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How to Present a Lesson Plan

First days are always exciting, and expectation builds up about the contents of the task ahead, especially if you’re starting a class as a student or professor. This interaction will be significant because it will establish and define the subjects to be covered and the set of expectations flowing from the instructor towards the audience. 

Perhaps you are ready to begin your career as a teacher and need some guidance; otherwise, you are a seasoned instructor searching for a refresher in your program. No matter which of the above you represent, the truth of the matter is that you are probably seeking a better way to introduce the subjects you’ll be teaching to your students. 

What is a lesson plan? 

A lesson plan will be the set of subject matter materials you will be teaching during a specific timeframe. The lesson plan should be an index that students can constantly consult to understand better the parts of the learning journey they will go through during each session. 

Teachers and professors should have a lesson plan template that happens in every session. This is different from a syllabus because, in the latter case, the whole curriculum of the program will be laid out; however, for each lesson, there should be one individual lesson plan example to guide the instructor in the set timeframe. 

When building the materials for the class or lesson’s attention, it’s always essential to share elements like the purpose or rules that guide the learning process . This article will explore the best way to present a lesson plan and drive a learning session successfully from the instructor or professor’s view. 

How to write a lesson plan 

Education nowadays guides different sorts of students and target specific learning needs. Therefore, it’s important and relevant to understand how lesson plans can change and be varied to truly implement the best learning path for your students. Once you have this part figured out, the next step is to understand how you will transmit the information and use a PowerPoint Presentation to simplify creating and presenting a lesson plan to your students. 

Lesson plans will comprise several different sections that will clarify the first questions students can have: How long will the course be? Will it be an online course ? What will be the main objectives? Which subjects will be discussed along with the class? 

1. Introduction 

As the lesson begins, it’s essential to place a brief yet descriptive introduction about what the session will cover. A good practice is to create a catchy title for each lesson to have an overall understanding of the information they will be receiving.

Example: Digital Marketing Basics: Industry background, historical review years 1980-2010. In this session, we will cover the birth of digital marketing, including all the touchpoints that shaped today’s industry. 

2. Audience

If your class is a one-time-only or recurring session, or even a blended learning journey, it’s essential to explain to your students who this class is for; this will allow them to calibrate their expectations about the matter to be taught ahead. 

Example: This lesson is directed to professionals who work in traditional marketing, business owners, or communication specialists seeking to have a profound understanding of how digital marketing came to be. 

3. Lesson Objectives 

This piece is critical because it will allow the students to assess the intention of each lesson. When thinking about the objectives, it’s vital to consider the acquired skills we expect our students to have at the end of the class. Like any other goals in life or business, each one should be actionable and measurable, meaning after each class, students should be able to use what they have learned and put into action the concepts. 

Example : Understand and be able to create a timeline framework of reference to explain the story of the Internet.

4. Materials 

Suppose the lesson requires using any specific materials, physical or not, including any software or hardware necessary. In that case, it´s important to list or include within the lesson plan so students can set clear expectations on what they might require. This is particularly important if the session you will be delivering requires them beforehand to bring anything. 

Example : 

• Computer 
• Scratch paper 

5. Learning Activities 

We´ve covered all the logistics by this point; however, now we need to start sharing the actual activities during the lesson. Ideally, this is a play-by-play of how each activity will guide the lesson towards the already established objectives. To add the list of learning activities that will be helpful for your students, take into account how all of them align with each goal and the requirements students need. 

Make sure that you add variety to the activities that you are proposing, go ahead and research trends of how many other teachers or professors, students will appreciate your search to engage them in learning. 

Also, consider how much time they will take so that you can note it in the next section. 

• Create a timeline on the wall with the most important moments of digital marketing history, including creation of social media, mainstream of email, etc.

Time periods

Pairing each learning activity with a specific timeframe will be useful both for instructors and students. Make sure you calculate a reasonable amount of time for each activity and list it within the lesson plan so everyone can set correct expectations. Assigning time slots for each exercise will also help students and teachers stay on track with the lesson and not waste valuable time invested in learning.

Example : Creation of a timeline – 45 min

How to present a lesson plan 

We have now listed the components of the lesson plan structure, everything looks beautiful in the draft, but now we need to start planning how we will present the program to the students. This part is challenging because you have to choose a template that makes sense for you and will be helpful for your students to understand.

A PowerPoint presentation is a great way to showcase all the contents of the lesson plan, however, the trick is to decide how you want to structure it.

Lesson Plan Design

By this point, you’ve structured a lesson plan template that can go through any test. Nevertheless, creating the materials to accompany it can be a key in the commitment generates between the students and the professor.

Design and Style

Before adding any text to your presentation template , think about the requirements you have: Does the academic institution where you work require the use of logos? Do you have to follow any visual guidelines? This might be important for the cohesiveness of your presentation.

It’s essential to think about how you would like to present the lesson plan. You may want to keep it simple and have a 1 pager and talk through it to understand your students fully, or perhaps you need to create one full presentation where every slide will be a relevant piece of information. Let’s explore this a bit further. 

One Pager Lesson Plan 

If your style is more towards simplicity, this is a great solution: succinct, minimalistic, and straight to the point. You can complete a one-page lesson plan with bullets of the relevant data and send it out to students. A great advantage of this format is that you can either send it as a PDF or even as a single image (JPG or PNG), exporting it directly from PowerPoint. 

One significant advantage is that your students will only have to check for one source by choosing this simple format when revising the lesson during the class or afterward. 

Several pages lesson plan 

Almost like a syllabus, a more extended presentation will include several slides so you can include the information in different formats. 

For example, you can use the first slide to include the lesson title; afterward, a new slide can define the purpose or introduction of the lesson. In the upcoming slides, you can include materials, contents, and even ad charts or similar to explain how grades will be affected by each lesson’s assignments on the upcoming slides. 

Text in the presentation 

It’s always good to follow the reliable practices of presentations and include the necessary information without overwhelming students. Don’t add an excessive amount of text to one slide; actually, make sure that every piece of data is helpful for students to plan their time both during and after class. 

However, if you will be sending out the presentation to your students before reviewing it, consider that they will be using it for their reference to follow through with your lesson. So make sure all the information is easy to read and accessible. 

Additional elements 

Learners of all sorts have become increasingly visual, so don’t be afraid to add infographics, images, photographs, icons or any other elements to make your lesson plan presentation more appealing visually. 

Final Words 

Remember the lesson plan presentation will be the first approach your students will have with the subject matter. Take your time, enjoy the process, and create comprehensive and attractive lesson plan slides that will inspire your students to have thoughtful and deep learning. 

1. 1-Slide Lesson Plan PowerPoint Template

Create a simple and minimalist one-pager lesson plan for your academic uses, course planning, and even as student handouts, with this eye-catching PowerPoint template. 

Use This Template

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How to Create an Effective Lesson Plan Presentation

Regardless of the subject or content you’re teaching, having a lesson plan in place prepares you for class by offering detailed guidelines for the session. The lesson plan doesn’t have to be lengthy or complex—it just needs to include elements about what you’re teaching, the method of presenting this material, and what objective and goals you wish your students to achieve as part of the curriculum.

Why Lesson Plans Are Important

It’s crucial for teachers to prepare their lessons in advance and implement the best teaching approaches. Attending a session without a lesson plan can be counterproductive for both students and teachers. Without the right preparation beforehand, classes can end up being unproductive or confusing.

Below are a few reasons why you should consider lesson planning:

Lesson Planning is Handy for Classroom Management

Developing the lesson plan from the learning objectives provides flexibility in adapting to different teaching methods and classroom management techniques. For instance, hybrid or online classes require a different delivery approach from the traditional classes, which means making modifications to any existing plans. With the right foresight and plan in place, classes can stay on topic and effective. Such circumstances underscore how crucial lesson plans are in ensuring that the class runs smoothly, regardless of the learning environment.  

Lesson Planning Creates Student Success

Various studies have shown that students benefit immensely from and appreciate well-structured lessons. Thus, success is more likely when students engage and show interest in the material being taught. Using a curriculum guide, teachers can develop valuable lesson plans based on specific objectives and goals (what’s intended for students to learn). 

​​Lesson Planning Is Central to Teacher Success

Teachers’ success is, to some extent, pegged on students’ success. Besides that, the documents you develop as part of the lesson planning process are often part of your assessment by school administrators. What’s more, as you advance your teaching career, your lesson plans serve as a repository for your expanding body of knowledge. Thus, the significance of lesson planning cannot be overlooked when it comes to advancing your career as an educator.

Lesson Planning is Vital in Student Assessment

Lastly, lesson plans turn the learning sessions into clear objectives for students and a way to gauge their understanding of the subject matter. One notable benefit of the lesson plan is tailoring the assessment to a particular objective while considering students’ specific needs. You can use common assessment methods such as quizzes, tests, and homework assignments.

How to Write a Lesson Plan

Lesson plans include different sections that clarify questions students might have about the subject on hand. What are the lesson objectives? What subjects will be covered during the session? How long will the course take?

• Introduction – As the lesson commences, it’s good to have a concise yet vivid introduction about what the lesson will cover. The ideal practice is to create a memorable title for every lesson to create a general understanding of the learning material students will be interacting with.
• **Lesson Objectives –**This section is critical as it allows the students to ascertain each lesson. When it comes to objectives, it is crucial to consider the acquired skills you expect the students to gain by the end of the session. Each objective should be measurable and actionable; meaning after every session, students should be able to apply what they’ve learned.
• Learning Activities – This should be a detailed account of how each activity will lead the class to achieve its predetermined goals. To create valuable activities, consider how each learning activity fits each objective, and the requirements students need.
• Practice – Practices are primarily intended to assess students’ comprehension of the material and aid in memorizing what they have learned in class. Therefore, it is crucial to include this in the lesson plan so that assessments can always be done at the appropriate time.

Today, lesson planning has been made less time-consuming and easier, thanks to smart whiteboards for the classroom . A digital whiteboard like the Vibe Board Pro provides unmatched performance that shows you know your craft and are way ahead of the pack.

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How Smart Whiteboards Simplify Lesson Plan Creation and Presentation

Not only does using a smart whiteboard make learning accessible , it’s also a great way of enhancing and enriching your lesson plans with interactive activities for the class. Smart whiteboards function as a touch screen for all; during class sessions, you and your students can use it as a digital whiteboard to create a space where students’ engagement, knowledge, and teamwork are appreciated.

While the smart whiteboard aids in making your lesson more engaging, interactive, and educational, you as the teacher can still customize your teachings to what you want them to be. This helps in foiling any hitches in your lesson presentation and makes switching from one topic to another seamless.

Below are more specific ways how smart whiteboards make your lesson plan presentation better:

Take Advantage of Built-in Templates

Once you invest in a smart whiteboard, make sure to take advantage of the wide variety of built-in lesson planning templates. You can use these templates to improve lesson plans while leveraging the technology associated with smart whiteboards. Even better, these templates can be easily customized for every lesson plan and cover different subject matters, allowing you to create new lesson plans without always starting from scratch quickly. How cool is that?

Organize and Present Lesson Plans Better

Smart whiteboards combine the power of the traditional whiteboard and a TV/projector into one hub, allowing you to write on the board while concurrently projecting it to the classroom. This allows you to conduct lesson plan presentations on a larger scale while also letting students see what’s going on.

