Lesson planning, although rarely a favorite, is one of the most critical steps in the teaching process.
However, ask any teacher, and we’re sure they’ll come up with a full list of tedious activities they would choose over lesson planning any time.
If you’re one of the teachers that can’t keep track of any more lesson plans and desperately need to cut down on their time spent creating lesson plans, we’re happy to tell you that you’ve come to the right place.
We’re bringing you 36 lesson plan templates that cover virtually every lesson, subject, and type of class you can possibly need, so you never have to worry about writing another lesson plan from scratch.
Before we dive into the lesson plan templates, we’ll quickly go over the lesson plan definition and list out the main components of a lesson plan.
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What is a lesson plan?
A lesson plan is a document created by teachers that serves as a detailed outline of the lesson’s:
- Objectives,
- Learning activities,
- Materials,
- Timeline,
- Take home tasks,
- Pedagogical methods,
- Teacher’s expectations, and
- Assessment.
Lesson plans can be made for a single lesson, a day, a week, or an entire unit. The lesson plan format naturally depends on the requirements of the institution as well as various other factors, such as the age of the students and the subject of the class.
What is the importance of a lesson plan for teachers and students?
Lesson plans’ benefits are multifold both for teachers and students.
When created properly, lesson plans help teachers:
- Execute a smooth and productive lesson,
- Make sure their lessons are well-structured,
- Achieve impeccable time management and planning,
- Ensure they cover all the main points in lectures,
- Be prepared for potential friction,
- Prepare the materials,
- Enable self-assessment, and
- Create reusable plans for future use.
On the other hand, students benefit from professionally structured lesson plans as well, especially when teachers provide them with some version of their school lesson plan before class.
Here’s how a teacher might use Pumble, the instant messaging app, to share their plan with a group of students.
Create a more complete learning experience with Pumble
Sharing your lesson plan ahead of time can help students:
- Understand what to expect,
- Be up to speed on the topics and modules that will be covered in a lesson, and
- Know which materials they will need during class.
Though some might say that younger students have a natural resistance to any type structure, Haley DeSousa, M.Ed., Head of Curriculum and Instruction at an early education center, shared that effective lesson planning is a helpful guide for children:
“In early childhood education, structure is not about rigidity; it’s about creating a rhythm that supports curiosity, engagement, and social-emotional growth. Thoughtful lesson plans allow educators to guide children through intentional experiences while remaining responsive to their developmental needs and interests.”
But, ultimately, both teachers and students can only experience these benefits if your lesson plan model is well-structured.
With that in mind, let’s talk about some of the key components of any good lesson plan.
What are the key components of a lesson plan?
Depending on the facility you work at and your personal style and preferences, you can make your lesson plans more or less customized and stylized.
However, regardless of your specific approach, it’s important to always keep in mind the 5 main parts of a lesson plan and structure your lesson plan templates around these.
The 5 key components of a lesson plan are:
- Subject area — the topic you’re focusing on for the duration of the lesson,
- Standards alignment — ensuring your lessons are aligned to state standards,
- Teaching goals and objectives — targets you are trying to achieve and how the students will get there,
- Procedure — any learning activities and experiences you can arrange to achieve student learning objectives, and
- Assessment — tests and problem sets for students to practice their skills and knowledge and for teachers to provide constructive feedback.
Having a reusable lesson plan template that includes these key components can take some of the guesswork out of creating lesson plans while allowing teachers more freedom, according to Annie Jenson, the Director of Curriculum for a Social Studies Education nonprofit organization:
“With a solid framework in place, teachers can intentionally integrate various elements, such as literacy development, movement activities, and inquiry-based opportunities that aren’t often prioritized. This thoughtful planning cultivates a classroom environment where all students have the opportunity to thrive without continually demanding educators to reinvent the wheel.”
In other words, teachers can take the weight of lesson planning off their shoulders by finding high-quality online resources — like the lesson plan templates we’re about to share!
Lesson plan templates for teachers
Now that we’ve covered the key components you might want to include in your lesson plan, it’s time to talk about the 36 lesson plan templates we’ve prepared for you.
