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Find classroom planning ideas for literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and interdisciplinary learning.

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Plan the disciplinary thinking students will show. Browse literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and interdisciplinary guides; each card identifies the supplied task or planning tool.

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  1. Reading Workshops: Structure, Conferring, and Evidence

    Set the workshop’s reading objective, mini-lesson time, independent evidence, and conference focus before choosing texts.

  2. Number Talks: Prompts, Participation, and Mathematical Evidence

    Choose one expression, anticipate three methods, and write the questions that connect each method to a mathematical property.

  3. Teaching Scientific Literacy: Questions, Evidence, Models, and Uncertainty

    Select one scientific claim and prepare the data, model, uncertainty, and source questions students must use to evaluate it.

  4. Why Study History Lesson Plan: Relevance, Evidence, and Inquiry

    Choose one historical question and prepare two sources students can compare for claim, evidence, perspective, and limitation.

  5. Cross-Curricular Lesson Planning Template and Example

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

Recently revised guides

27 guides and examples

Subject-Specific Teaching · Worked lesson and planning sheet · 15–25 minutes

5Ws Lesson Plan Strategy: Modeling, Guided Questions, and Independent Response

Use the 5Ws to identify information, expand sentences, check comprehension, and plan writing, with a model, guided questions, and an independent response.

Best for: Elementary literacy and content-area teachers

Next action: Choose one short text and write the five questions plus the final sentence or summary students will produce from their answers.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · Instructional guide · 25–35 minutes

Arguing with Evidence: A Practical Guide to Teaching Academic Argumentation

Teach academic argumentation through claim, evidence, reasoning, source evaluation, counterargument, discussion norms, scaffolds, and criterion-based feedback.

Best for: Teachers planning evidence-based argument

Next action: Choose one source-based question and write the claim, evidence, counterargument, and scoring criteria students must address.

Literacy

Ready-to-Use Lesson Ideas · Adaptable activities and lesson example · 20–30 minutes

Brown Bear Lesson Plan: Literacy, Sequencing, and Art Activities

Choose a bounded Brown Bear lesson objective, compare safe activity routes, and use a blank plan plus completed color-and-sequence example.

Best for: Preschool and early-primary teachers

Next action: Choose one route and write the exact color, sequence, word, count, or animal-observation evidence before preparing materials.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · Task-design guide · 25 minutes

Building Thinking Classroom Tasks: A Practical Guide

Design a mathematics task that requires conjecture, representation, collaboration, and revision, with teacher questions and evidence beyond answer speed.

Best for: Mathematics teachers planning reasoning tasks

Next action: Take one routine problem and add a claim students must test, a second representation, and a brief individual reasoning capture.

Mathematics

Ready-to-Use Lesson Ideas · Lesson outline and adaptation sheet · 25–35 minutes

Catch a Turkey Lesson Plan for Teachers

Select a read-aloud, vocabulary, sequencing, writing, or art activity connected to the picture book, with materials and a clear literacy evidence check.

Best for: Early-primary teachers using the picture book

Next action: Choose one activity and write the exact vocabulary, sequence, or written response students will produce before preparing materials.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · K–12 planning guide · 20–30 minutes

Computational Thinking in K–12: Decomposition, Patterns, Abstraction, and Algorithms

Plan a K–12 computational-thinking task around decomposition, patterns, abstraction, or algorithms, with an unplugged option and evidence of student reasoning.

Best for: Teachers adding computational thinking to a subject lesson

Next action: Choose one existing problem and identify the computational-thinking move students must explain, with or without a device.

Interdisciplinary learning

Subject-Specific Teaching · Task bank, rubric, and evidence guide · 25–40 minutes

Critical Thinking in Mathematics: Tasks, Questions, and Evidence

Teach mathematical reasoning with three complete grade-band tasks, teacher questioning moves, response comparisons, a short rubric, and sampling methods.

Best for: Elementary through secondary mathematics teachers

Next action: Select one grade-band task, write the claim and evidence students must produce, and choose two questioning moves before deciding which representations to provide.

Mathematics

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.