For instance, if you’re presenting on an extensive topic involving multiple subtopics, a smart whiteboard will help you walk students through each subtopic with ease. Begin with the presentation divided into primary or main sections, highlight key definitions, and add infographics and videos to ensure that every student understands the tiniest detail.

Additionally, you can get students involved in the lesson plan presentation by asking questions, polling them on key points, or allowing them to follow along on their tablets or laptops.

Record Lesson Plan Presentations

Another benefit of using smart whiteboards in the classroom is that a lesson plan presentation can be recorded and accessed long after the session is over. This allows your students to access the material on their own time.

Final Words: Creating a Lesson Plan Presentation

Lesson plan presentation offers students the first interaction with the material they will learn. Take your time, appreciate the process, and create an attractive and comprehensive lesson plan that will encourage your students to have deep and thoughtful learning experiences. Even better, all of this can be made easier with smart whiteboard technology. Leave the spiral notebooks and sticky notes at home. A smart whiteboard is all you need.

What is the presentation stage in lesson planning?

Presentation is usually the core of the lesson plan. During this stage, theteacher introduces the topic and the key subject matter the students need to master. Presenting with smart whiteboards is exceedingly easy and less time-consuming.

What are the 5 steps in lesson planning?

The five steps are:

• Objective: A learning concept or objective is introduced.
• Warm-up: Revise the previous lesson
• Presentation: Present the material using suitable tools and techniques.
• Practice: Students try to apply what they have learned.
• Assessment: Evaluate whether the objectives were achieved

How does lesson planning help teachers?

Planning lessons in advance allows teachers to arrive at class each day prepared to introduce new concepts and facilitate engaging discussions rather than improvising as they go. In other words, without a lesson plan, teachers may be left scrambling, making students lose interest in the material to be learned.

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• Creating Lesson Plans

How to Build a Lesson Plan: Templates, Requirements, and More

Last Updated: April 7, 2024 Fact Checked

Sample Lesson Plans

Constructing a lesson plan, adjusting your lesson plans efficiently, presenting the lesson, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by César de León, M.Ed. and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure . César de León is an Educational Leadership Consultant and currently serves as an Assistant Principal for the Austin Independent School District in Austin, TX. César specializes in education program development, curriculum improvement, student mentorship, social justice, equity leadership, and family and community engagement. He is passionate about eradicating inequities in schools for all children, especially those who have been historically underserved and marginalized. César holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Biology from Texas State University and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from The University of Texas at Austin. There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,842,786 times.

As a teacher, developing a thoughtful lesson plan is an essential part of your job. Not only do your lesson plans lay out everything you’ll do in a given class, but they can be shared with subs to complete your lessons when you’re out sick, and administrators can use them to provide feedback and monitor your classroom. While writing a lesson plan may seem like a daunting task at first, take it from a former teacher that they’ll soon become second nature. In this article, we’ll walk you through what you need to include in each lesson plan, show you how to use your lesson plan to make you a better teacher, and walk you through what a class might look like based on your plans.

Things You Should Know

• A lesson plan outlines what you’ll teach in a given lesson and provides justification for why you’re teaching it.
• Every lesson plan needs an objective, relevant standards, a timeline of activities, an overview of the class, assessments, and required instructional materials.
• Overplan in case your lesson ends early and tailor your plans to suit the needs of your students.

• An example of a good objective might be, "Students will be able to analyze nonfiction texts by performing a close reading on a historical document."
• Most teachers will use Bloom’s taxonomy when choosing their objective verb.
• Teachers often abbreviate “Students will be able to” with “SWBAT” on their lesson plans.
• Many teachers start with the objective then work their way out from there, choosing class activities last. This is called “backmapping” and it’s the most widely accepted lesson organization style around today. [2] X Research source

• Our previous objective aligns nicely with the CCSS R.L.8.2, which reads “Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text…”
• A handful of states, including Florida, Virginia, and Texas, refuse to adopt common core. They have their own state standards.
• If you’re still in school to become a teacher, you may not have specific standards you need to cover just yet.
• Many schools will allow teachers to cover the objectives in whatever order they’d like so far as they cover all of them. Some schools will map out the standards to cover in their curriculum, though.

• For example, if your class is about Shakespeare's Hamlet , your overview might be “Introduction to Hamlet . Historical context, biographical info, and preliminary information. We’ll cover the folio, character list, and assign reading roles. Start Act 1 if time allows.”
• A single overview may get you through multiple classes, so you may find yourself copy and pasting the same overview into multiple plans. That’s totally okay!

• 1:00-1:10: Warm up . Bring class into focus and recap yesterday's discussion on great tragedies; relate it to Hamlet .
• 1:10-1:25: Present information. Discuss Shakespearean history briefly, focusing on his creative period 2 years before and after Hamlet.
• 1:25-1:40: Guided practice . Class discussion regarding major themes in the play.
• 1:40-1:55: Freer practice. Class writes single paragraph describing current event in Shakespearean terms. Individually encourage bright students to write 2 paragraphs, and coach slower students.
• 1:55-2:00: Conclusion. Collect papers, assign homework, dismiss class.

• Formative assessments are instructional tools. They’re anything you use to check if students are learning so you can adjust your lessons. Examples include: class discussions, teacher questions, pop quizzes, group work, surveys, and self-reflections.
• Summative assessments are how you prove a student learned something. They occur at the end of lesson arcs, units, or sections. Examples include: tests, quizzes, essays, presentations, and final projects.
• All summative assessments (outside of tests and quizzes) have rubrics, which are the set of standards you’re judging students on. You do not need to include your rubrics in the lesson plan, but you should be making rubrics.

• You might list textbooks, worksheets, novels, calculators, or whiteboards. If you need to borrow a TV or need a link to a specific YouTube video, include that, too.
• Skip the basic school supplies every student needs. You don’t need to mention pens, pencils, etc.
• Need a worksheet or special materials for a class but don’t want to spend super long making them from scratch? Check out Teachers Pay Teachers . Seasoned educators sell their instructional material to other teachers for cheap!

• Over time, you’ll need to do this less and less. Eventually, you'll be able to go in with practically nothing at all!

• If you find yourself constantly running over your schedule, know what you can and cannot scratch. What must you cover in order for the children to learn most? What is just fluff and time killers?

• Odds are you'll be working with a pile of extroverts and introverts. Some students will benefit more from working alone while others will thrive in pair work or in groups. Knowing this will help you format activities to different interaction preferences. [11] X Research source
• You'll also wind up having a few students that know just about as much as you do on the topic and some that, while smart, look at you like you're from another planet. If you know who these kids are, you can plan accordingly.

Joseph Meyer

Effective teaching strategies consider a student's individual strengths. Tailoring instruction to a student's existing skills and encouraging collaborative activities can improve a student's outcome. Recognizing diverse learning styles allows for a stronger approach, fostering potential in all learners.

• Really, any activity can be manipulated to be done separately, in pairs, or in groups. If you have ideas already mapped out, see if you can revamp them at all to mix it up.

• Every student learns differently. Some need to see the info, some need to hear it, and others need to literally get their hands on it. If you've spent a great while talking, stop and let them talk about it.
• You will likely have some students with IEPs, or Instructional Educational Plans. These are legal documents for students with special needs that require specific instructional adjustments.

• The easiest thing to do is to come up with a quick concluding game or discussion. Throw the students together and have them discuss their opinions or ask questions.

• Avoid using shorthand or acronyms that only you’ll be able to understand.

Eric McClure

"It helps if your backup lesson plans are very easy to find and clearly labeled as substitute plans. If there are any handouts, print those out ahead of time as well. This is the kind of thing that’s easy to overlook early in the year, but trust me—you’ll need a day off at some point and when you do, you won’t want to come in just to drop off lesson plans."

• The warm up can be a simple game (possibly about vocab on the topic to see where their current knowledge lies (or what they remember from last week!). Or, it can be questions, a mingle, or pictures used to start a conversation. Whatever it is, get them talking and thinking about the topic.

• Go over the objective at the beginning of class! Always let your students know why they’re doing what they’re doing.

• This is often explained by teachers as “I do, we do, you do.” In other words, you show them how to do it. Then, the whole class does it together. Finally, the students do it on their own.
• If you have time for two activities, all the better. It's a good idea to test their knowledge on two different levels -- for example, writing and speaking (two very different skills). Try to incorporate different activities for students that have different aptitudes.

• If you've been teaching the same group for a while, odds are you know the students who might struggle with certain concepts. If that's the case, pair them with stronger students to keep the class going.
• You don't want certain students left behind, but you also don't want the class held up, waiting for everyone to get on the same level.

• It all depends on the subject at hand and the skills you want to use. It can be anything from a 20-minute puppet making project to a two-week long dalliance with the oversoul in a heated debate on transcendentalism.

• If you have a group full of kids that can't be paid to raise their hands, turn them amongst themselves. Give them an aspect of the topic to discuss and 5 minutes to converse about it. Then bring the focus to the front of the class and lead a group discussion. Interesting points are bound to pop up!

• Assign and hand out any homework at the end of the class.

• Don’t worry if lesson planning feels really unfulfilling and pointless to you. A lot of new teachers think they feel like busy work at first—especially when classes don’t go as planned. Luckily, once you finish one year of teaching, you’ll have a full year’s worth of lessons to use! [24] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Lesson plans typically cover a single class period, although a more complex lesson may require 2-3 days to get through. A single lesson plan may also bleed over into multiple classes if there’s a fire alarm, some behavioral issue that requires attention, or you have to modify your schedule due to a school-wide event. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/5-tips-improve-your-lesson-plan
• ↑ https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/why-the-csu-matters/graduation-initiative-2025/co-requisite-mathematics-summit/Handouts/Backmapping_example_and_template.pdf
• ↑ https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/how-to-write-a-lesson-plan/
• ↑ https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/cnm/cresource/q4/p16/
• ↑ https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/Formative-Summative-Assessments
• ↑ https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~slm/AdjCI/Lessonplan/Elements.html
• ↑ https://awildsurmise.medium.com/improving-teaching-scripting-5950e1d15f54
• ↑ https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/511257/Eliminating-unnecessary-workload-around-planning-and-teaching-resources.pdf
• ↑ César de León, M.Ed.. Educational Leadership Consultant. Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.
• ↑ https://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/ma-in-counseling/resources/learning-styles-of-introverts-and-extroverts
• ↑ http://www.auburn.edu/~nunnath/engl6240/seating.html
• ↑ https://teach.com/what/teachers-know/learning-styles/
• ↑ https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/pacing-lessons-for-optimal-learning
• ↑ https://www.chalk.com/introduction-to-lesson-planning/why-lesson-plan/
• ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/blog/having-an-off-day-josh-stock
• ↑ https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/teaching/teaching-how/chapter-2-teaching-successful-section/running-class
• ↑ https://readingrecovery.clemson.edu/home-2/reading-comprehension/lesson-structure/guided-practice/
• ↑ https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/knowing-subject/d-h/free-practice
• ↑ https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/engaging-students/using-effective-questions
• ↑ https://www.tefl.net/elt/ideas/younglearners/finishing-preschool-english-lessons/

About This Article

If you need to make a lesson plan, start by creating a timeline based on the length of the class or the school day. As you get to know your class throughout the year, try to tailor your lesson plan to their strengths. For instance, some groups might learn better by taking notes during a lecture, while others might benefit more from group discussions or worksheets. Try to include several different activities during each class period so the kids don’t get bored, and also to appeal to the different learning styles in the classroom. Read on for sample lesson plans and more tips on how to budget your time! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to build a lesson plan (+ templates), share this article.

