Mentor TeachingIdeas into everyday teaching

Teaching need

Lesson Planning Fundamentals

Start with the lesson goal, plan a teachable sequence, and build an adjustment path before class begins.

Search the full library

Choose a route

Build a complete plan or repair a missing lesson stage. Start with the definition and worked template, then use timing, substitution, or adjustment guides for the constraint you face.

Start with a teaching decision

  1. What Is a Lesson Plan? Parts, Template, and Example

    Copy the template and fill in the learning objective and evidence of learning before selecting activities.

  2. How to Write an Effective Lesson Plan: Objective, Model, Practice, and Assessment

    Copy the template and complete the objective and evidence fields before choosing activities, materials, or technology.

  3. Adapting Lesson Plans Mid-Instruction: Evidence Signals, Supports, and Time-Loss Responses

    Write the evidence signal that will trigger support, extension, or shortening before teaching the next lesson.

Recently revised guides

15 guides and examples

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Contingency planning guide · 15–20 minutes

Adapting Lesson Plans Mid-Instruction: Evidence Signals, Supports, and Time-Loss Responses

Prepare mid-lesson adaptations by defining the nonnegotiable objective, evidence checks, extension, support, time-loss response, and conditions for each change.

Best for: Teachers planning in-lesson adjustments

Next action: Write the evidence signal that will trigger support, extension, or shortening before teaching the next lesson.

Contingencies and adjustment

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Planning template · 25–40 minutes

Backward Design Lesson Planning: UbD Stages and Examples

Use the three UbD stages to define desired results, acceptable evidence, and learning experiences before selecting activities for a lesson or unit.

Best for: Teachers planning a lesson or unit backward

Next action: Write one desired understanding and its acceptable evidence before adding activities to the unit plan.

Backward planning

Objectives and Standards · Alignment planning guide · 20–30 minutes

Constructive Alignment in Lesson Planning: Match Objectives, Activities, and Assessment

Use a practical alignment map to connect one learning objective with classroom activity, student evidence, access supports, and the next teaching decision.

Best for: Teachers checking a lesson before writing its rationale

Next action: Map one objective to the student action and evidence it requires, then remove or revise one activity that does not support that map.

Lesson components and examples

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Planning template · 30–45 minutes

Cross-Curricular Lesson Planning Template and Example

Use a copyable template and complete science–language arts example to align two subject objectives, evidence, modeling, practice, timing, and contingencies.

Best for: Teachers coordinating a two-subject lesson

Next action: Complete both objective and evidence fields before choosing the shared theme, activity, or final product.

Lesson components and examples

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Lesson-planning guide · 20–30 minutes

Direct Instruction in Lesson Plans: Model, Practice, Check

Plan explicit instruction through a clear objective, concise model, guided practice, checks for understanding, feedback, independent work, and gradual release.

Best for: Teachers planning explicit instruction

Next action: Choose one skill and write the model, first guided item, understanding check, and condition for moving to independent practice.

Lesson components and examples

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Lesson structure overview · 20 minutes

Exploring the Four Phases of a Lesson Plan

Organize a lesson into preparation, instruction, practice, and assessment while keeping objective, materials, procedures, and evidence aligned across phases.

Best for: Teachers organizing a lesson sequence

Next action: Map one upcoming lesson into the four phases and check that each phase advances or tests the same objective.

Timing and structure

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Blended lesson-planning guide · 30–45 minutes

Flipped Classroom Lesson Plans: Strategies for Blended Learning Success

Plan a flipped lesson with an accessible pre-class task, an in-class application, accountability that does not punish access barriers, and a backup route.

Best for: Teachers moving direct input outside class

Next action: Define the shortest pre-class input students need and prepare an equivalent in-class access route before recording or assigning it.

Lesson components and examples

Assessment and Feedback · Assignment design checklist · 15–20 minutes

Homework Design: Purpose, Time, Access, Feedback, and Evidence

Design homework around a defined purpose, reasonable time, independent access, feedback route, and evidence that does not depend on unverified outside help.

Best for: Teachers revising an upcoming homework task

Next action: Take one assignment and write its purpose, expected time, required prior knowledge, help route, and method for using the result.

Lesson components and examples

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Template and worked example · 30–45 minutes

How to Write an Effective Lesson Plan: Objective, Model, Practice, and Assessment

Use a copyable template, alignment table, worked 45-minute example, and contingency fields to connect objective, modeling, practice, and assessment.

Best for: Teachers planning a complete lesson

Next action: Copy the template and complete the objective and evidence fields before choosing activities, materials, or technology.

Lesson components and examples

Educational Technology and AI · Hybrid planning guide · 30 minutes

Hybrid Lesson Planning: Access, Interaction, and Backup Routes

Plan one coherent hybrid lesson by assigning each objective, interaction, material, and evidence check to the setting where students can access it reliably.

Best for: Teachers coordinating online and in-person learners

Next action: Map each lesson segment to online or in-person delivery and add an equivalent route for students who cannot access the primary mode.

Timing and structure

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Strategy selection guide · 15–20 minutes

Instructional Strategies in a Lesson Plan: How to Choose Them

Choose an instructional strategy by the learning goal, starting evidence, teacher model, student practice, access needs, and evidence of the next decision.

Best for: Teachers choosing a lesson method

Next action: Write the objective and evidence first, then select the strategy whose student action directly produces that evidence.

Lesson components and examples

Classroom Management and Routines · Time-planning guide · 15–20 minutes

Planning for Limited Class Time: Priorities, Transitions, and Contingencies

Protect limited class time by narrowing the objective, prioritizing essential practice, planning transitions, and naming what will be shortened if time is lost.

Best for: Teachers planning short or interrupted periods

Next action: Mark the one must-learn objective, the minimum evidence, and the first activity to shorten before teaching the lesson.

Timing and structure

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Checklist and template · 30–45 minutes

Substitute Teacher Plans: Checklist, Template, and Emergency Backup

Prepare a substitute packet with objectives, schedules, access information, procedures, materials, contact routes, and a usable backup when technology fails.

Best for: Teachers preparing planned or emergency coverage

Next action: Complete the objective, schedule, student-support, and emergency-backup fields before adding optional activities.

Contingencies and adjustment

Inclusion and Accessibility · UDL planning guide · 20–30 minutes

UDL in Action: Incorporating Universal Design for Learning into Your Lesson Plans

Apply UDL by clarifying the objective, identifying access barriers, and planning purposeful options for engagement, representation, and action or expression.

Best for: Teachers revising a lesson for broader access

Next action: Review one lesson for a single access barrier and add an option that preserves the same objective and evidence requirement.

Lesson components and examples

Lesson Planning Fundamentals · Definition, template, and example · 30 minutes

What Is a Lesson Plan? Parts, Template, and Example

Learn the seven parts of a usable lesson plan through a completed 45-minute example, copyable template, planning checklist, and plan-type comparison.

Best for: New teachers and lesson-planning trainees

Next action: Copy the template and fill in the learning objective and evidence of learning before selecting activities.

Lesson components and examples

Browse all teaching topics