You’re sure to find a suitable lesson plan format in one of the 9 categories below, which include:
- The best lesson plan templates in general (if you’re looking for a simple lesson plan template to get you started),
- Time-based lesson plan templates (with examples of a weekly lesson plan template and more),
- 6 categories for institutional level-based lesson plan templates (which include a lesson plan format for primary school teachers, early education institutions, and even college lesson plan templates), as well as
- Subject-based lesson plan templates for all your basic subjects.
For each of our lesson plan templates, we’ve created an editable document version as well as a print-friendly, black and white version.
Best of all, both versions are completely free to download and easy to use!
So, to make the mundane task of lesson planning a bit easier to manage, find the lesson plan template that works for you and get cracking!
Category #1: Best lesson plan templates in general
For our first category, we’ve compiled a list of the best editable lesson plan templates that can be applied universally across multiple lesson types.
Depending on your specific lesson and class type, you can use some (or all) of these printable and editable lesson plan examples with some adjustments and write your lesson plans in a matter of minutes.
Template #1: Blank lesson plan template
For starters, let’s kick things off with the most universal blank lesson plan template.
The reason we’re starting our round of lesson plan templates with this precise template is that it’s super versatile and adjustable for multiple lesson types, subjects, grade levels, and time periods.
Just choose how you want to structure your lesson plan format and adjust our blank lesson plan template accordingly!
🔽 Download the Blank lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Blank lesson plan template
Use a blank lesson plan template when you need a simple but super editable lesson plan.
Share lesson plans with your coworkers over Pumble
Template #2: Simple lesson plan template
Our simple lesson plan template is perfect for those times when you need a lesson plan outline you can quickly fill out.
Use it for inspiration to create your own simple lesson plan template you can use any time you need to cover the lesson plan basics.
🔽 Download the Simple lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Simple lesson plan template
Template #3: Small group lesson plan template
Teaching a small group of students requires a somewhat different approach than preparing a lesson plan for a full classroom.
After all, small group settings allow you to focus on individual students by creating opportunities for:
- Sufficient practice,
- Active participation of all group members,
- More successful teamwork activities, and
- The provision of feedback.
To maximize and encourage all of these small group opportunities, you’ll need to customize your lesson plan format. Our editable lesson plan sample should help you balance your teaching goals and your students’ learning activities.
Use our editable template as inspiration to customize your lesson plan, or use our entire structure and print out your completed small group lesson plan templates.
🔽 Download the Small group lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Small group lesson plan template
Hold virtual classes for small groups on Pumble
Template #4: Special education lesson plan template
If you’re in special education, practicing effective lesson planning means keeping your students’ specific needs in mind.
In addition to meeting the diverse needs and abilities of each individual student, creating lesson plans for a special education class should also:
- Define clear objectives,
- Promote active learning through engaging activities,
- Keep the students’ specific learning objectives in mind,
- Facilitate meaningful closure activities, and
- Address IEP (Individualized Education Program) goals.
Because of this, special education lesson plan formats tend to be somewhat unique.
For example, our special education lesson plan template also includes a space where you can note any modifications to the curriculum or learning activities you might want to use with certain students or groups.
So, if you’ve never created a lesson plan for special education students, feel free to borrow the lesson plan template below.
🔽 Download the Special education lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Special education lesson plan template
Template #5: Mini lesson plan template
If you’re looking for the most basic lesson plan template you can use as a starting point, we’ve got you covered.
Our mini lesson plan template can be used as a foundation and customized to fit multiple lesson types, featuring the basic lesson plan components, including:
- Learning objectives,
- Tasks, and
- Notes.
🔽 Download the Mini lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Mini lesson plan template
Keep communication simple with Pumble
Template #6: Homeschool lesson plan template
The best and simultaneously the worst thing about homeschool lesson planning is that it allows for unlimited flexibility.
It’s like you’re always one sunny day away from letting your pupils ditch the Math test while you hop on your (educational) field trip to the nearest park.
However, having a solid lesson plan model should help you stick to the regularly scheduled programming. As it happens, we have the perfect homeschool lesson plan template to help you reach your teaching goals.
🔽 Download the Homeschool lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Homeschool lesson plan template
Create a homeschooling community on Pumble
Template #7: Creative curriculum lesson plan template
Creative curriculum lessons are a great way to develop students’ critical thinking skills and build their confidence through engaging in hands-on activities.