So you’ve got a great course topic , you’ve built a course outline to help you deliver, and now you’re all set to start your first lesson plan.

When it comes to building an online course that delivers, you need to be strategic about your lessons. Each lesson plan is a building block that ladders up to your overarching course goals.

Let’s talk about how to build a lesson plan that hits home.

Or grab them here for google docs or word!  

Skip ahead:

What does a good lesson plan look like? 

5 steps for building a lesson plan from scratch .

A well-designed lesson plan has seven key elements: 

Class objectives 

Objectives, at a basic level, are what the lesson sets out to achieve — think of them as your North Star. Objectives communicate three key things:

• Why students need the lesson
• What they’ll be able to do at the end of the lesson
• How they’ll demonstrate knowledge. 

Say one of the lessons in your social media course is “choosing the right channels.” In that case, your objective could be: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to compare different social media channels and choose the one that best aligns with their content goals. 

Teaching and learning are more effective when all the stakeholders understand the purpose of the lesson. When anyone veers off the track, they can easily realign themselves with the North Star.

Hook is what grabs the attention of your students. It is usually a statement surfacing the problem they are having — which is why they signed up for your course in the first place. This is your chance to prove that you understand their problem and can solve it. 

Back to our previous example, the hook could be a story about a creator who switched channels and finally got traction on social media after trying for many years. Or you could share data around how social channels affect how much money creators make.  

Learning activities 

Here, you spell out everything the lesson entails — from class activities and instruction time to independent work time and even assessments. Everyone involved needs to know what the lesson covers so they can prepare ahead of time. 

Again, referring to our earlier example, the learning activities might look like this: 

• Worksheets 
• Instructor-led sessions
• One Q and A session at the end of the class 
• Independent work time (which doubles as assessment) 
• Class discussions 

Learn more: Blended learning and scheduled class activities  

Timeline shows the duration of each activity in the lesson. More than showing how long the class will take, assign time limits to the different sessions within each lesson, including assessment, main instruction, breaks, and student participation. 

Build in a buffer between each session to take care of any unforeseen issues. Say you want to spend 15 minutes on a class presentation; assign 20 minutes to it instead. 

Having a realistic lesson timeline helps you stay on track, making sure you have enough time to cover all the key areas of your lesson. 

This is where you highlight what students need to make the most of your class — to set them up for success. The last thing you need is for your course to lose credibility because a particular student wasn’t sufficiently equipped for it. 

Maybe they need to complete a foundational course first to bring them up to the level of knowledge required for the lesson. Or they need access to certain tools and equipment. Tell them all about it here. 

For a social media class, for instance, students must have active accounts and maybe a certain number of followers. 

Closure is how you wrap up the class. It typically involves a recap of the key points covered in the lesson and a quick review of the class objectives. 

The instructor might ask reflective questions such as “What was the most challenging part of the lesson for you?” or “What would you like to learn more about in this topic?” Or ask students to create a mind map of the key points covered in the lesson.

At this point, students and instructors can reflect on the lesson activities at the end to see if they met their goals. Students can also ask last-minute questions before the final assessment. 

Assessment 

This is the parameter for measuring how well a student understands what they’ve learned in a particular lesson. It helps the course instructor assess students fairly. 

The assessment can take several forms. One might administer a summative test — like an end-of-class quiz. Or conduct a survey with open-ended questions at intervals to gauge students’ knowledge. 

Whichever method you choose, make sure you inform students ahead of time so they prepare adequately for it. 

Before you begin

Before you dive into lesson planning, start with a few key questions to determine the goal of your lesson. As the topic expert, the breadth of this course content is clear in your head, but your students are still figuring it out as they go along. 

Keep a narrow focus for each lesson while keeping the bigger picture in mind – this will help your students build knowledge in context so they can use it independently and remember it forever!

• What do your students already know? This is back to what you’ve covered in previous lessons or what foundational knowledge you expect students to have. Do they have all the definitions they need to understand today’s topic? Are there any gaps you need to close before you dive in? That will be your starting point for this lesson.
• What do they need to learn today? Eyes on the prize here – keep your goal clear, or you’ll get lost along the way! Set yourself a single goal for this lesson: should students understand the formula for a unique value proposition, or should they be able to write a great cover letter? What single concept or skill do you want this lesson to impart to your students? Remember to keep it simple; if it’s too complex, you might want to consider splitting it into smaller lessons to avoid confusing your students with information overload.
• What’s the best way to lock it into place? Now that you’ve locked down the goal for today’s lesson, you can decide on the best way to deliver the information. Is this something best delivered through video, or is it better explained with text and diagrams? Could you represent this as an infographic? What practice activities would help your students lock in their newly acquired skills?

Related: How to do a training needs assessment

It’s not always about downloading your brain onto the page. You need to consider how you explain things so your students fully understand not only the new facts, but the context surrounding them – that’s the key to them being able to apply these new skills independently when the course is over. 

With the Thinkific course builder, you have so many teaching tools and resources at your disposal – use them in harmony with one another to give your students a dynamic learning experience .

Now that you’ve got those three guiding principles in mind, let’s put them to work in your lesson plan.

Set the stage

Begin each new lesson by setting the stage for your students. You can do this in three key steps:

• Take a brief moment to look back at what you covered in the last lesson,
• Give a high-level overview of what today’s lesson will entail, and
• Tell students the key skills or takeaways they will have conquered by the end of the lesson.

In particular, consider if any content from previous lessons is applicable to the new lesson. Never miss an opportunity to name-drop or draw examples from old content while introducing new material! It’s a great opportunity to help your students build context between what might feel like a confusing array of new facts. When you build bridges between old and new knowledge, it creates that lightbulb moment for students to see how all the pieces fit together.

This is more than just summarizing or expectation-setting – it’s a strategic educational principle. By reminding students of previous lessons, you help them draw connections between old and new content so they can understand how everything fits together. 

When you share the key touchpoints for today’s lesson, you set up a framework for them to contextualize everything that follows. If they know what the final goal is, they will naturally be more attuned to anything you say about those skills from that point onwards. This brief process at the beginning of each lesson provides anchors for students to shape their understanding throughout the rest of the lesson.

Explain new information

This is the main component of any lesson plan. When it’s time to introduce new content, make sure to do so clearly and simply. Explain new concepts in the most straightforward way possible. Consider your weakest student, and explain things with them in mind – even your strongest students will still benefit from that simplicity!

Be sure to use lots of examples to help students develop context with new information. One tip here is to use a mix of examples that draw from general knowledge and subject-specific knowledge. For example, you can and should give concrete examples grounded in the course subject matter; for more abstract concepts, however, it can be helpful to explain things using everyday examples that everyone can relate to. 

Related: The Ultimate List of Free Online Course Lesson Plan Templates

Consider using apples and oranges to explain abstract economic concepts, or using nursery rhymes to explain music theory. This doesn’t mean you have to come up with mysterious hypothetical examples like the ones you might have found on a high school math quiz – just look for everyday situations you can use to explain more difficult concepts, so your students can ground their new understanding in something familiar.

Students learn in a myriad of different ways – some through text, others through video, and still others through graphic design or activities like writing by hand. While explaining things clearly in a well-produced video or article is always a great place to start, consider using a variety of methods to make your lesson plan stick.

• Create an infographic to illustrate key points from the lesson
• Provide fill-in-the-blank notes so students can follow along with you and pay attention for key information queues
• Link key words and concepts to external articles or videos to provide students with additional learning resources
• Create a slide deck of key points that students can use as a review tool
• The sky’s the limit – if you can think of an alternative way to present your information, your students will benefit! The Thinkific course builder has a number of different content types to suit your needs, wherever the inspiration leads you.

Learn more about different learning styles and how to teach to them . 

Practice makes perfect

After introducing new material to students, it’s vital to give them an opportunity to put their new skills into practice . This is what helps them lock new information into their brains and build contextual links with other skills. It’s also an important tool to help students master the content from this lesson before they move on to the next – as they work through practice activities and find themselves stuck on particular concepts or tasks, it will become clear which aspects of the material they didn’t quite understand. That gives students a targeted opportunity to ask good questions or go back through the course material until they master that skill.

Even in an online course , there are a number of practice activities you can prompt students to use:

• Ask students to define key concepts and use them in a paragraph, so they have an opportunity to put things into their own words
• Suggest students rephrase concepts by converting your notes into questions, like those they might expect to see on a quiz
• If you have a community or online group, ask students to share their summaries or reflections with each other in a dedicated lesson thread

Related: 8 ways to make online classes more interactive  

Assessments

Sometimes, you also need to assess student knowledge. While you won’t do this for each and every lesson, it’s a helpful tool to check student understanding at important course milestones.

Thinkific’s course platform makes it easy to deliver student assessments with quizzes, exams, and assignments to put your students to the test, but you should keep future assessments in mind while you plan lessons. As you build a series of lessons, keep these questions in mind for future assessments:

• What facts and skills from this lesson are necessary for a student to succeed in this course?
• Are there any facts in this lesson that students need to be reminded of to make sure they stick?

Keep a running list of these answers as you build your lessons. By the time you reach a course milestone and you’re ready to build an assessment, you’ll already have a list of key questions to use in your quiz or assignment. By drawing questions from across a series of lessons, you help students build contextual links between different batches of information and end up with a more cohesive learning experience.

Get ahead with our free lesson plan template

Building a lesson plan from scratch is challenging and quickly gets complicated if it’s your first time. To help you, we’ve created a customizable template you can tweak to suit your needs fast. 

You’re well on your way to building a great course , with solid principles that help you deliver dynamic lessons to your students!

Put your learning into action with Thinkific:

This blog was originally created in August 2020, it has since been updated in August 2023 to become even more useful!

Jenny is a Content Marketer at Thinkific. A lifelong learner, she loves writing about anything from Byron to blockchain. Formerly from Cape Town, she now spends her spare time wandering Vancouver in search of the perfect coffee.

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As you can see in the slide (giving presentations)

Step into the world of presentations with this handy lesson! Students explore vocabulary for structuring presentations, read the text of a presentation and watch a video on how to communicate ideas clearly.

Presentation: putting skills into action

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The objective of this lesson plan is to teach students some adjectives for describing products and show them a video analysing Apple’s legendary keynotes.

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Guides & Templates

How to write a lesson plan in 5 simple steps: a recipe for success, craft effective lesson plans effortlessly. learn to set objectives, design activities, and use templates for engaging student learning. streamline your teaching today.

Teachers and tutors face unique challenges when addressing the needs of their students. They must engage them while maintaining rigor, challenge them while meeting their individual learning needs, and provide them with unique lessons that meet predetermined standards and objectives. It’s a tall order. 

So, how do educators write a lesson plan that does all of these things without occupying all of their time? They copy each other!

This article discusses five key steps in creating an effective lesson plan, guidelines for structuring a lesson plan, and resources and templates to help you write the most engaging activities for your students.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel whenever you write a lesson and teach effectively. You just need a reliable method and the right resources.

Before You Start: Planning for Lessons

Before writing a lesson plan, you must know your lesson's why, what, when, who, and how. What objectives are you measuring, and how will students show you what they understand? Who are the students who need to access this lesson? How are you going to deliver the lesson? And when do you anticipate the task will end?

