This document provides instructions for creating lessons in itsLearning. There are two main ways to create a lesson: using the planner or directly in the course tree. Both methods allow adding resources and activities, which are the most important elements as they provide content for students and allow them to submit assignments. An example is given of creating a simple writing assignment activity that students can submit work to. Teachers are then instructed to spend 10-15 minutes creating their own courses and assignments for students to work independently.

1. ITS LEARNING:
BIG IDEAS: CREATING A LESSON
THE SIMPLEST WAY TO BEGIN USING WITH STUDENTS
PRESENTED BY : KENYATTA CLARKE

2. THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOU CAN CREATE A
LESSON (A PLAN IN ITSLEARNING LINGO).
• The Planner is a more formal or systematic way of creating a lesson. It’s more like lesson
“planning”.
• Using the Planner has more options and may be the better way to make lessons. For
example, scheduling when lessons become active (visible to students) is easier when you
use the Planner.
• Things you create in the Planner automatically appear in the Course Tree. The reverse is
not true.
• To Create a Lesson (a Plan) in the Planner
• Click Planner in the left pane. [Sorry, this next small point is much easier to see than to explain…] In
the Planner, you may or may not be using “Topics”, which may have been renamed “Subject/Course”.
These are just folders to hold groups of lessons. If you are using these, go into the desired
Topic/Subject/Course/folder so you create your lesson in the right place.
• Click “+ Add plan”…

4. SEE VIDEO BELOW
A

5. • BIG IDEA: You’ll see approximately a million fields there in the Planner, but
the two important parts are where it says “Add Activity” and “Add Resource”.
Why are these the important parts? Because…
BIG IDEA: Resources and Activities are your interface with students—your
output/input.
Resources = information output from you to students (the stuff you’re trying
to teach them)
Activities = information input back to you from students (completed
assignments, tests)
• Creating a lesson (a Plan) directly in the Course Tree is simpler
because, unlike in the Planner, in the Course Tree you deal ONLY with
the two important parts, Resources and Activities.
• Maybe you’re required to use the Planner. Still, understanding how
the two important things, Resources and Activities, are central to
both the Planner and the Course Tree will make things much clearer
to you.

6. • To Create a Lesson (a Plan) in the Course Tree
• Click “+ Add” at the bottom of the Course Tree (see screenshot in
upper-right corner of this page).
• You’ll immediately see the screen for adding Resources and Activities.
So…
• BIG IDEA: Either way, Planner or Course Tree, the important
things are Resources and Activities.
• Next see “itsLearning -Big Ideas - Resources and Activities” for
more big ideas.

7. • If you’ve been following along, you know that in “itsLearning -
Big Ideas - Resources and Activities” can do everything you
probably want to do as a beginner--and do it all by itself. Let’s
use the very versatile Assignment to get us started using
itsLearning with our students.
• In “itsLearning - Big Ideas - Creating a Lesson - Planner Vs.
Course Tree”, we learned that you can add Resources and
Activities (an Assignment is an Activity) whether you’re building
your lesson from the Planner or from the Course Tree. In this
example, we’ll build from the Course Tree.
• Scenario: You want your students to write a few paragraphs
about something and turn in their writing to you. Easy!

9. There are other options on the Assignment creation page,
but those pictured are a minimum to get you going.
The “Add to grade book” option doesn’t do anything (yet).
This is really all there is to it. Your students will see the
assignment in the Course Tree or in the “Planner” Content
Block on your course’s Dashboard.
When you look at the Assignment, you’ll see a list of your
students at the bottom with a link to take you straight to
their submission for easy grading.
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
The next thing to try is having your students complete
the Assignment by uploading a file instead of typing into
the text box. Students will see a “+ Add File” button
when they view the Assignment, so it’s a no-brainer. Just
make sure you explain this in your instructions (step 5).

10. SEE VIDEO BELOW
B

11. YOUR TURN
• Now we will take about 10-15 minutes to create courses and assignments for your class.
Think about what you are teaching, the assignments you can post so that your students
can work independently, and the directions you will give so that there is no confusion or
need to ask multiple questions. When you have finished add my name to the last list so
that I can see your course and offer any assistance if needed.
• Thank you for viewing this presentation.
Kenyatta Clarke
Library Media Specialist