Lesson planner · classroom toolsHow to Write a Lesson Plan
A clear, eight-step method for writing a lesson plan, whether it is your first or your thousandth. Then fill in the free template and download it.
Lesson planning guides
In short: decide what students will learn, decide how you'll know they learned it, then plan the activities that get them there, with timings, support for different needs and a proper close.
The eight steps
- Know your students. What do they already know? What misconceptions are likely? What needs (language, IEPs, interests) shape the lesson?
- Write the learning objective. One measurable statement of what students will be able to do: "Students will be able to compare fractions using benchmark fractions." The objectives writer helps.
- Link it to the standard or curriculum statement it comes from.
- Plan the assessment. Before choosing activities, decide how you'll check: an exit ticket question, a task, observation. (This is "backward design".)
- Plan the opening. A hook or warm-up that focuses attention and activates prior knowledge, in three to five minutes.
- Plan the main activities with timings. Usually: teach or model, guided practice, independent or group practice. Put minutes on each step.
- Plan for different needs. Support, extension, English learners and accommodations: write them for groups, not named students.
- Plan the close and reflect. How will students sum up the learning? After teaching, note what to change.
Tips for new teachers
- Script your key explanations and questions; it frees your attention for students.
- Over-plan slightly: have an extension ready for early finishers.
- Time your plan, then cut: most first plans have too much in them.
- Plan transitions (how students get materials, move to groups). That's where minutes disappear.
Ready to write one?Open the free lesson plan maker
Frequently asked questions
What are the steps to writing a lesson plan?
Know your students, write a measurable objective, link it to a standard, plan how you'll assess, plan the opening, plan the main activities with timings, plan for different needs, and plan the close and a reflection.
How long does it take to write a lesson plan?
Experienced teachers often plan an everyday lesson in 15 to 30 minutes. New teachers and observed lessons take longer. Templates and reusing past plans save a lot of time.
How detailed should a lesson plan be?
Detailed enough that you, or a substitute, could teach it from the page. Observed lessons and student-teacher plans usually need more detail.