Using interactive learning activities like art, theater, field trips, experiments, and guest lectures can help your students engage with the curriculum on a more meaningful level.If you need some help creating lesson plans that can inspire and engage your students, try using our creative curriculum lesson plan example as a template.
🔽 Download the Creative curriculum lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Creative curriculum lesson plan template
Create your digital classroom in Pumble
Category #2: Lesson plan templates by time period
If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to design and organize your lesson plans by different time periods, you’re in for a treat.
Our second category of lesson plan templates consists of 7 lesson plan examples you can use to write and organize your students’ learning activities for the:
- Day,
- Week,
- Following 2-week period,
- Month,
- Quarter,
- Semester, or
- Year.
No matter which time span you choose to focus on, the following lesson plan templates should help you practice more effective lesson planning all year round.
Template #1: Daily lesson plan template
Looking for inspiration on how to design a more detailed lesson plan outlining the purpose, goals, and activities of your lessons over the course of a day?
Our comprehensive daily lesson plan template has plenty of space for you to jot down all of your ideas and observations without skipping the important beats every lesson should hit.
🔽 Download the Daily lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Daily lesson plan template
Share daily updates with faculty members on Pumble
Template #2: Weekly lesson plan template
If you’re creating lesson plans for the week, you can either use 5 of the daily lesson plans we have just shared or put a shortened version of your class schedule on one weekly lesson plan template.
Either way, your classes will be organized to perfection. Here’s a look at our weekly lesson plan template, so you can decide how you’d like to organize your upcoming classes.
🔽 Download the Weekly lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Weekly lesson plan template
Template #3: Bi-weekly lesson plan template
If you prefer knowing what you’ll be doing a couple of weeks in advance, you can always use a bi-weekly lesson plan template.
The following lesson plan format is a bit more broad than the ones we have just shared, allowing you to input more general ideas about the learning activities you’d like to use in the coming weeks.
We’ve left this lesson plan template more open-ended, so you’ll have more opportunity to customize it according to your teaching goals.
🔽 Download the Bi-weekly lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Bi-weekly lesson plan template
Check in with your students on Pumble
Template #4: Monthly lesson plan template
Monthly lesson plans offer an even broader perspective compared to daily and weekly lesson plans.
For example, your monthly lesson plan can include your ideas for the:
- Topics you’ll cover,
- Volume, dates, and formats of your student assessments,
- Homework you’ll assign, and
- Types of resources you’ll use.
To wrap it up, we’ve even included a section for important reminders. But, of course, feel free to adjust any of our sample lesson plan templates to make them suit your needs.
🔽 Download the Monthly lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Monthly lesson plan template
Template #5: Quarterly lesson plan template
Using a quarterly lesson plan format lets you get your priorities straight by organizing everything your students will be doing over the next couple of months.
In addition to being able to clearly outline your main teaching goals and learning objectives, our quarterly lesson plan template also lets you input anything you’ll need to remember in the future.
Once you’ve created a lesson plan outlining the next several months, you can use it to fill out your monthly and weekly lesson plan template, too.
🔽 Download the Quarterly lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Quarterly lesson plan template
Template #6: Semester lesson plan template
While our quarterly lesson plan template lets you see basically the whole school year at a glance, a semester lesson plan format is great for viewing half a year at a time.
Namely, it lets you consider key components of your school lesson plan such as:
- Course objectives,
- Lesson plan outlines,
- Performance objectives,
- Classroom rules,
- Grading policy, and
- Resources and materials.
So, if you’re looking for a lesson plan template that is both far-reaching and detailed, try using our comprehensive semester lesson plan template.
🔽 Download the Semester lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Semester lesson plan template
Template #7: Yearly lesson plan template
As its name suggests, a yearly lesson plan requires planning for a full school year, including (but not limited to) categories such as:
- Themes or topics of discussion,
- Learning objectives, and
- Specific outcomes.
Here’s an example of a yearly lesson plan you can customize to your liking.
🔽 Download the Yearly lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Yearly lesson plan template
Get in touch with your coworkers on Pumble
Category #3: Preschool lesson plan templates
Preschool lesson planning comes with a unique set of challenges and responsibilities, most of which have to do with:
- Ensuring a set of developmentally appropriate learning activities,
- Planning for enough free play time, and
- Being reflective and flexible to create space for individual goals, abilities, and interests.
