensure that their lesson planning format meets their personal teaching style and the suggestions of their school or district. While there is no ideal format, there are several steps and strategies to aid in lesson planning. Teachers begin by first deciding what to teach by looking at curriculum guides and frameworks. They then begin to create goals and objectives to guide their planning and give it direction. After the goals and objectives have been created teachers turn their attention to the activities and lessons that will be taught in order to achieve these objectives. Novice teachers often document each of these goals, objectives, lessons and activities in detailed daily lesson plans. These detailed lesson plans allow novice teachers to be more successful, but as teachers gain experience their plans often become less detailed.