This document provides guidance on writing effective lesson plans. It outlines five key elements of a lesson plan: 1) Motivation, which engages students through an activity or discussion; 2) Instruction/Presentation, which presents new concepts and information; 3) Medial Summary, which checks student understanding mid-lesson; 4) Application, which allows students to apply what they've learned; and 5) Evaluation, which assesses student learning. The document emphasizes establishing clear learning goals and focusing on developing students' enduring understanding of core concepts.

1. Writing a Lesson Plan
April 8, 2012

2. 
A Solid Foundation

3. I. Motivation – Take Them a Step Beyond!
II. Instruction / Presentation / Summary of Reading
III. Medial Summary (Check for Understanding)
IV. Application
V. Evaluation
Elements of a Lesson Plan

4. Other
Teaching Skills
Lesson Planning
Teaching Pyramid

5.  An introductory exercise, activity, or discussion that
should engage and excite students about the topic of
the lesson.
◦ Should function as a “hook” to get student attention;
◦ Relevance, relevance, relevance;
◦ Be creative: use literature, music, film, pop culture references – know
your students!
Motivation - Overview

6.  Written summary of how you will present the
information and concepts that are covered within the
lesson plan.
◦ Includes the initial presentation of the information, including the use of
handouts or prepared summary notes.
◦ Should provide notes/guidelines for how to engage students in the
introduction and explanation of material.
◦ This should also include the questions you plan on asking students to test
their understanding of the material and “push” them; ideally in your
teaching you are asking the right questions to prompt student answers
and discussion to illustrate and understand key concepts.
Instruction / Presentation / Summary of
Reading

7.  This element is basically a check for understanding at
the midpoint of the lesson. It is designed to serve
several functions:
◦ Check student understanding and retention of information covered in the
instruction / presentation portion of the lesson plan.
◦ Can be structured as a class discussion, cooperative learning exercise or
activity, or a Socratic exercise in which random students are asked
questions.
Medial Summary

8.  Interactive student application of the information
learned during the lesson. This element is a chance to
incorporate creative ideas for activities and exercises.
◦ Cooperative Learning;
◦ Games / Competitive Team Exercises;
◦ Role Playing;
Application

9.  This element is a final chance to test student learning,
reinforce key concepts, and employ any assessment
techniques to gather data about the effectiveness of the
lesson plan.
◦ Reinforcement & emphasis of key points;
◦ Reminder of skills developed during application session;
◦ Facilitation of any exit assessments (minute papers, collection of
handouts / cooperative learning work;
Evaluation

10.  What are the major underlying reasons for
planning lessons?
◦ Achieving specific goals of the lesson, which are connected to specific
lessons of the course.
 Lesson plans are essentially blueprints.
The “Why” of Lesson Planning

11.  There are three main NJ LEEP pedagogical goals:
• The development of critical academic skills (e.g. critical
thinking, analytical writing, reading comprehension, public
Skills speaking)
• The development of positive academic habits and routines (e.g.
notetaking, outlining, time management, effective study
Habits techniques)
• Exposure to new concepts, theories, and information. Also
exposure to legal careers, education pathways, and
Exposure academic/professional/career resources.
The “Big Three”

12. Worth Being
Familiar With
Important to
Know and Do
“Enduring”
Understanding
What Do We Want Students to Learn?

13.  Enduring understanding is the core, basic information that we want
students to learn. For example, if you were teaching a lesson on the
4th Amendment, you would want students to know its primary
purpose (preventing illegal searches & seizures) as well as why that
concept is important to our criminal justice system.
 The second level of “important to know and do” is related
information that is important but not absolutely essential. In the case
of the 4th Amendment, you might want your students to also know
more detail about the requirement for police to generally have a
warrant to search private property, and the exceptions to that warrant
requirement. This is important knowledge that adds to how much
they know about the 4th Amendment, but not the foundation, which
would be understanding the fundamental principles behind the
Amendment.
 The third level would be other related knowledge that might be useful
to students (related cases, current events that relate to topics, etc…)
What Do We Want Students to Learn?

14.  “To understand something as a specific instance of a more general case –
which is what understanding a more fundamental structure means – is to
have learned not only a specific thing but also a model for
understanding other things like it that one may
encounter.”
 If you can work with your students to make sure they have a strong level
of knowledge regarding core concepts (“enduring understanding”) of the
topics they have studied, they will be well prepared to continue learning
more about those topics. More importantly, they will be able to make
connections between it an other things that they have already studied or
may study in the future.
One Final Note…