To help you get started on your preschool lesson planning, we’ve prepared two lesson plan examples that might suit your circumstances.
Template #1: Weekly preschool lesson plan
Our first preschool lesson template offers a simple weekly lesson plan focused on the overarching theme planned for that week, broken down into activity sections.
Take a look to get inspired or adjust our editable preschool lesson plan template to fit your ideas and topics. ion and customize it to fit your ideas and topics.
🔽 Download the Weekly preschool lesson plan
🔽 Download the printable Weekly preschool lesson plan
Template #2: Blank preschool lesson plan
If you’re looking for a more freeform preschool lesson plan template you can customize to your liking, this is the one for you.
Feel free to use our blank lesson plan sample for preschool lesson planning — or just use it as a lesson plan example as you create your own template.
🔽 Download the Blank preschool lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Blank preschool lesson plan template
Keep your preschoolers’ parents in the loop on Pumble
Category #4: Kindergarten lesson plan templates
Lesson planning for kindergarten brings about a special responsibility no teacher wants to take for granted. You’re well aware that this is your students’ first experience with formal education, so you want to help them get off to a good start.
Although super creative and rewarding, effective lesson planning for kindergarten can also be a real challenge. That’s why we’ve prepared a couple of kindergarten lesson plan templates to help you get started.
Template #1: Weekly kindergarten lesson plan template
If you’re looking for a simple weekly template for a kindergarten lesson plan, you can use the following lesson plan template.
Alternatively, you can use it as a starting point as you endeavor to create your own weekly lesson plan template for kindergarten.
🔽 Download the Weekly kindergarten lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Weekly kindergarten lesson plan template
Template #2: Blank kindergarten lesson plan template
On the other hand, if you believe that having a more flexible lesson plan format would be more helpful, you could try this simple lesson plan template.
Our blank lesson plan format for teachers who specialize in early education will let you organize your class by topic, without losing sight of your student learning objectives.
And, on top of that, you’ll also have plenty of space to jot down your ideas for learning activities and independent student work.
🔽 Download the Blank kindergarten lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Blank kindergarten lesson plan template
Get everyone on the same page with Pumble
Category #5: Elementary school lesson plan templates
Effective lesson planning is an absolute must for elementary or primary school teachers, who are faced with the challenge of turning kindergarteners into proper students.
Since elementary school curriculums tend to follow a more rigid timeline, our lesson plan format for primary school teachers will naturally be a bit more structured.
As with the previous two categories, we’ve come up with two lesson plan examples that should be useful for elementary school teachers.
Template #1: Weekly elementary school lesson plan template
If you’re looking for a somewhat condensed version of a blank lesson plan structure, you can use our weekly elementary school lesson plan template. It features the basics of elementary school lesson planning with a full weekly lesson plan structure.
🔽 Download the Weekly elementary school lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Weekly elementary school lesson plan template
Template #2: Blank elementary school lesson plan template
If you want a super flexible lesson plan template with plenty of space and options to structure the key components of your school lesson plan, this template will be perfect for you.
As always, you can either use it as inspiration or fill out and print the entire lesson plan if it’s in line with what you had in mind.
🔽 Download the Blank elementary school lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Blank elementary school lesson plan template
Category #6: Middle school lesson plan templates
Teaching middle schoolers can be pretty tricky. At that age, kids tend to be pretty resistant to learning, so increasing in-class engagement is a crucial part of effective lesson planning for middle school classes.
With that in mind, we’ve come up with two lesson plan examples you can use to structure your middle school curriculum.
Template #1: Middle school creative project lesson plan template
Since in-class engagement tends to dip around the time kids become preteens, middle school teachers should take it upon themselves to motivate their students into reaching their learning objectives.
One way to do so would be to provide ample opportunities for self-expression, which plays a critical role in middle school students’ developmental and educational journeys.
Therefore, creating lesson plans that incorporate more creative learning activities can be just the thing you need to inspire your students.If you’re not sure how you can go about doing so, check out our creative project lesson plan template for middle school teachers below.
🔽 Download the Middle school creative project lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable middle school creative project lesson plan template
Template #2: Weekly middle school lesson plan template
If you’re looking for a more standard middle school lesson plan template you can use to organize the week ahead, this will be the perfect lesson plan format for you.
