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Free Lesson Plan Maker

Pick a format, fill in the boxes and download your plan as Word, PDF or Google Docs. No sign-up, no email. Your plans stay in your own browser.

Your plans save automatically in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else. Don't enter students' personal details.

The standards the lesson addresses: Common Core or state standard codes, with a short description.

What students will be able to do by the end. Start with a measurable verb: "Students will be able to…"

Everything you need to prepare: texts, slides, manipulatives, handouts, tech.

Words students need to understand and use.

A short opener that grabs attention and connects to prior learning.

Lesson procedure

Each step with its timing: direct instruction, guided practice, independent work.

Support, extension, English learners, IEP/504 accommodations. Describe groups and needs, not named students.

How you will know they met the objective: exit ticket, observation, quiz, work sample.

How students sum up what they learned before they leave.

Optional practice or an extension task.

What worked, what to change, who needs a re-teach.

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    Week

    Plans appear on the day set in their Date box. Click a plan to open it.

    How it works

    1. Choose a format. Standard US, 5E, Madeline Hunter, UDL, SIOP, edTPA, Danielson, UbD, gradual release, UK, EYFS, ESL and ASCA are built in. Switching keeps what you've typed.
    2. Fill in what you need. Each box has a short prompt. Add timed steps to the procedure, and the maker adds up the minutes for you.
    3. Save, print or share. Download a real Word file, copy straight into Google Docs, or print and save as PDF. Plans save automatically in your browser.

    A lesson planner that respects your time and your students

    • No account, ever. Open the page and start typing. There's nothing to sign up for and no trial to run out.
    • Private by design. Plans are stored in your browser on your device. We never see them, and there is no database to leak. Write about groups and needs, not named students.
    • Proper formats, not just a blank box. Each model has the sections a mentor, principal or university supervisor expects to see.
    • Plan the week. The week view lays out every plan by day, prints as one landscape page and copies a whole week forward.
    • Exports that look tidy. Word files open cleanly in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice. Printouts drop empty sections.

    Lesson plan formats

    Not sure which one to use? The lesson plan models guide compares them side by side. Most teachers use one of these:

    5E modelEngage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. Built for inquiry and science. Madeline HunterThe classic seven-step direct instruction plan. UDLPlan for every learner with engagement, representation and expression. SIOPContent and language objectives for English learners. edTPACentral focus, academic language and supports for student teachers. Understanding by DesignBackward design in three stages. DanielsonMapped to Domain 1 of the Framework for Teaching. ASCA (school counselors)Mindsets & Behaviors standards and a plan for data. UK lesson planWALT, WILF, starter, main and plenary, with UK spelling. Early yearsPreschool, toddler, infant and EYFS planning.

    Free classroom tools

    Put a timer, name picker, noise meter and group maker on your board with the Class Screen, or use each tool on its own: spin the wheel, random name picker, group generator, classroom timer and seating chart maker. Class lists you type stay on your device.

    What a finished plan looks like

    This is the standard US format filled in for a Grade 3 reading lesson. Empty sections are left out of the printout automatically, so a short plan prints short.

    Standard lesson plan (US)

    Finding the main idea

    SubjectEnglish language arts (reading)Grade3
    DateLength45 minutes

    Standards

    CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 (determine the main idea of an informational text and explain how key details support it).

    Learning objectives

    Students will be able to identify the main idea of a short nonfiction passage and name three details that support it.

    Materials and resources

    Article "Why Bees Matter" (one page, two reading levels)

    Main idea "table" graphic organizer (tabletop + 3 legs)

    Chart paper and markers

    Exit ticket slips

    Key vocabulary

    main idea, key detail, topic, support

    Warm-up / hook (5 min)

    Show a photo of a messy desk. Ask: "If you had to describe this picture in one sentence, what would you say?" Link the one-sentence summary to the idea of a main idea.

    Lesson procedure

    TimeActivity
    10 minModel with a short paragraph about sea turtles: underline the topic, then think aloud to turn it into a main idea sentence. Fill in the "table" organizer: main idea on top, details as legs.
    10 minGuided practice: read the first two paragraphs of "Why Bees Matter" together. Pairs agree on a main idea and two details; share on whiteboards.
    12 minIndependent practice: students finish the article and complete their own organizer. Teacher confers with a small group.

    Differentiation and accommodations

    Support: easier version of the article with key sentences highlighted; sentence starter "This text is mostly about…".

    Extension: write a second main idea for one paragraph and compare it to the whole-text main idea.

    English learners: picture glossary for bee vocabulary; partner talk before writing.

    Assessment

    Exit ticket: a new short paragraph. Students write its main idea and one supporting detail. Sort into "got it / almost / not yet" for tomorrow's groups.

    Closure (5 min)

    Turn and talk: "How is a main idea different from a topic?" Two pairs share.

    Homework / extension

    Read a page of any nonfiction book at home and tell a family member its main idea in one sentence.

    Planned time: 42 minutes of 45

    Common Core State Standards codes are cited for reference only; see the official Common Core site for the full standards. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is this lesson plan maker really free?

    Yes. Every format, export and tool is free to use, with no sign-up and no limit on the number of plans. The site is paid for by adverts shown below the tools.

    Where are my lesson plans saved?

    In your web browser's local storage, on the device you are using. Nothing is uploaded, so we can't see your plans and they won't appear on another computer. Use My plans, then Download backup, to keep a copy or move plans to another device.

    Can I download my lesson plan as a Word document?

    Yes. Word (.docx) creates a real Word file in your browser. It opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages and LibreOffice, and you can keep editing it there.

    How do I get my plan into Google Docs?

    Press Copy for Google Docs, open a new Google Doc (type docs.new in the address bar) and paste. Headings and tables come across with their formatting.

    How do I save a lesson plan as a PDF?

    Press PDF, then choose "Save as PDF" (or "Microsoft Print to PDF") as the printer in the print window. The printout uses a clean layout without the website around it.

    Does it use AI to write the plan?

    No. You write the plan and the maker formats it. Each format comes with a filled example and short prompts for every section, so you are never starting from a blank page.

    Can I plan a whole week?

    Yes. Give each plan a date, then open Week view to see Monday to Friday side by side. You can print the week, download it as Word, or copy every plan in it to the following week.

    Should I type students' names into my plan?

    Please don't. Plans stay on your device, but it is still good practice to describe groups and needs ("small group needing support with place value") rather than naming students or recording personal details.

    More from Classfern – Lesson Planner

    Lesson plan templatesDaily, weekly, blank, simple, elementary, secondary and SPED templates.Lesson plan modelsCompare 5E, Madeline Hunter, UDL, SIOP, edTPA, UbD, Danielson and ASCA, with a free template for each.Sub plansSubstitute plan template, emergency sub plans and a sub binder.Teacher plannerMonthly calendar, weekly planner, to-do list and meeting notes.Classroom toolsWheel, name picker, groups, timers, noise meter, seating charts and printables.GuidesEight steps, with guides to formats, components and examples.