Making a Lesson Plan
The various logistical details of your class visit have been confirmed. You’ve worked through the Checklist for a Classroom Visit. Even your teaching strategy – your method of delivery - has been decided (Section D). Yet one essential item remains -- if you’re going to teach a lesson, you will need a lesson plan.
A lesson plan can be a meticulously detailed account of your goals and objectives for your visit and include time frames, questions to ask, and materials to bring. It can also be as simple as an outline scratched on a piece of paper or a mental map. However precise your preparations are, think of your lesson plan as a guide rather than a rigid blueprint. It is intended to assist you in managing the learning environment and ensuring that your visit is well prepared and organized. You will need to be flexible, adaptable, and at times spontaneous with your delivery. If you are new to classroom visits, a detailed lesson plan will be invaluable. Three different lesson plan formats are provided here for you to review. Choose one that suits your organizational style and method of delivery, or design your own to suit your specific needs.
- General lesson plan (pdf)
- Inquiry lesson plan (pdf)
- "Madeline Hunter" lesson plan (pdf)
Once your lesson plan is prepared and materials gathered, your “ducks will be in a row” and all should be set to go. Look over the Checklist for a School Visit once again, review your lesson plan, and practice your presentation. The only thing that can slow you down now is a room full of howling, disinterested, and unruly people. Good classroom management preparations and practices will help you avoid such a scenario. The Checklist for Success in the Classroom presents established practices that assist teachers daily in maximizing student learning and student cooperation.
Resources:
- Scientists in Schools Home
- About Scientists in Schools
- Getting to Know a School
- Definitions of Common Educational Terms
- Checklist for a School Visit
- Working with K-12 Students
- Science Topics for Students of Different Ages
- Making a Lesson Plan
- Recommended Resources