In the lesson plan example below, you can find a standard weekly lesson plan template for middle school teachers that features all the basic components of a lesson plan, plus an additional section for reflection, which should serve to encourage student feedback and self-reflection.
🔽 Download the Weekly middle school lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Weekly middle school lesson plan template
Keep your students’ parents in the loop with Pumble
Category #7: High school lesson plan templates
Now, if you’re looking for a great high school lesson plan template, you’ll want to find one that leaves plenty of space for individual and group learning activities.
Since high school lesson plans tend to focus more on these types of student learning opportunities, teachers can take on the role of a facilitator between students or groups.
With that in mind, we’ve prepared two lesson plan examples that prioritize more diverse learning activities for high school students.
Template #1: Single-lesson high school lesson plan template
Using high school lesson plan templates that focus on the learning objectives you want to achieve during a single lesson is the best way to ensure your students are truly taking in what you’re trying to teach them.
This type of single lesson plan format allows you to be as detailed as you want to be while still giving you the flexibility you need to handle individual students’ educational needs.
If you’ve never created a lesson plan for an individual lesson before, perhaps this high school lesson plan template can show you how it can be done.
🔽 Download the Single-lesson high school lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Single-lesson high school lesson plan template
Template #2: Weekly high school lesson plan template
Just like the weekly lesson plan templates we’ve created for early education institutions, this weekly high school lesson plan template provides a useful overview of the week ahead.
As always, you can either use our weekly lesson plan template directly or create your own based on the key components we have included.
🔽 Download the Weekly high school lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Weekly high school lesson plan template
Category #8: College lesson plan templates
Generally speaking, college and university professors tend to have a more regimented approach to their lesson planning, following the lesson plan format provided by their institution.
However, if you’ve been left to your own devices and asked to come up with your own lesson plans, you’ll find the following two lesson plan templates useful.
Template #1: Standard college lesson plan template
A standard college lesson plan template offers an outline of the key components of effective lesson planning, allowing you to fill out your:
- Teaching goals,
- Prerequisite knowledge,
- Relevant standards and indicators,
- Procedures or learning activities, as well as your
- Assessment and follow-up plans.
Having said that, let’s take a look at our college lesson plan example.
🔽 Download the Standard college lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Standard college lesson plan template
Share important class updates on Pumble
Template #2: Simple college lesson plan template
While the standard lesson plan template we’ve shared above can be used to thoroughly outline a single lesson, this simple college lesson plan template can help you organize several lectures around the same topic.
Alternatively, you can also use this lesson plan format to break a single lecture into segments by indicating the duration of each segment in the final column within the template.
As always, the way you use our lesson plan sample is completely up to you.
🔽 Download the Simple college lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Simple college lesson plan template
Category #9: School subject lesson plan templates
When creating lesson plans for specific school subjects, most teachers find that all their lesson plan formats follow the standard structure, while highlighting certain key components that are relevant to their course.
Variations and specific distinctive features can be found in categories such as:
- Teaching methods,
- Types of learning activities, and
- Types of materials, tools, and resources you use.
To illustrate that point, we’ve prepared 10 editable lesson plan templates for specific school subjects. Use them as a starting point and customize them as you see fit, or fill them out and print the copies if they are in line with your vision.
Template #1: Math lesson plan template
As a Math teacher, you’re most certainly familiar with the challenge of translating complex math problems into simpler concepts everyone can understand.
This is why effective lesson planning is key. Namely, it allows you to think ahead and plan your lessons and learning activities in advance, thus making sure you can provide plenty of relevant examples and anticipate and better prepare for potential challenges.
With that in mind, here’s our take on a simple lesson plan template you can use to outline your Math classes.
🔽 Download the Math lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Math lesson plan template
Create a collaborative learning experience with Pumble
Template #2: Science lesson plan template
Creating lesson plans for a Science class can be a pretty creative endeavor, allowing you to incorporate all sorts of special materials and experimental learning activities.
Thinking outside the box in this regard is the best way to help your students grasp complex science concepts through hands-on learning activities.The lesson plan example below shows what that kind of class might look like in practice.