To write a lesson that responds to these questions, you must focus on these essential curriculum components. 

• Set clear, measurable objectives
• Identify the appropriate teaching strategies
• Prepare necessary materials and resources
• Create a detailed timeline
• Include differentiated instructions
• Incorporate assessment methods

Have a rough idea of how you envision each component coming together, and list the objectives and core competencies students will demonstrate. Once you have your objective, you will build your lesson plan around it.  

Step 1: Define the Objective

You must have a clear learning objective before you even start to plan lessons. You can access standards through your State’s Department of Education, or another educational body, as a reference. Once you know what standards you want to address, you will write a learning objective for the lesson.

Some techniques to help you write a quality objective include the following:

• Make your objective SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-sensitive).
• Use action verbs like demonstrate, identify, argue, or explain.
• Make sure the objective is student-centered.
• Keep it concise (one sentence).

These examples show what a polished objective looks like.

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to identify the main topic and two supporting details in a paragraph and share their written response with a partner. 

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to correctly apply the order of operations to solve math problems that include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by creating and responding to student-generated problems. 

• By the end of this lesson, the student will demonstrate their understanding of a monarch butterfly’s lifecycle by creating a diagram, or other creative representation, to illustrate each stage of a monarch’s life.

Each of these objectives is concise and follows the SMART outline. They are also broad enough to allow for differentiation. For example, a student with dysgraphia may decide to make a video or record a podcast about the lifecycle of a butterfly. 

Step 2: Design the Instructional Materials

Different components make up a comprehensive lesson plan. Once your objective is lined out, you must plan the activities and gather or create your instructional materials.

Instructional materials may include any of the following:

• Visual aids
• Handouts or shared files
• Learning technology: digital whiteboards, software, web resources
• Manipulatives 
• Supplemental reading or videos
• Supplies (utensils, glue, paint)

The learning supplies you choose will depend on the learning objective and the standards you want your students to demonstrate. Writing the objective first is essential in writing a lesson plan because it steers every following step. 

Step 3: Map the Lesson Activities

To maximize student learning and engagement, sequence your lesson’s activities so students have enough time to complete them but not so much time they become bored. Having a variety of activities throughout the lesson that call on different learning styles will help engage each student throughout the lesson. 

Pro tip: Break your lesson into four key sequences and determine the pacing or time you want to allow for each.

Generally, each lesson should include the following activities:

Opening/Bell Ringer

Get your students engaged with a brief activity to activate their brains and start thinking about what they will learn that day. A bell ringer activity could be a question that students respond to in a journal, a quick game or riddle, or a problem they solve with a partner. This activity should be short (5 minutes) and lead to the main activity of the lesson.

Instructions and Main Activity

After you wrap up your bell ringer, you will go over your lesson’s objective and give any instructions or background information for your main activity. Remember to differentiate your instruction and allow for several pathways to completion. You will also set any expectations and answer student questions. Your introduction and instructions shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.

Most of your time will be spent on the main activity of your lesson. The pacing will vary depending on the time needed to gather materials and clean up. If your lesson will take more than one day, allow enough time at the beginning and end of each session to allow for this. Your main activity should conclude with enough time to accommodate your formative assessment and lesson wrap-up.

Formative Assessment

This is where you check in with students to see what they understand from the lesson. It allows you to gauge where your students are with the material so you can determine your next course of action. Your options span a wide range of delivery methods and multimedia options. We will explain this more in the next step.

Before having students move on from a lesson, allow 2-3 minutes to reflect at the end of the task. This could be done with another journal entry or a quick survey at the end of the lesson.

Step 4: Determine Formative Assessment Method

Finding creative, student-centered ways for students to demonstrate their learning is vital to engagement and inclusion, so don’t breeze over this with a worksheet or written quiz. At the end of a unit, you will then have a more formal summative assessment.

Some formative assessment options include the following:

• Note Catchers
• Illustrate an Important Scene
• Think-Pair-Share
• Write a letter to…
• Teach it to the class (or a partner)
• Interactive game
• One minute essay

Deciding which formative assessment to use comes down to understanding your students and how they engage best with a subject based on their age, interest level, and learning styles. 

Pro tip: Avoid falling into the trap of using the same type of formative assessment for every lesson. While it may be easier to get into a routine and stick with it, students will be more engaged with variety. It also allows different strengths to shine through. 

Step 5: Review and Revise

Reviewing and revising a lesson plan before and after you implement it is essential. You want to ensure that it is clear enough for a substitute teacher to follow without your help. It should also explain where to access all materials and resources for future reference.

Have a colleague or instructional coach review your lesson plan and provide brief feedback to get started. You can return the favor to a colleague and improve both lesson plans. You can also ask a colleague or coach to sit in on the lesson and make observations. Note any hiccups when you deliver the lesson and revise the lesson plan based on what you learned. It may seem time-consuming now, but you can use it again and share it with other teachers, saving much time in the long run.

Lesson Plan Templates and Resources

If you are pressed for time and don’t want to write an entire lesson plan from scratch, you can use several helpful teaching websites with templates and complete lesson plans. While many of these sites require membership to access all resources, they have been vetted and used by real teachers. 

Edraw is a graphic diagramming and mind-mapping software with free templates you can download and share. This could work with helping write a lesson plan or creating visual supports and presentations for a lesson. Find their lesson plan template here . 

Teachers Pay Teachers

Teacher Pay Teachers is a one-stop shop for all things lesson planning. Resources, lesson plans, and templates are created and used by teachers, which they then share through the platform. It is an excellent resource for teachers and tutors, and you can make extra money sharing your lessons and templates with other educators.

You can find this lesson plan template here .

Study.com uses standard lesson plan formats to create templates teachers can use in their classrooms. Their templates include standards, objectives, materials, activities, and extensions. While you will need to create an account to gain access to all of their templates and resources, there is a wealth of time-saving resources available.

Teachers and tutors do not have to sacrifice all of their free time to write engaging lesson plans. With helpful resources, tips, and templates, the task is easier to complete, and you will start to build your own library of lesson plans to choose from. 

Following the five essential steps to write an engaging lesson plan and utilizing teacher-vetted resources is the best way to create lessons loved by students with a little more time and your sanity intact. 

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Top 10 Teacher Lesson Plan presentation templates

Having a Teacher Lesson Plan template is crucial for educators as it provides a structured and organized approach to delivering lessons. Teachers, tutors, and instructors across various educational levels and subjects benefit from using these templates. Utilizing a presentation template, like the examples below, streamlines the process of creating visually appealing and engaging content, allowing educators to focus on the quality of their instruction and save valuable time.

What makes a good Teacher Lesson Plan?

• Clear objectives: Clearly outline the goals and learning outcomes for the lesson, ensuring that students understand what they are expected to achieve by the end of the session.
• Engaging visuals: Incorporate relevant images, graphics, and multimedia elements to capture students' attention and enhance their understanding of the subject matter.
• Logical structure: Organize the content in a coherent and easy-to-follow manner, breaking down complex topics into smaller, manageable sections for better comprehension.
• Interactive activities: Include opportunities for students to actively participate in the learning process through group discussions, hands-on exercises, or problem-solving tasks.
• Assessment methods: Provide a variety of assessment tools, such as quizzes, assignments, or projects, to evaluate students' progress and understanding of the lesson content.

1. Tome's Teacher Lesson Plan Template

Easily organize and execute educational lessons with the Tome's Teacher Lesson Plan Template , perfect for educators aiming to structure their sessions effectively. This template is ideal when preparing detailed lesson plans that align with course objectives, facilitating student engagement and learning.

• Slides: Guides for lesson structuring, engaging questions, and student involvement.
• Format: Available online via Tome app, exportable in PDF or PowerPoint format.
• Pricing: Free to use on the Tome.app.

2. Space Illustrative Lesson Plan for High School PowerPoint and Google Slides Template

The Space Illustrative Lesson Plan for High School Template captures the vastness of space in an educational format, perfect for high school and college astronomy units. Use it when the lesson's aim is to explore celestial phenomena and foster scientific curiosity.

• Slides: Engaging and themed visuals to complement space-related lessons.
• Format: Available in PowerPoint and Google Slides formats.
• Pricing: Free to download.

3. STEM Elective Subject for Middle School - 7th Grade: Principles of IT, Cybersecurity and Engineering Template

STEM Elective Subject for Middle School Template is ideal for introducing students to the basics of IT, cybersecurity, and engineering, best used in middle school STEM curricula.

• Slides: Includes 3D illustrations and various educational resources.
• Format: Available in Google Slides format.

4. Global Education PowerPoint Template Template

Global Education PowerPoint Template is suited for presenting global educational concepts and multicultural learning experiences, great for broadening students' worldviews.

• Slides: Features vibrant colors and interactive design elements.
• Format: Compatible with PowerPoint.
• Pricing: Specific pricing information is not publicly available. Users may buy the template through a subscription at SlideModel.

5. Kimok Science Doodles Style Lesson Template - Daily Learning: STEM Infographics

Kimok Science Doodles Style Lesson Template makes science subjects approachable and fun, ideal for daily STEM lessons that encourage interactive learning and creativity.

• Slides: Doodle-style graphics and STEM-focused infographics.

6. 1-Slide Lesson Plan PowerPoint Template

The 1-Slide Lesson Plan PowerPoint Template simplifies the educational planning process, ideal for teachers needing a quick overview of daily or weekly educational objectives.

• Slides: A single slide for a concise lesson summary.
• Format: Available in PowerPoint format.

7. Math lesson PowerPoint and Google Slides Template

Math Lesson PowerPoint and Google Slides Template offers a vibrant and engaging approach to math lessons, perfect for educators looking to make math fun and accessible for students.

• Slides: Colorful and math-themed design to enhance learning.
• Format: Available in both PowerPoint and Google Slides formats.

8. Lesson Roadmap Presentation Template

Lesson Roadmap Presentation Template is great for outlining the journey of a lesson or unit, helping educators plan and communicate the path of learning effectively.

• Slides: Customizable for different educational needs.
• Format: Available for Google Slides, PowerPoint, and Canva.

9. Biology Subject for High School: Stem Cells Presentation Template

Biology Subject for High School: Stem Cells Presentation Template is designed for high school biology lessons, especially effective for topics on stem cells and advanced biological concepts.

• Slides: Rich in scientific illustrations and content.

10. Simple 5-Step Timeline Concept for PowerPoint Template

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• Slides: Features a straightforward 5-step timeline design.

Create the best presentations with Tome!

As an educator, you're always looking for ways to create engaging and interactive lesson plans that capture your students' attention. With Tome , you can effortlessly craft polished presentations that not only look great on any screen but also incorporate AI tools to help you express your ideas quickly and effectively. Our platform is designed to assist you in developing structured starting points for compelling presentations, integrating web references, and ensuring your finished output is both captivating and clear.

Whether you're teaching a science class or a history lesson, Tome's versatility allows you to create immersive and interactive experiences for your students. By transforming your existing documents into polished presentations, you can elevate your lesson plans and make learning more enjoyable for your students.

Ready to see how Tome can enhance your lesson plans? Sign up for free and start shaping your ideas with Tome today.

