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Lesson plan templates for every grade and subject

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Core structures

Everyday lesson shapes that work across subjects — from whole group mini-lessons to cooperative jigsaws and hands-on exploration.

Whole group lesson

  1. Hook / warm-up (5 min)
  2. Mini lesson & modelling (10 min)
  3. Guided practice (10 min)
  4. Independent practice (15 min)
  5. Share & close (5 min)

Assessment: Exit ticket: one question from today's objective.

Small group lesson

  1. Set the purpose with the group
  2. Warm-up review of prior skill
  3. Teach the focus skill with a shared example
  4. Students try with support
  5. Quick check and next-step note

Assessment: Running notes for each student in the group.

Centers / stations

  1. Explain the rotation and expectations (5 min)
  2. Station 1 — teacher table
  3. Station 2 — independent practice
  4. Station 3 — hands-on
  5. Clean up & share (5 min)

Assessment: Teacher-table observation notes.

Independent practice

  1. Review yesterday's skill
  2. Model one example together
  3. Set the work expectations and time
  4. Students work independently while teacher confers
  5. Self-check and reflect

Assessment: Collect the practice and score a sample of items.

Partner work

  1. Introduce the task and partner roles
  2. Model a good partner conversation
  3. Partners work through the task
  4. Partners compare answers with another pair
  5. Whole class debrief

Assessment: Partner reflection: what we agreed on and what we disagreed on.

Cooperative learning (jigsaw)

  1. Divide content into parts and assign expert groups
  2. Expert groups study their part
  3. Experts return to home groups and teach
  4. Home groups build a shared product
  5. Whole class synthesis

Assessment: Group product plus individual quick quiz.

Discussion lesson

  1. Post the discussion question
  2. Silent thinking / quick write
  3. Turn and talk
  4. Whole group discussion with talk moves
  5. Written reflection

Assessment: Reflection paragraph using evidence.

Project-based lesson

  1. Revisit the driving question
  2. Team check-in and goals for today
  3. Work time with teacher conferences
  4. Progress share / critique
  5. Update the project plan

Assessment: Milestone checklist and team self-assessment.

Hands-on activity

  1. Set up materials and safety expectations
  2. Demonstrate the activity
  3. Students build / explore
  4. Record what happened
  5. Share discoveries

Assessment: Observation notes and student recording sheet.

Content areas

Purpose-built structures for reading, writing, math, science and social studies blocks.

Reading group

  1. Book introduction and purpose
  2. Vocabulary preview
  3. Students read with prompting
  4. Discussion questions
  5. Teaching point and next book

Assessment: Running record on one student per day.

Writing workshop

  1. Mini lesson on today's craft move (10 min)
  2. Status of the class
  3. Independent writing with conferences (25 min)
  4. Mid-workshop teaching point
  5. Author's chair share

Assessment: Conference notes and rubric check on the craft move.

Math workshop

  1. Number talk (10 min)
  2. Focus lesson (10 min)
  3. Rotations: teacher table, practice, math games (25 min)
  4. Share strategies
  5. Exit ticket

Assessment: Exit ticket plus teacher-table notes.

Science investigation

  1. Review the question and safety rules
  2. Make predictions
  3. Run the investigation
  4. Record observations and data
  5. Claim, evidence, reasoning

Assessment: CER paragraph.

Lab lesson

  1. Pre-lab review and safety check
  2. Procedure walk-through
  3. Lab work in pairs
  4. Data collection and clean-up
  5. Analysis questions

Assessment: Lab report or analysis questions.

Social studies lesson

  1. Hook with a primary source or image
  2. Background mini lecture
  3. Source analysis in pairs
  4. Discussion of perspectives
  5. Written summary

Assessment: Short constructed response.

Art lesson

  1. Look at an example and name the technique
  2. Demonstrate the technique
  3. Students create
  4. Clean up routine
  5. Gallery walk

Assessment: Gallery walk feedback and self-reflection.

PE lesson

  1. Warm-up and stretching
  2. Skill demonstration
  3. Skill drills
  4. Small-sided game
  5. Cool down and reflection

Assessment: Skill checklist observation.

Assessment & review

Lessons built around checking understanding, reviewing skills and reteaching.

Review lesson

  1. Post the review targets
  2. Quick recall warm-up
  3. Rotate through review stations
  4. Whole class game to check understanding
  5. Students set a study goal

Assessment: Self-assessment against the targets.

Test prep

  1. Review the test format
  2. Model one released item and the thinking
  3. Timed practice set
  4. Go over answers and reasoning
  5. Make a personal study plan

Assessment: Practice score plus error analysis.

Assessment day

  1. Review expectations and timing
  2. Distribute the assessment
  3. Independent assessment time
  4. Early finisher choices
  5. Collect and reflect

Assessment: Scored assessment with item analysis.

Support & differentiation

Ready-made lesson structures you can adapt to your class.

Intervention lesson

  1. Warm-up on the prerequisite skill
  2. Explicit teaching with models
  3. Guided practice with immediate feedback
  4. Independent try
  5. Progress monitor and celebrate growth

Assessment: Progress monitoring probe.

Differentiation lesson

  1. Whole group focus lesson
  2. Flexible groups by readiness
  3. Tiered tasks (support / on level / challenge)
  4. Teacher rotates between groups
  5. Share one idea from each tier

Assessment: Tiered exit ticket.

Special education lesson

  1. Review visual schedule and expectations
  2. Explicit instruction with modelling
  3. Guided practice with prompts and wait time
  4. Independent try with supports
  5. Reinforcement and data note

Assessment: IEP goal data collection.

ELL / language support lesson

  1. Preview key vocabulary with visuals
  2. Model language frames
  3. Structured pair practice
  4. Apply the language in a task
  5. Language output share

Assessment: Speaking or writing sample using the frames.

Early childhood

Gentle, play-friendly formats for preschool and kindergarten routines.

Circle time

  1. Welcome song
  2. Calendar & weather
  3. Story
  4. Movement or fingerplay
  5. Transition to centers

Assessment: Anecdotal notes on participation.

Play-based centers

  1. Introduce the new center material
  2. Model how to use it
  3. Free choice center time
  4. Teacher observes and extends play
  5. Clean up song and share

Assessment: Anecdotal notes and photos.

Sensory / fine motor

  1. Set up the sensory table or trays
  2. Model safe exploration
  3. Small group exploration
  4. Language building with descriptive words
  5. Clean up and reflect

Assessment: Fine motor checklist.

Substitute

Ready-made lesson structures you can adapt to your class.

Substitute lesson

  1. Follow the daily schedule posted on the desk
  2. Read the directions aloud to the class
  3. Students complete the independent work
  4. Early finishers use the choice board
  5. Leave notes for the teacher

Assessment: Collected work plus substitute notes.

Emergency sub plan

  1. Take attendance and follow arrival routine
  2. Read aloud from the shelf book
  3. Complete the emergency packet page 1-3
  4. Quiet choice time
  5. Pack up routine

Assessment: Completed packet pages.

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