🔽 Download the Science lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Science lesson plan template
Share resources with your class on Pumble
Template #3: History lesson plan template
Unlike Science, which often has engaging learning activities built into the curriculum, History requires a teacher who is able to present subject matter in an engaging way.
However, being able to do so is not just a matter of having charisma — it’s also about having a sensible lesson plan.
Luckily, our lesson plan template for History lessons should make planning engaging History lessons a breeze.
🔽 Download the History lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable History lesson plan template
Template #4: Geography lesson plan template
Geography is another subject that can be a bit dry, depending on the teacher’s presenting method. Even so, it is absolutely crucial for students’ understanding of the world.
The following lesson plan template will help you keep the focus on what really matters.
🔽 Download the Geography lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Geography lesson plan template
Discuss learning objectives with faculty members on Pumble
Template #5: English lesson plan template
As an English teacher, you’re already enjoying the benefits of having some of the widest variety of themes, topics, and resources from which to draw inspiration and organize your English language lessons around.
Now, all you need is a solid lesson plan format to organize all your teaching goals and learning activities.
🔽 Download the English lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable English lesson plan template
Template #6: Music lesson plan template
One of the most common challenges faced by Music teachers is staying on track and letting the specific teaching goals guide their lessons, as opposed to going completely off script, causing their class to descend into madness.
To ensure your lessons keep at least some semblance of a structure while still leaving enough room for creative improvisation, consider using our lesson plan template to make sure your Music class stays on track.
🔽 Download the Music lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Music lesson plan template
Send audio and video messages on Pumble
Template #7: Art lesson plan template
Though some might say Art teachers can get away with having no lesson plan — we beg to differ.
Using a well-thought-out lesson plan template (like the one below) can take the guesswork out of your lesson planning process, making sure your students never lack the tools they’ll need to complete their coursework.
🔽 Download the Art lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Art lesson plan template
Template #8: Biology lesson plan template
Biology teachers can make their classes more interesting by incorporating all sorts of experiments, lab tests, and fun exploratory projects.
However, all those engaging learning activities need to be planned ahead of time — which is where our lesson plan template for Biology teachers might come in handy.
🔽 Download the Biology lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Biology lesson plan template
Coordinate with other faculty members on Pumble
Template #9: Drama lesson plan template
Planning your Drama lessons is both super rewarding and creative, but it can also get quite overwhelming.
Using our editable Drama lesson plan template lets you focus on your teaching goals without compromising your students’ enjoyment of the subject matter.
🔽 Download the Drama lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Drama lesson plan template
Template #10: Physical Education lesson plan template
Physical Education is another subject that can be somewhat difficult to quantify and adjust to individual students’ ability levels.
But, just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Check out our PE lesson plan template for an idea of what a single-lesson plan can look like.
🔽 Download the Physical Education lesson plan template
🔽 Download the printable Physical Education lesson plan template
How to create a lesson plan template
Now that we’ve covered almost every type of lesson plan example there is, we wanted to see how the experts go about creating lesson plan templates or adjusting them to suit their needs.
Let’s see what advice they had for you!
Tip #1: Set realistic goals and timing
Remember that classroom dynamics are not a fixed variable, and no amount of good intention will make you reach the main goal or activity if you miscalculated the time for the warm-up activity, for example.
Sure, realistic goal setting mainly depends on your experience as a teacher. However, even the less experienced instructors can still aim for simplicity and realistic aims.
When in doubt about the time estimates, it’s a good rule of thumb to plan for longer than you think you’ll need. According to our contributor, Christopher Hathaway, a College Prep Advisor, it’s best to always “account for more time than you think you’ll need.”
He elaborates:
“It’s better to run out of time having engaged the students from start to finish than it is to scramble for filler. Students can sniff out busy work.”
On the other hand, some experts, like Haley DeSousa, advise teachers to avoid over-planning:
“Leave space in your schedule and your materials for children to take the lead. The best learning often happens in moments you didn’t plan for.”
If you’re holding your classes in a virtual classroom over an internal communication software like Pumble, you can let your students take the lead by inviting them to raise their hand during class, as illustrated by the image below.
Use Pumble video calls to host engaging classes
Tip #2: Keep your lessons student-centric
To inspire maximum engagement and productivity from your students, Haley DeSousa recommends adapting a student-centric approach to lesson planning:
“Start with the child, not the curriculum. Observe children closely to understand what captures their attention, and design around those interests. This helps transform a generic template into something meaningful.”