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How to Write an Engaging Lesson Plan (Plus a Printable Lesson Plan Template)

Written by Jeanne Sager

Wondering how to write a lesson plan that will set you and your students up for success? It’s an important skill for teachers, and in many school it’s even mandatory. But sitting down to write your own lesson plan can feel a whole lot different when you’re the sole classroom teacher than it may have back in the days of student teaching. Where do you even start? How do you create a lesson plan that’s going to engage your students and drive inquiry-based instruction? Does your plan need an objective? Are there lesson plan examples that you can follow?

Hold on! Take a breath!

The Teach Starter team (they’re the ones who create the resources teachers depend on for their lesson planning!) is made up completely of teachers who have been (or currently are) in your shoes. We know what it’s like to work in districts where planning time is minimal or non-existent, and we know just how challenging it can be to find the time to create a lesson plan. That’s why we’ve put together some of our team’s best tips for writing lesson plans that allow you to work smarter, not harder!

Wondering if you should use a lesson plan template? Looking for tips to make lesson planning less cumbersome and more useful? And for that matter, are you caught up wondering how you write a lesson plan that is aligned with standards and district curriculum expectations while also engaging your students and getting them excited about the subject matter?

We’ve covered all of that! Read on for tips from our teacher team to help you create lesson plans your administrators will love. Best of all, these are plans you’ll be able to use again and again to launch your students’ learning journeys.

What Is a Lesson Plan?

What should a lesson plan include, how to write a lesson plan more easily, lesson plan examples to borrow from, how far ahead should you plan lessons, how long should it take to make a lesson plan, the bottom line.

This may seem a little obvious, but please bear with us here. Thinking about what a lesson plan actually is an important part of reframing the process. We’ve seen more than a few new teachers who are feeling stressed out about making a lesson plan, only to realize they’re overcomplicating things.

A lesson plan is essentially a road map for a particular lesson that includes what to teach, how to teach it and what learning outcomes you aim to achieve. A good plan will help you stay organized and provide a structure for your instruction for a specific class or topic.

Every lesson plan looks different, just as every teacher and lesson is different. It’s important to note that some districts may have specific requirements for lesson plans that are more or less detailed. 

With all that said,  a basic lesson plan that you can use in the classroom outlines the lesson and provides an overview of how you will teach the topic. If an administrator or another experienced teacher were to look at the lesson plan, they should be able to pick it up and move forward with teaching your students based on that plan. 

A good lesson plan might include the following:

• An objective for the lesson 
• Time requirements for each aspect of the lesson
• Specific activities that will be done
• Materials that will be used
• How the lesson will be differentiated 
• The method in which you will assess students’ progress
• Standards that the lesson will address

Determine Your Objectives

Is this lesson meant to introduce new material, or will you be reviewing concepts already introduced? Identifying your objectives up front can help the writing flow.

Use a Lesson Plan Template

Every day, millions of lessons are going on in schools across the US, and every one of those teachers has had to write a lesson plan. You do not have to reinvent the wheel! Borrow from lesson plan templates that can shape your lesson planning.

Work With Your Grade Level Team

Speaking of not reinventing the wheel … the majority of districts have more than one teacher assigned to each grade level, and you’re likely focused on the same subjects too. Turn to your grade-level team — especially any teachers with more tenure in the classroom — to see if there are lesson plan examples or elements that you can share instead of starting from scratch every time.

Consider Prior Knowledge

We talk to students about activating prior knowledge all the time, and it’s important to keep in mind as you write a lesson plan. Consider what you’ve already taught and how to take students to the next step, building on their learning.

Print a rainbow teacher planner to keep your classroom on track!

Break Things Down by Time

There may be days when you find yourself looking at your blank lesson plan template with the teacher’s version of writer’s block. You’re far from alone!

In times like these, think about how much time you’ve allotted for the lesson, and reverse engineer your lesson. Let’s say your lesson hook will take you 10 minutes, and you’re planning to have students work in pairs for 10 minutes and so on … you’ve already got 20 minutes of the lesson plan complete!

Think About How Your Students Learn

Crafting a lesson plan that can be differentiated to reach every student means considering all the ways the individuals in your class learn best. Are they auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners? Can you pair students off or create small groups, or do you have students who do best while working on their own? Also, keep students’ IEPs in mind while writing your lesson plan.

Use Teacher-Created Resources

We promise this isn’t cheating! Our teacher team has created thousands of resources — including interactive activities, unit and lesson plans, educational games and more — that can be accessed with a single subscription .

Knowing you already have resources that are aligned with the curriculum can save you significant time as you lesson plan.

Create a Lesson Ideas Parking Lot

You may have one day of the week set aside for lesson planning, but if you’re anything like us, your ideas for lessons come at the most random moments. Don’t lose those ideas; park them!

You can jot your ideas down on sticky notes that you stick to a corkboard, add them to a notes app on your phone or even record voice memos to yourself. Whatever the method is that works best for you, use these parked ideas when it’s time to plan your lessons!

Go Macro Before You Go Micro

Do you have a lot of ideas but struggle with planning individual lessons? It may be helpful to start with a broad look at the topic and skills you need to address.

From there, you can list the resources you plan to use, any activities you want to include and so on. Once you have everything listed, start pulling the pieces together to form individual lessons.

Start With a Unit Plan and Work Backward

It’s an ambitious undertaking, but you may consider creating an entire unit plan. This is similar to the lesson planning strategy above, as you can look at the big picture before breaking it down into chunks.

Sometimes, things just do not go as planned. The lesson you thought would be a hit left students scratching their heads, and you need to revisit the material to help your learners move forward. Don’t look at this as a failure of your lesson plan but a good learning opportunity for you about how your students learn and how you can adapt your planning to meet them where they are.

In addition to the template above that maps out a lesson plan for you, we realize it can be helpful to look at some examples of what teachers include in their lesson plans. So we asked teachers to share their plans!

Here are some examples that stood out for us. Feel free to explore the whole list and choose elements that are right for you.

Example One

• Learning objective
• Whole group work
• Formative assessment
• Small group work
• Independent work

Need simple formative assessments? Check out our teacher team’s favorite exit tickets !

Example Two

• Do now activity
• Activities built in to gain skills toward their main task
• Main task including success criteria

Example Three

• Prior learning
• Materials and resources
• Procedures and activities

How far ahead you should plan your lessons will depend on a few factors, including the requirements in your district and your personal planning style. Lesson plans can be designed to cover just one day’s lessons or even a week’s lessons. You may also decide that your lesson plan should cover an entire unit or a specific content area.

What kind of lesson plan you’re writing will likewise dictate how far in advance it needs to be drafted. After all, you can’t create a weekly lesson plan when half the week has already gone by!

While there is no hard and fast rule regarding how long it should take to make a lesson plan, it’s important to know that most teachers get faster as they become more familiar with the process. If there is a textbook or other adopted curricular materials to work from, that can help make lesson planning go faster. Then again, if there’s no clear sequence or pacing guide, remember to give yourself grace if lesson planning takes longer than you’d hoped it would

Something to keep in mind — when you sit down to write a lesson plan, you don’t need to write a book! An effective weekly lesson plan can easily be just one page or maybe two, split into different sections. You might also keep your curriculum map in your lesson plan binder so you can refer back, but your lesson plan doesn’t need to repeat that information. That’s what the map is there for!

The goal is to create a road map for yourself that’s concise and easy to refer to as needed. Remember — if you have to stop to peek at your lesson plan at any point, you won’t have time to read a novel — you’ll want that information to jump right out at you.

Writing a lesson plan may seem daunting at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. Until then, don’t be afraid to use a lesson plan template to help get things started.

See our favorite lesson plan templates and more teacher tools created by expert teachers !

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Google Slides Lesson Plan

A Google Slides lesson plan designed to help educators implement the digital tool into their instruction

Google Slides is a robust, interactive, and flexible presentation and learning resource tool that can be used to bring content to life in all academic subject areas. While Google Slides is known primarily for being an alternative to PowerPoint, the comprehensiveness of features and tools within Google Slides allows for active learning and consumption of content. 

For an overview of Google Slides, check out “ What is Google Slides and How Can It Be Used By Teachers?”  

Below is a sample lesson plan that can be used for all grade levels to not only teach students vocabulary, but to have students demonstrate their learning.

Subject: English Language Arts  

Topic: Vocabulary 

Grade Band: Elementary, Middle, and High School   

Learning Objectives: 

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At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Define grade-level vocabulary words 
• Appropriately use vocabulary words in a sentence 
• Locate an image that illustrates the meaning of a vocabulary word 

Start the lesson by using a shared Google Slides presentation to introduce the set of vocabulary words to students. Explain how to pronounce each word, what part of speech it is, and use it in a sentence for students. For younger students, it may be helpful to have more than one visual aid on the screen to help students understand the content more easily. 

If you are using video to teach students about vocabulary words, you can quickly embed a YouTube video into a Google Slides presentation. You can either search for videos or, if you already have a video, use that URL to locate the YouTube video. If the video is saved within Google Drive you can easily upload it through that process. 

Google Slides Creation 

After you have reviewed the vocabulary words with students, provide time for them to create their own vocabulary Google Slides. This serves as an opportunity to spend time with the content, and as Google Slides are housed online in the cloud, students can use their finished product as a study guide. 

For each Google Slide, students will have the vocabulary word at the top of the slide. In the body of the slide, they will need to use the following features within the “Insert” function:

Text box : Students can insert a text box to type out the definition of the vocabulary word in their own words. For older students, you can also have students use the text box to write a sentence using the vocabulary word. 

Image: Students can insert an image that represents the vocabulary word. Google Slides provides several options for inserting an image, including uploading from a computer, conducting a web search, taking a picture, and using a photo already on Google Drive, which is helpful for younger users who may need to have a preset collection of images to choose from. 

Table: For older students, a table can be inserted and they can break down the vocabulary word based on the part of speech, prefix, suffix, root, synonyms and antonyms. 

If students finish early, allow them to use some of the formatting tools to decorate their Slides by adding different colors, fonts, and borders. Students can present their Vocabulary Google Slides to both their in-person and virtual classmates using the Google Meet option.  

Providing Real-time Support 

What makes Google Slides an excellent interactive learning edtech tool is the ability to work in real-time and see students’ progress as they work. While each student is working on their vocabulary slides, you can pop in and offer support by either going to the student in person or virtually conferencing with one who is working remotely. 

You may want to upload an audio file to Google Slides so students can be reminded of the assignment expectations. This would be helpful if you are teaching in a dual audience environment and some students are working on the lesson at home. Or, if students in class need more time to complete the assignment at home and need a reminder of the directions. There are also accessibility features within Google Slides that allow for screen reader, braille, and magnifier support. 

Extended Learning with Add-Ons 

One of the unique features that differentiates Google Slides from other interactive presentation edtech tools is a host of Add-Ons that elevates the learning experience. Even other platforms such as Slido, Nearpod , and Pear Deck have add-on features which allow Google Slides content to work seamlessly within those platforms.  

The learning engagement options are truly endless with Google Slides. Whether Google Slides are being used to present or engage with content, it is an exciting and interactive tool that can be used in a variety of learning settings to teach all subjects. 