Interdisciplinary learning

Subject-Specific Teaching · Discussion guide and lesson example · 30–45 minutes

Ethical Dilemmas in Social Studies: Source-Based Discussion Guide

Plan an age-appropriate, source-based dilemma without false equivalence, forced disclosure, trauma simulation, or grading students for their personal beliefs.

Best for: Middle and secondary social studies

Next action: Choose one dilemma, remove any forced personal disclosure or trauma simulation, and write the evidence criteria before planning the discussion.

Social studies

Subject-Specific Teaching · Interdisciplinary planning guide · 25 minutes

Interdisciplinary Science Planning: Objectives, Methods, Evidence, and Assessment

Connect science with mathematics, technology, history, or language only when both disciplines retain clear objectives, methods, evidence, and assessment criteria.

Best for: Science teachers coordinating across subjects

Next action: Choose one science question and write the second discipline’s distinct objective and evidence before planning a shared activity.

Interdisciplinary learning

Objectives and Standards · Unit-mapping guide · 45–60 minutes

Interdisciplinary Unit Mapping: Objectives, Roles, and Shared Evidence

Map an interdisciplinary unit with distinct subject objectives, shared questions, evidence, sequence, responsibilities, time, and points where disciplines separate.

Best for: Teaching teams planning an interdisciplinary unit

Next action: Write each discipline’s objective and evidence in separate columns before adding the shared question or culminating product.

Interdisciplinary learning

Subject-Specific Teaching · Math activities and lesson example · 25–35 minutes

Kindergarten Math Lesson Plan: Activities, Structure, and Checks

Plan a kindergarten mathematics lesson with one concept, brief modeling, hands-on practice, language support, observation, and a developmentally appropriate check.

Best for: Kindergarten mathematics teachers

Next action: Choose one mathematics concept and write the hands-on response or explanation children will use to show understanding.

Mathematics

Subject-Specific Teaching · Center-planning guide · 25–40 minutes

Literacy Centers: Targets, Routines, and Evidence

Design literacy centers with one teachable target, concise directions, accessible materials, an independence routine, and evidence that can guide the next grouping.

Best for: Early-literacy teachers revising center rotations

Next action: Audit one center for its target, directions, materials, independence demand, and the response students will leave behind.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · K–12 planning guide · 25 minutes

Media Literacy in K–12: Sources, Claims, and Verification

Plan age-appropriate media literacy around authorship, purpose, evidence, representation, verification, algorithms, and creation with privacy and disclosure limits.

Best for: Teachers adding media analysis to a lesson

Next action: Choose one media item and write the source, claim, evidence, representation, and verification questions students will answer.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · Facilitation guide · 15–20 minutes

Number Talks: Prompts, Participation, and Mathematical Evidence

Plan a number talk with a purposeful prompt, private think time, multiple methods, representation links, participation routes, and a brief individual reasoning capture.

Best for: Mathematics teachers planning a number talk

Next action: Choose one expression, anticipate three methods, and write the questions that connect each method to a mathematical property.

Mathematics

Subject-Specific Teaching · Activity sequence · 15–25 minutes

Phonological Awareness Activities: Sound Games for Early Learners

Use a clear oral-language sequence for rhyme, syllables, onset–rime, and phoneme work, with short sound games and an observable response at each step.

Best for: Preschool and early-primary literacy teachers

Next action: Choose the next sound skill in the sequence and prepare three oral examples plus one response every child can make.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · Workshop planning guide · 30 minutes

Reading Workshops: Structure, Conferring, and Evidence

Plan a reading workshop with a concise mini-lesson, sustained reading, teacher conferences, accessible text choices, response evidence, and predictable routines.

Best for: Elementary and middle-grade reading teachers

Next action: Set the workshop’s reading objective, mini-lesson time, independent evidence, and conference focus before choosing texts.

Literacy

Inclusion and Accessibility · Lab planning checklist · 30 minutes

Safe and Inclusive Science Labs: Hazards, Access, Supervision, and Alternatives

Audit a science lab for hazards, access, communication, equipment, supervision, emergency procedures, and alternatives before students begin practical work.