To that end, Christopher Hathaway adds that teachers should also note how the timing of their class impacts students’ attention and productivity:
“Be aware of when the class is taking place, and understand how that timing will impact the students. Is it the first period when some kids still have one foot in bed, or the last, when their minds are already fried? Always be conscious of the work that needs to be done, but remain sensitive to student needs, and be prepared to engage them in a different way with (relevant) one-off exercises if necessary.”
Tip #3: Make sure your lesson plans are clear and easy to follow
Another important tip to keep in mind when creating lesson plans is that they shouldn’t only make sense to you, but others as well.
For example, you might decide to switch to a different job — or you might end up having to take an extended sick leave.
In either case, you’d want your replacement to be able to pick up where you left off and give your students the education they deserve.
Following a solid lesson plan format and keeping a record of previous lesson plans will make that transition much easier for everyone involved.
Onboard new teachers easily with Pumble
Tip #4: Fill out the template as much as possible
If you’re going to use lesson plan templates, you might as well do it right.
Take the time to fill out the lesson plan template you’ve chosen and really adjust it to your liking.
By ironing out the minuscule details of your lesson beforehand, you’re ensuring you’re prepared for potential setbacks, and you also, paradoxically, feel more comfortable reading the room and improvising on the spot if the opportunity presents itself to go off script.
After each class, be sure to reflect and revise your lesson plan template for future reference, as Haley DeSousa advises:
“Document what worked, what didn’t, and what new questions emerged. This keeps your planning process dynamic and child-centered.”
When you know you can always go back to your original structure, you get the confidence to play with different strategies and learning activities.
Tip #5: Establish a routine
Creating lesson plans takes time and energy you’d probably much rather spend enjoying your time off instead of preparing for work.
This is why it’s paramount to do whatever it’s necessary to motivate yourself to include this activity in your regular weekly schedule.
Make it a routine to deliberately set aside some time each week to focus on developing your lesson plans.
One way to make developing this routine easier would be to avoid coming up with creative learning activities for every lesson in favor of simplicity, as Annie Jenson told us:
“While creative learning experiences can be exciting, they aren’t always sustainable for daily instruction (nor is it always in the best interest of student learning). That’s why we prioritize thoughtful, consistent structures that support both teachers and students.”
Before you know it, lesson planning will become a routine task, and you’ll notice it getting easier and less time-consuming as you go on.
Tip #6: Leave room for improvisation
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that, although pivotal, lesson plans are not the end-all-be-all of teaching.
While it’s super valuable to have a detailed structure for your lessons you can fall back on, it’s equally important to keep your plan flexible and be ready to go with the flow of the class.
Indeed, being able to observe and adapt to your students is a crucial skill for teachers in a digital age, according to Annie Jenson:
“In this digital age, students’ attention spans, learning preferences, and education goals often differ greatly from those of previous generations. As a result, teachers need to be adept at meeting the diverse needs of today’s learners.”
So, don’t forget to tailor your lesson plans to accommodate individual student needs and abilities.
Practice effective lesson planning and reach your teaching goals with Pumble
Effective lesson planning is essential for educators to deliver engaging and impactful learning experiences. The templates provided in this article serve as valuable resources to streamline the planning process and cater to diverse teaching needs.
However, even with comprehensive templates, collaboration and communication among educators and students remain vital. This is where tools like Pumble, a communication app for educators, come into play.
Pumble by CAKE.com is a team communication app with an intuitive interface and robust features. It facilitates seamless collaboration for teachers and students, enabling them to share ideas, resources, and feedback in real time or asynchronously.
Pumble lets you:
- Send direct messages to faculty leaders or students as necessary,
- Keep faculty communications separate from your messages to your students by using private and public channels,
- Organize your communication into separate message threads,
- Share files like your lesson plan templates with other faculty members and even students, thanks to Pumble’s spacious storage capacity,
- Host virtual classes and share your screen with your students, and
- Have students use reminders to stay on top of any assignments.
By leveraging Pumble, educators can enhance their lesson planning process by fostering collaboration, saving time, and ultimately improving the quality of education for their students.
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