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Dr. Stephanie Smith Budhai is faculty member in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Delaware, focusing on Educational Technology, Learning Design, and Justice-centered Pedagogies. She holds two national education technology leadership positions on the Information Technology Council and as Chair of the Culture and Climate Committee for the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE).  She holds a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies, and a M.S. in Information with a specialization in Library and Information Science, and K-12 teaching certifications in Technology Education, Instructional Technology and Business, Computers, Information Technology, Special Education and Elementary Education. Dr. Smith Budhai is the 2021 SITE Emerging Leader and the 2017 ISTE Awardee for Excellence in Teacher Education. She is also a Nearpod, and VoiceThread Certified Educator.  Dr. Smith Budhai has more than a decade of online teaching experience, and has published myriad books (two have been translated into Arabic), articles, and invited editorials surrounding the use of technology and online learning in education. A few of her book publications include: 

- Leveraging Digital Tools to Assess Student Learning 

- Increasing Engagement in Online Learning: Quick Reference Guide

- Culturally Responsive Teaching Online and In-Person: An Action Planner for Dynamic Equitable Learning Environments 

- Teaching the 4Cs with Technology

- Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners through Active and Experiential Learning Strategies

- Nurturing Young Innovators: Cultivating Creativity in the Classroom, Home and Community

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Top 11 Templates to Mobilize an Efficient Lesson Plan [Free PDF Attached]

Deepika Dhaka

You swear by a lesson plan if you are in the education industry. It is like an essential vitamin for your survival. Isn’t it? So creating a lesson plan is an important part of your job. But are you always successful in designing a realistic plan that stands out and enthralls your students?

That is why we've come up with an exclusive PowerPoint template collection to assist you in creating an impactful lesson plan.

You can help your pupils develop a desire to learn new skills and expertise by utilizing these distinct layouts. But, before we get started, let's look at its concept.

What is a Lesson Plan?

A lesson plan is an instructor's roadmap for what and how students should learn and implement that information in the class. It prepares you ahead of time to teach new concepts and have meaningful discussions.

Importance of a Good Lesson Plan

A lesson plan can benefit educators and mentors in a variety of ways. However, here are the most significant purposes that it serves as a learning tool for both teachers and students:

• It works as a perfect time management tool in the classroom.
• Utilizing a lesson plan builds the confidence of instructors and learners.
• It serves as a clear roadmap to effective teaching.
• It is a result-oriented practice.
• If the teacher is unavailable, it works as a reference tool to facilitate the swapping.
•  An effective lesson plan promotes a healthy classroom environment.
• A lesson plan is a boon to struggling learners as it considers the development levels of students.

Now that you are familiar with the importance of an effective lesson plan, let's delve into some  PowerPoint templates that you can download and use as per your needs! 

Template 1: One-Page Coaching Lesson Plan Template

Coaching is an excellent approach to teaching new things. So explore our new coaching lesson plan template!

This one-page layout has all the essential factors to help you improve your coaching abilities. In this plan you can highlight the training level, module, task flow, and assignments. Utilizing this can speed up the procedure and ensure that your lessons are well-structured and interesting. So get this awesome template now! 

Download this template

Template 2: One-Page Daily Lesson Plan Template for Training

Are you tired of wasting time and money on ineffective training methods? Look no further than this daily lesson management framework to achieve your training and development objectives.

This comprehensive template is ideal for organizing and engaging your trainees in new and improved learnings. In this one-pager, you can describe session schedules along with the self-administering tests and their links. So go ahead and bookmark this one to keep your employees ahead. Download now!

Template 3: One-Page Mentoring Lesson Plan Template

Mentoring can provide the mentor and the mentee a sense of fulfillment. However, you must first develop a lesson plan before beginning mentoring. Here's a simple template that includes all the core lesson planning components.

It is explicitly created to outline your initiative and get the most out of it from start to finish. You can also use it to mention trainer and trainee guidelines to prepare for the session in advance. Grab it now!

Template 4: One-Page Monthly Lesson Plan Template

Creating monthly lesson plans is one of the most challenging tasks for a novice instructor. You don't know what standards to cover, what activities to include, or how much time to allow for each topic. Don't be discouraged! 

Rather, consider this innovative PPT design to outline monthly lesson schedules, case study submission dates, lesson agenda, and more. It can help you develop and manage a new approach to your teaching methods. Download it now!

Template 5: One-Page New Joinee Training Lesson Plan Template

If your new staff finds your training tedious and ineffective, consider our exclusive pre-designed template to help you train and plan your activities. This one-pager highlights the mentoring plan for recruits. 

Here you can cover the details such as learning objectives, audience details, resources required, standard instructions, and more. By following this roadmap design, your staff can understand everything they need to know about the new position and make a genuine contribution. So don't put it off any longer; download it now!

Template 6: One-Page Weekly Infant Lesson Plan Template

A daily schedule for children is unquestionably essential to their development and general happiness. This is why we've got an infant lesson plan template ready for you to follow. 

This handy PPT template lets you organize new ideas to keep your children occupied throughout the day. Utilizing this template allows you to plan activities for music, language, indoor games, and motor skills for the little munchkins. Additionally, it also has a space to mention the different things they enjoy doing. So download away!

Template 7: One-Page Weekly Preschool Lesson Plan Template

A weekly lesson plan is a perfect approach to ensure your children get the most out of their education. So here's an appropriate and exciting blueprint created especially for preschoolers. 

This versatile template can project various themes and subjects to drive your kids' interest in learning. You can also describe different language concepts and goals for a week in this layout. So latch on and create an appealing strategy to educate and build upon the toddlers' knowledge.

Template 8: One-Page High School Weekly Lesson Plan Template

Imagine having to teach 20-25 high school students in 50 minutes. Would you rather wing it or go with a strategy? A lesson plan is a fundamental approach that guarantees success here. 

Hence, consider this PPT layout for making your tutorials more intriguing. This one-page lesson plan allows you to highlight various approaches to learning progression and styles. Therefore, grab it now!

Template 9: One-Page Preschool Weekly Lesson Plan Template

Every preschooler needs some fun. However, this does not negate the need for teachers to plan for weekly activities. Here's an exclusive template to draft the lesson plan that allows the teacher to consider the growth phase of children and set achievable goals.

With the help of this handy layout, you can structure a curriculum of fun-filled and innovative activities to keep the tiny tots engaged. In this theme-based layout, you can also mention the tasks and props for skill development classes. Download it now! 

Template 10: One-Page Weekly Lesson Plan Template for High School

Some teaching action plans are more successful than others, but it's challenging to determine which ones until you experiment. Here we present one of the most popular lesson plan templates that high school instructors can incorporate.

This helpful template can streamline your objectives and goals so that students aren't overwhelmed. It covers weekly activities for main subjects and also has ample space to plan for different add-on subjects. Download it right now to enjoy stress-free teaching!

Template 11: One-Page Lesson Plan Template for Professors

There are numerous activities to track and follow when you're a professor. But unfortunately, it becomes hard to find the time to learn new research advances or upcoming events. That's where this lesson plan template comes in handy! 

This simple layout makes it easy for you to plan your sessions innovatively and incorporate new learnings. With this PPT template you can describe everything, from the overview to the outcomes of your classes. It also lets you keep track of home assignments. Download it now and focus more on delivering compelling lectures!

The endnote

We hope that by now, you're eager to empower your students and show them how learning new things can open many doors for them. So download your favorite lesson plan templates and start working on systematic and versatile teaching practice right away!  We'd also like to hear about your personal experience. So add your comments below!

P.S: If you are an educator and want to ensure institutional success, here’s an education plan guide packed with stunning templates.

Download the free Lesson Plan Template PDF .

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The Four Main Parts of a Lesson Plan Made Simple

by Brad Melsby – updated January 23, 2024

What is a lesson plan and why do you need one?

The world of education is full of (too) many lesson plan templates and styles.  As you develop as a teacher, you’ll naturally grow into a more detailed lesson plan format.  Your school or district may require a different format or style of lesson plan.  Whatever your situation, it’s most useful for newer teachers to focus on the four main parts of a lesson plan.  These four elements are essential to your early success in the classroom. 

Your lesson plan is the roadmap for how the class period will be organized.  In the lesson plan, you identify what will be taught, how it will be taught, and by what method you plan to see if students learned it.  Without a structured lesson plan, a class period can quickly lose focus or direction.

In this article, we’ll focus on the four main parts of a lesson plan.

Lesson Planning Simplified: The Four Main Parts of a Lesson Plan

Lesson component #1: identify the learning objectives.

Ask yourself: What new concepts, knowledge, or skills do I want my students to learn today?  

When I chat with new teachers about how their class is going, I sometimes hear them say, “We’re doing the Roman Empire right now” or “We’re doing fractions today.”   I get that the word “doing” in this context is just an expression.  

But I also remember the realities of being a new teacher.  In my first year or two, my goal was to “fill the period” with academic activities.  Surely if we are doing something, the kids will learn.  Right?  

“Doing” does not necessarily equate to learning.

For many new teachers, a major evolution is to focus less on “filling the period” — although unstructured class time is rarely good — and more on your learning objective(s).

Check out the sample learning objectives below. Notice how the addition of learning objectives shifts the focus away from the topic (“We’re doing the Roman Empire”) to the students and their skill acquisition.     

Here are a few sample learning objectives:

• At the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify and explain six causes of World War II.
• By the end of the lesson, students will be able to apply the rules of the Order of Operations to evaluate algebraic expressions.
• Students will be able to categorize types of animals into the correct classes with a graphic organizer.
• By the end of the reading lesson, students will be able to identify the rising action, climax, and falling action on a plot diagram.

Learning objectives force the teacher to think strategically.  How can you best support the students in achieving the objective? What instructional or learning activities will best fit the objective?  Clear learning objectives are arguably the most important part of a lesson.

Lesson Component # 2: The Lesson “Hook”

Ask yourself: How will I introduce the topic? How can I get students interested in the topic?

A lesson introduction should:

• Provide brief context and background information on the topic while engaging interest
• Create excitement or interest.  Compel the class to want to know more about the topic
• Explain the relevance of the topic to the larger unit or course 
• Provide a clear link between today’s objectives and the student’s prior knowledge

Your students likely possess a wide variety of personal experiences and knowledge.  As a result, it’s helpful to use the introduction to gauge prior knowledge or misconceptions about the topic. 

A few strategies for introducing the lesson:

Tell a personal story, analyze a relevant image or song, watch a video clip, provide a real-world connection or example, or present a probing challenge or question. 

Lesson Component #3 : The Learning Activities

Ask yourself: What will the students do to achieve the lesson objective?  

In a general sense, the learning activities can be divided into two parts: Guided Practice and Individual/Group Practice.  This is sometimes referred to as the gradual release of responsibility method: I Do, We Do, You Do.

Guided Practice (I Do, We Do): Here, the teacher explains and models the learning activity while answering clarifying questions.  Guided practice then allows students to participate in the learning activity under supervision and with direct feedback from the instructor.  

From a teacher’s perspective, guided practice is a key form of formative assessment.  Teachers use guided practice to determine whether students are ready to complete the activity without scaffolded support.  

Individual/Group Practice (You do):  Students complete the learning activity.  In guided practice, students learn with the steady support of the teacher.  Individual/group practice is the time for students to demonstrate proficiency on their own.  Independent practice can include homework assignments.   

Lesson Component #4 : Assessment and Closure

Ask yourself : How can I know if the students have met the learning objective of the lesson?

Lesson closure gives teachers the chance to briefly conduct one final review of the lesson and check to ensure that the intended student learning has occurred.

Go back to your original lesson objectives.  Create questions to ask students that address your learning goals.  You can place those questions on a homework assignment, an exit ticket , a quiz, or simply ask the questions in the form of a discussion.

