Lesson planner · classroom toolsUnit Plan Template
Plan a whole unit on one page, then map the year with a scope and sequence and a week-by-week pacing guide. Type on them, print or download Word.
Type straight onto the page. It saves in this browser only and is never sent anywhere. Don't enter students' personal details.
Unit plan
Standards
Big ideas / enduring understandings
Essential questions
Summative assessment
Lesson sequence
| Lesson | Objective | Key activities | Formative check |
|---|---|---|---|
Scope and sequence
| Months / weeks | Unit | Key skills and standards | Assessments |
|---|---|---|---|
Pacing guide
| Week | Dates | Standards / topic | Lessons and activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tip: empty boxes print as lines to write on, so you can also print this blank and fill it in by hand.
What is a unit plan?
A unit plan maps a sequence of lessons on one topic, usually two to six weeks. It sets out the standards, big ideas, essential questions, summative assessment and the order of lessons, so each lesson builds toward the end goal.
Unit plan, scope and sequence, pacing guide
- Unit plan: one unit in depth.
- Scope and sequence: what is taught (scope) and in what order (sequence) across the year.
- Pacing guide: week by week, with dates, so the year's content fits the calendar.
Writing a unit plan backward
- Start with the standards and big ideas.
- Decide the summative assessment.
- Plan the lessons that get students there, with a formative check in each.
This is the heart of Understanding by Design. Plan each lesson in detail with the lesson plan maker. UK teachers: see the scheme of work template.
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Frequently asked questions
What should a unit plan include?
The unit title and length, standards, big ideas or understandings, essential questions, the summative assessment and a lesson-by-lesson sequence with objectives and formative checks.
What is a scope and sequence?
A year-long overview of what is taught (the scope) and the order it is taught in (the sequence), usually by unit and month.
What is a pacing guide?
A week-by-week schedule showing which standards and lessons are taught when, so the curriculum fits the school year.