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Elementary Lesson Plan Template

A lesson plan template for kindergarten to Grade 5, with a short, timed procedure that suits younger students. See the Grade 1 example below.

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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.

    Planning for younger students

    • Keep chunks short. A useful rule of thumb is that young children can focus on one task for only a few minutes per year of age, so plan changes of activity every 8 to 12 minutes.
    • Model, then practice together. "I do, we do, you do" works well in elementary classrooms; switch to the gradual release format if you like.
    • Build in movement. A one-minute brain break between activities helps attention.
    • Check quickly and often: thumbs up, whiteboards, reading a word aloud.

    An elementary lesson plan usually has a clear "I can" objective students can read, a hands-on activity, short timed steps and a quick, visible check for understanding.

    Turn your objective into a child-friendly target with the I can statement maker.

    Example: Grade 1 phonics lesson

    Here is a complete example made with the maker above. Use it as a model, or load it into the form and change it to suit your class.

    Standard lesson plan (US)

    Short a word family: -at words

    SubjectReading (phonics)Grade1
    DateLength30 minutes

    Standards

    CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3 (know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills).

    Learning objectives

    Students will be able to read and write at least six -at words by blending the onset and the rime.

    Materials and resources

    Word family slider, letter cards, pocket chart, -at word picture cards, whiteboards

    Key vocabulary

    word family, rhyme, blend

    Warm-up / hook (4 min)

    Rhyme game: "cat, hat, bat… what else rhymes?" Students clap when they hear a rhyme.

    Lesson procedure

    TimeActivity
    6 minModel blending onset and rime with the pocket chart: /c/ + /at/ = cat.
    8 minWe do: students blend words on their sliders as the teacher changes the first letter.
    8 minPairs: match -at words to pictures, then write three on whiteboards.

    Differentiation and accommodations

    Support: picture clues and a three-letter slider. Extension: build words with blends (flat, chat).

    Assessment

    Each student reads four -at words aloud to the teacher during pair work.

    Closure (4 min)

    Silly sentence: students help write "The fat cat sat on a hat" and read it together.

    Homework / extension

    Find -at words in a favorite book at home.

    Planned time: 30 minutes of 30

    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

    What should an elementary lesson plan include?

    A student-friendly objective, materials, a short hook, modeled teaching, guided and independent practice in short chunks, a quick check for understanding and a closing activity.

    How long should a kindergarten lesson be?

    Whole-group lessons often run 10 to 20 minutes, followed by centers or small-group work. Keep each part short and active.

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