Teachers use the assessment from today’s lesson to inform tomorrow’s lesson plan . 

What questions or confusion came up that need clarification? What if anything do I need to reteach?  What key concepts from today’s lesson will be useful to build on during tomorrow’s lesson?

Related resource:

Featured articles.

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Brad has taught history at the middle and high school levels for 19 years, almost exclusively in American public schools.  He holds a master’s in educational technology and is passionate about elevating the status of professional educators.

Set of 70 Pre-Made Exit Tickets and Student Check-Ins

Why we love these:

• They provide a thoughtful and creative way to end class.
• A convenient option if your lesson unexpectedly runs short. 
• The prompts are open-ended and accessible for all students.
• Gives you a quick and easy way to tell what your students are thinking or feeling.

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The Will to Teach

Creating Effective Lesson Plans: A Guide for Teachers

Lesson planning is the cornerstone of effective teaching, guiding educators in orchestrating engaging and purposeful student learning experiences. This article explores the art of crafting robust lesson plans, delving into why they are essential, strategies for different career stages, and examples that cater to novice and experienced teachers.

The Importance of Lesson Plans

Beginner level:, intermediate level:, experienced level:, new teacher, experienced teacher, frequently asked questions about lesson planning.

Lesson plans serve as a compass that guides teachers in delivering organized and meaningful instruction. They ensure that essential skills, learning objectives , and curriculum components are covered. Moreover, well-structured lesson plans make it seamless for relief teachers to take over the classroom if needed, maintaining instructional continuity.

Strategies for Crafting Lesson Plans

• Clear Objectives: Set specific learning objectives that align with curriculum goals. Identify what you want students to know, understand, and be able to do by the end of the lesson.
• Structured Format: Use a consistent format with sections like objectives, materials, introduction, activities, assessment, and closure.
• Engagement Strategies : Incorporate diverse instructional strategies to engage different learning styles, such as group discussions, visual aids, or hands-on activities.
• Differentiation: Tailor activities to cater to diverse student needs . Include extension tasks for advanced learners and additional support for struggling students.
• Assessment Strategies: Integrate formative assessments throughout the lesson to gauge student understanding. This can be quizzes, discussions, or group work.
• Technology Integration: Integrate technology tools that enhance learning experiences, such as interactive simulations or digital resources.
• Real-world Application: Design activities that relate to real-life scenarios, connecting classroom learning to practical situations.
• Student-Centered Approach: Foster student agency by incorporating opportunities for self-directed exploration and inquiry-based learning.
• Reflection and Adaptation: Incorporate a section for post-lesson reflection, where you analyze what went well and identify areas for improvement in future lessons.

Lesson Plan Examples

• Objective: Introduce students to basic fractions.
• Materials: Fraction manipulatives, whiteboard, markers.
• Introduction: Engage students with a relatable scenario involving pizza slices.
• Activities: Group work using fraction manipulatives to practice adding and subtracting fractions.
• Assessment: Quick quiz at the end of the class.
• Closure: Review key concepts and provide a preview of the next lesson.
• Objective: Analyze the impact of historical events on society.
• Materials: Primary source documents, multimedia resources.
• Introduction: Pose a thought-provoking question related to historical events.
• Activities: Small group discussions analyzing primary sources and creating presentations.
• Assessment: Peer review of presentations and individual reflections.
• Closure: Facilitate a class discussion on the broader implications of historical events.

Effective lesson planning is an art that evolves with experience. It ensures that teaching is purposeful, engaging, and aligned with educational goals. By tailoring lesson plans to your career stage and employing strategies that promote student engagement and understanding, educators can create impactful learning experiences that empower their students to succeed.

• Why is lesson planning important for teachers? Lesson planning provides a roadmap for teachers to organize their instruction, ensuring that learning objectives are met, curriculum requirements are covered, and students are engaged. It also facilitates smooth classroom management and allows for effective assessment of student progress.
• What should a well-structured lesson plan include? A comprehensive lesson plan typically includes clear learning objectives, a list of materials needed, an engaging introduction, interactive activities, assessment strategies, and a meaningful closure.
• How can lesson plans benefit substitute teachers? Well-crafted lesson plans make it easier for substitute teachers to seamlessly step into your role. Clear instructions, organized activities, and outlined objectives help substitute teachers maintain the learning flow in your absence.
• How can I make my lesson plans more engaging for students? Incorporate diverse instructional strategies, interactive activities, technology tools, and real-world applications to cater to various learning styles and make lessons more engaging.
• How can I ensure that students act on the feedback I provide? Encourage student self-assessment and reflection. Set specific goals for improvement based on your feedback, and revisit those goals periodically. Provide ongoing support and praise for their progress.
• Why should I share lesson plans with parents? Sharing lesson plans with parents fosters transparency and opens channels for meaningful conversations about their child’s learning. It helps parents understand the curriculum, learning objectives, and ways they can support their child at home.
• What is reflective teaching, and why is it important? Reflective teaching involves self-assessment and critical analysis of your instructional practices. It helps you identify strengths, areas for improvement, and adapt your teaching methods to better meet students’ needs.
• How can I make my reflections on teaching meaningful and regular? Set aside dedicated time for reflection, either daily or weekly. Use a journal or digital platform to record observations, successes, challenges, and strategies. Consider seeking feedback from peers or mentors to gain different perspectives.
• How can I effectively incorporate technology into my lesson plans? Integrate technology tools that enhance learning experiences, such as interactive simulations, multimedia presentations, and online resources. Ensure that technology supports the learning objectives and engages students.
• Can I use the same lesson plan format throughout my teaching career? While your basic lesson plan structure might remain consistent, adapting and refining your approach based on your experience and changing classroom needs is essential for continuous improvement.

Remember, lesson planning is an evolving process that grows with your teaching journey. By staying open to experimentation and incorporating feedback from both students and colleagues, you can refine your lesson planning skills and provide enriching educational experiences for your students.

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Active learning benefits students by improving retention of information, enhancing critical thinking skills, and encouraging a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

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These methods encourage students to work together, share ideas, and actively participate in their education.

Experiential Teaching: Role-Play and Simulations in Teaching

These interactive techniques allow students to immerse themselves in practical, real-world scenarios, thereby deepening their understanding and retention of key concepts.

Project-Based Learning Activities: A Guide for Teachers

Project-Based Learning is a student-centered pedagogy that involves a dynamic approach to teaching, where students explore real-world problems or challenges.

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Blog Education 27+ Easy-to-Edit Lesson Plan Examples [+ Writing Tips]

27+ Easy-to-Edit Lesson Plan Examples [+ Writing Tips]

Written by: Alice Corner Dec 07, 2023

Lesson plans are the best way to deliver an effective and engaging lesson. Lesson plans also help keep you on track to ensure that your learners hit their goals and targets, in line with your course curriculum.

But sometimes in the high-pressure world of education, it can be difficult to find the time to create inspiring lesson plans on your own. This is the time to enlist the help of a lesson plan maker and lesson plan templates .

I’ve gathered together 28 of the best lesson plan examples for all grade levels that you can use to ensure your lessons are insightful and inspiring.

Click to jump ahead :

What is a lesson plan?

• What are lesson plan sections

How to write a lesson plan?

English lesson plan examples, history lesson plan examples, middle school lesson plan examples, kindergarten lesson plan examples, high school lesson plan examples, preschool lesson plan examples, math lesson plan examples, elementary lesson plan examples, art lesson plan examples.

• Science lesson plan examples

Simple lesson plan examples

Elearning lesson plan examples.

• Simple lesson plan format

How to present the lesson plan

A lesson plan is a document that outlines the content of your lesson step-by-step. It’s a list of tasks that your students will undertake, to help guide your teaching.

Lesson plans are usually printed or saved as PDFs for teachers to use. You can make your own with a lesson plan template .

What are lesson plan sections?

Lesson plans primarily include a schedule of activities that you will deliver in the lesson. Some lesson plans also include additional sections for more thorough planning.

A general format of a lesson plan can be like this :

• Lesson activities
• Lesson materials
• Lesson objectives
• Lesson goals
• Lesson feedback

1. Objectives: know your destination

When writing a lesson plan, start by outlining the learning objectives—what you want your students to take from the session and work backward. Having clear and specific goals helps you plan activities for a successful lesson.

2. Welcome to the hook: make ’em want to learn

Start with an engaging “hook” to capture your students’ attention and make them eager to learn more. This could be a thought-provoking question, an interesting fact, or a surprising tidbit.

Apply a top-down method: plan on a course level the lessons you’re going to include and then go deeper and think about the activities you would like to include in each lesson.

3. Step-by-step: outlining the activities

Now that your students are hooked, it’s time to get down to business. Work on exercises or projects you would like your students to take on. These should serve two important purposes: allowing your students to apply the knowledge they learn in class and allowing you, the teacher, to assess students’ understanding of the materials.

This might include direct instruction (i.e., when you teach the material), guided practice (working together as a class), independent practice (students work on their own) and group activities.  Think about the best way to engage students and make sure you include a variety of these activities besides just tests or exams, like quizzes, group discussions, group projects and so on.

Example: If your objective is teaching persuasive writing, your steps might look like this:

• Explanation of persuasive writing techniques and purpose
• Guided practice: analyzing persuasive texts as a class
• Independent practice: having students create a persuasive argument on a given topic
• Group activity: Debating the different arguments in teams

Remember the old adage: “Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn.” 

4. Check for understanding: keep ’em on track

It’s not uncommon for students to zone out (we’ve all been there), so it’s crucial to regularly check if they’re on track. This means asking questions throughout the lesson and encouraging your students to reflect on the material.

Once you’ve got all these noted down, you can start arranging all the lessons and activities in a meaningful and logical order as well. This applies to the activities within a single lesson too. Answer these questions:

• How much time do you have for the whole lesson?
• What do you plan to start and end the lesson with?
• How much time do you have for each activity?
• If you still have time after all the activities are done, what are you planning to do?
• If you run out of time, what activities are you planning to drop?

As you plan your lesson, keep in mind that not all students learn at the same pace and in the same way. Tailor your activities and materials to accommodate different learning styles, skill levels and interests. This could mean offering choice in assignments, providing extra support for struggling learners, or challenging high-achievers with extended tasks.

Creating an English lesson plan is the best way to keep track of all the learning strands and activities that are needed for learning success.

Imagination, drama, romance and tragedy. English lessons have it all. But they can also be complicated to teach, with many moving parts to any one lesson. 

Like you’ll see in the English lesson plan examples below, creating engaging activities to a strict time schedule is perfectly possible with enough planning.

Use your lesson plan to schedule each activity by the minute

Any teacher will know the feeling of reaching the end of your material with 10 minutes left in the lesson.

Avoid running short (or running over!) in your lessons by planning down to the minute. The English lesson plan example below measures out timings for each activity so you finish perfectly on time. 

You can use a timer on your interactive whiteboard , or get students to time themselves. Scheduling is a great skill to incorporate into any lesson plan.

Creating a history lesson plan is essential for a successful session no matter if you’re teaching the near past or the ancient history.

Using common teaching resources such as timeline infographics , or imaginative play and learning are exciting ways to make your History lesson plans exciting.

Prepare for history lessons with a history timeline infographic

Teaching history effectively and engagingly relies on the teacher’s ability to bring the past back to life. For some students, mentally visualizing history can be difficult. A timeline infographic is a great way to teach historical events.