Best for: Science teachers preparing practical work

Next action: Review one lab step by step, identify each hazard and access barrier, and confirm the approved control or alternative with responsible staff.

Science

Subject-Specific Teaching · Simulation review guide · 30 minutes

Social Studies Simulations and Role-Play: Sources, Safety, and Debriefing

Review a social-studies simulation for historical evidence, learning purpose, assigned power, identity risk, opt-out routes, debriefing, and safer alternatives.

Best for: Social studies teachers evaluating role-play

Next action: Take one planned role-play and remove any forced identity, trauma, oppression, or personal disclosure before writing the evidence and debrief.

Social studies

Subject-Specific Teaching · Cross-curricular planning guide · 20 minutes

Spatial Reasoning Across the Curriculum: Representations, Language, and Transfer

Plan spatial reasoning across subjects with a defined relationship, representation, manipulation, language support, accessibility route, and transfer question.

Best for: Teachers adding spatial reasoning to a subject lesson

Next action: Choose one spatial relationship students must reason about and select the model, action, and explanation that will reveal it.

Interdisciplinary learning

Objectives and Standards · Lesson-planning guide · 30–45 minutes

STEM Lesson Planning: Objectives, Constraints, Safety, and Evidence

Plan a STEM lesson with a bounded problem, subject objectives, safety and access checks, iterative design, evidence, reflection, and a feasible materials list.

Best for: Teachers designing an integrated STEM lesson

Next action: Write the STEM problem, each subject objective, and the evidence students will produce before collecting materials.

Interdisciplinary learning

Subject-Specific Teaching · Instructional guide · 25–35 minutes

Teaching Scientific Literacy: Questions, Evidence, Models, and Uncertainty

Teach scientific literacy by connecting questions, evidence, models, uncertainty, source evaluation, disciplinary language, and claims students can explain.

Best for: Science teachers planning evidence-based literacy

Next action: Select one scientific claim and prepare the data, model, uncertainty, and source questions students must use to evaluate it.

Science

Subject-Specific Teaching · Reference and creation guide · 20–30 minutes

Tone Anchor Chart: Quick Reference and Creation Guide

Create a tone anchor chart with tone words, examples, and text clues, and help students tell an author’s tone from mood using evidence from the passage.

Best for: Language arts teachers building a tone reference

Next action: Choose four tone words, add one cited example and contrast for each, and write the question students will use with the chart.

Literacy

Multilingual Learners · Vocabulary planning guide · 20 minutes

Vocabulary Instruction: Opportunity, Morphology, Context, and Retrieval

Review vocabulary opportunity without deficit labels, then plan explicit word teaching, morphology, context, retrieval, wide reading, and access to rich language.

Best for: Teachers planning explicit vocabulary instruction

Next action: Choose three high-value words from an upcoming text and plan meaning, morphology, examples, use, and later retrieval for each.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · Poetry activities and adaptation sheet · 30 minutes

Where I’m From Poetry Lesson: Mentor Texts, Safe Prompts, and Choice

Teach a place-and-memory poem with mentor-text analysis, sensory language, fictional and private prompt options, drafting support, and consent-based sharing.

Best for: Upper-elementary and secondary language arts

Next action: Choose a mentor passage, remove required family or identity disclosure, and add a fictional or observation-based prompt option.

Literacy

Subject-Specific Teaching · Source-inquiry lesson example · 30 minutes

Why Study History Lesson Plan: Relevance, Evidence, and Inquiry

Use a source-based history lesson to connect present questions with chronology, evidence, perspective, corroboration, and the limits of historical claims.

Best for: Middle and secondary social studies teachers

Next action: Choose one historical question and prepare two sources students can compare for claim, evidence, perspective, and limitation.

Social studies

Subject-Specific Teaching · Close-reading lesson outline · 30–45 minutes

‘Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?’ Lesson Plan: Close Reading, Power, and Characterization

Plan a source-aware study of Oates’s story with close reading, power and characterization questions, discussion safeguards, analytical evidence, and alternatives.

Best for: Secondary language arts teachers

Next action: Select one passage, write a text-dependent question about power or characterization, and provide a non-role-play response route.

Literacy

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