When planning your history lesson, make sure you have all of your timelines sorted. You can either prepare your history timelines in advance or get the students to create their own history timeline as part of the lesson activity.

Venngage has a whole range of timeline infographic templates that are easy to customize. 

Want to learn more about how to create a timeline infographic ? Check out the video below:

Use themes and historical events to enrich your lesson planning

When planning your history lessons, look for topical themes or historical events that you can anchor your lesson plan around.

In the lesson plan example below, the teacher is using Black History Month as an anchor point for their students’ learning.

Teaching the historical significance of Black History Month and engaging students in related learning activities throughout February is a great way to contextualize current affairs. There are plenty of resources online to help create your Black History Month lesson plans.

Related Reading: Looking for other global holidays and events to theme your lessons on? Check this Ultimate List of Holidays .

When creating middle school lesson plans, like in the templates and examples below, it’s important to focus on success and simplicity.

Middle school is a time for make or break for many learners. Skills that they learn in middle school carry them through life and it can be a huge weight to carry. But teaching middle school can also be incredibly rewarding. Here are some tips to help you create an effective middle school lesson plan:

Make note of what success looks like in your lesson plan

In teaching, quite often the end goal is not for the students to just arrive at the correct answer, but to understand the process of getting there. Having this mentality in your mind whilst lesson planning is an excellent way to ensure your students are learning effectively and that you are maximizing your teaching impact.

Add a section to your lesson plans as to what success looks like for you and your students like in the Middle School lesson plan template: 

Color code your lesson plan for ease of use

Colors can be a great differentiator in content and color-coding your lesson plans is a great way to make information pop. In this lesson plan example, each day has a different color which makes planning and evaluating much easier.

Related Reading: What Disney Villains Can Tell Us About Color Psychology

Creating a kindergarten lesson plan involves similar principles to those used for preschoolers but with a bit more structure and focus on foundational academic skills.

We all know that meme “teaching kindergarten is like using a blender without a lid”. Staying organized is super important and having thorough easy-to-follow kindergarten lesson plans is one way to make sure your teaching stays on track. 

Use themes to help plan your Kindergarten lessons

Help your kindergarteners embrace learning by using themes to plan their education. Themes are a great way to work through lots of different learning activities under one thematic umbrella.

This kindergarten lesson plan example uses St Patrick’s Day as its thematic anchor and bases Math, Art, Science and more off of one common theme. 

Make your lesson plans easy to skim

We’ve all been in a spot when our mind goes blank and we need to quickly refer back to our lesson plan. Especially if you’re interviewing or teaching in front of others.

By making your lesson plans easy to skim, you can quickly regain your train of thought and continue conducting a successful lesson.

In the sample lesson plan below the teacher has used simple blocks, checklists and icons to help ensure their lesson plan is easy to understand at a glance.

Creating a high school lesson plan involves a more structured approach, as students at this level are typically engaged in more advanced academic subjects.

Ensuring that your High School lesson plans account for success and reinforcing skills is one way to deliver the best education for your learners.

Include indicators of skill in your high school lesson plans

In high school, lesson plans tend to be more advanced. In the high school lesson plan example below, the teacher has included a section for indicators of skill. 

Indicators of skill are a great way to measure your students’ understanding of a topic and can be used to help inform your planning and teaching. Add two or three skill indicators into your lesson plans to ensure you know how to identify which students may need additional support from you in teaching.

You can also scroll back to the Math lesson plans section for more ideas on high school lesson plan templates.

Remember how I mentioned you should include timelines in your lesson plan? Well, for a high school lesson plan, you can include a timeline template like this one to make sure your students understand all the dates required for their school project:

Creating a preschool lesson plan involves careful consideration of the developmental needs and interests of young children. Shaping young minds is a rewarding experience, but it can sometimes feel like juggling too many balls at once.

With so many different essential key skills to teach, using a thorough Preschool lesson plan is important for making sure that your learners progress stays on track.

Break your Preschool lesson plans into learning sections

Preschool curriculums can be complex, covering multiple areas of crucial childhood development.

Help visualize each of these areas in their own right by creating a preschool lesson plan that takes a broad overview.

By breaking your lesson plan into learning sections, like this Preschool lesson plan example, you can get a glance at all elements of your students learning at once.

Get an overview of your week with a weekly lesson plan

A weekly lesson plan works great for preschool education planning, as it helps you identify and build lessons around common themes or goals. In the lesson plan template below, weeks have been broken down into different areas of focus.

Use icons in your Preschool lesson plan

Using icons is a great way to communicate visually. Icons are easy to understand, especially when you’re skimming a document. 

Take this lesson plan template for example, not only do the icons help communicate the lesson themes, they also make the lesson plan example super engaging and fun.

Using icons can also be a great way to help students who struggle with non-visual learning. For more ways to improve your lesson accessibility, check out this guide to creating a Color Blind Friendly Palette .

Creating a math lesson plan involves careful planning and consideration of various elements to ensure effective teaching and learning. Check out these lesson plan ideas for math tutors for writing the best math lesson plan, as well as some templates you can edit.

Use pops of color in your lesson plans

Just because your lesson plan tackles a complex subject doesn’t mean it has to be boring. In this lesson plan example a mint green color has been used to help break up the design. You could color code different subjects or units if you have multiple classes to teach.

Break your lesson plan into sections to make it easy to follow

Being properly prepared for any eventuality in your lesson starts with good planning. By using sections, like in the lesson plan example below, you can cover all of your bases. 

When lesson planning, consider the following:

• Lesson discussion questions
• Activity options for multiple group sizes
• Lesson notes or feedback

In this math lesson plan activity, the teacher has thought through all of the needs of their class.

Think outside the box when lesson planning

When lesson planning, the world, or at least the internet, is your Oyster. Instead of just teaching vocabulary, use scavenger hunts, word searches, or story activities. 

Try picking a new activity and building your lesson around that. In the lesson activity example below, Merriam-Webster has a dictionary scavenger hunt that will keep students engaged and entertained throughout your English lesson.

Highlight your lesson objectives at the top of your lesson plan

Your learning objectives should guide your lesson planning, not the other way around.

In this sample lesson plan that focuses on analyzing a film for an English class, the learning objectives are housed within the same section as the lesson plan overview, right on the first page:

If you want to learn how to write an actional learning objective , check out this post on learning objective examples .

When creating Elementary school lesson plans, you need to make sure that you’re keeping a good overview of many different subjects at once. 

Having a clear, easy to understand Elementary lesson plan, like in the examples below, is really important for making sure that all your learning objectives are being met.

Break your elementary lesson plans into day and subject sections

Elementary students will often be studying various topics and subjects at once and keeping an overview of this can be difficult. By creating a weekly lesson plan you can make sure that your students stay on track. 

In this lesson plan template, subjects and activity have been split across the days, with simple summaries of each section within the lesson plan. 

Include notes sections in your lesson plans

Planning a lesson is important, but reflecting on a lesson is essential. Adding notes sections to your lesson plans, like in this weekly lesson plan example, is a great way to remind yourself to evaluate as you go.

Evaluating yourself and your lessons can be a daunting task. Applying various evaluation strategies, such as a SWOT Analysis , is an easy way to give your evaluations focus.

When creating art lesson plans, use bright colors, patterns, icons and graphics to create a truly engaging visual art lesson plan, like in the examples below.

Art lessons lend themselves to creative and visual learning , so your Art lesson plans should be creative and visual as well.

Incorporate learning examples in your art lesson plans

Art lesson plans can be one of the most fun to create. Art as a visual medium lends itself to an exciting and decorative lesson plan. 

In the art lesson plan example below, the teacher has inserted visual examples to use during the lesson directly into their lesson plan. Collecting all of this information in one place means that you can quickly refer back to your lesson plan mid teaching. 

Be creative with your art lesson plan design

If you’re creating an art course, you’re probably a creative person. Why not let that creativity shine in your lesson plan templates?

Fun illustrations and patterns have been used in the lesson plan sample below to create a visually appealing lesson plan design.

When picking colors for your lesson plan design, some schools will need to be aware of color connotations. Certain colors should be avoided due to gang or rivalry associations. Some schools will also want to ensure that all materials produced fit within your school colors.

Use colors and patterns in your art lesson plan designs

As well as colors, patterns can be used, like in this art lesson plan example, to create interest in your lesson plan design. 

Picking a patterned but simple background is an easy way to add depth to any lesson plan design.

Science l esson plan examples

Planning a science lesson can mean anything from experiments to monitoring or diagramming and labelling.

Following a template, like in the science lesson plan examples below, can help make sure that your science lessons run smoothly.

Provide a space for reflection in your science lesson plan

Whilst a lesson plan is a place to schedule your activities, it can also be a great document to refer back to when planning future sessions. Adding a reflection section in your science lesson plan can be a great way to add notes about what worked and what didn’t within your lesson, for future reference. 

Break projects down into sections of deliverables

If you’re conducting a difficult lesson, such as a hands-on science project, it can be handy to help yourself and your students by outlining expectations. A checklist can be a great way to make your science lesson plan as effective as possible.

In this lesson plan example, the deliverables have been broken into easy-to-follow checklists.

Use illustrations to bring your lesson plan templates to life

Your lesson plans should inspire you, not bore you! Using illustrations is a great way to bring your lesson plans to life. 

In this sample lesson plan, the teacher has used colorful and playful illustrations to reflect the content of the lessons.

Creating simple lesson plans involves breaking down the content into manageable components and incorporating straightforward activities.

Sometimes simple is best—especially when it comes to lesson planning. When you’re panicked mid-teaching, having a simple and straightforward lesson plan that you can take a quick glance at it can be invaluable. 

Keep your lesson plan simple for stressful situations

When performing under pressure, staying simple is usually the best option. Using a clean and modern lesson plan design is one way to ensure that you can stay focused on what matters: teaching. 

Simple doesn’t have to mean boring, though. Using good design principles and following one or two graphic design trends means that your simple lesson plan template can still look smart.

Use an icon to help differentiate different subject lesson plans

Icons are an easy way to differentiate your lesson plans by subject or topic. In the lesson plan example below, a large book icon has been used at the top of the page so that you can quickly see that this is an English lesson plan.

You could use an icon for each subject you teach, or use icons to tell a story . You could even replace the icon with a photo of your lesson materials!

Use an action plan approach in your lesson planning

In the simple lesson plan example, the tasks in the lesson plan have been labeled as an “action plan” . By keeping the lesson plan design simple, the focus is really on the content of the lesson plan.

Creating an action plan when teaching your lessons is a great mindset for creating engaging lessons and proactive teaching.

When creating eLearning , distance learning, remote learning, digital learning lesson plans—basically, anything outside the usual classroom setup—always be ready for its own set of unique challenges.

Engaging learners from behind a screen, or creating lessons that can exist outside of a traditional classroom environment can be difficult. But proper eLearning lesson plans can help you navigate non-traditional learning environments.

Break your eLearning lesson plan into activities or subjects

With so many people shifting to remote or digital learning keeping track of all of your separate subjects can be difficult. Creating an eLearning lesson plan that is broken into smaller chunks, with space for each topic, is an easy way to keep learning on track.

In this eLearning lesson plan example subjects are color coded and broken into small blocks.

For more examples of eLearning lesson plans, check out this post on course design templates .

Looking for more eLearning resources?

• 7 Ways to use eLearning Infographics
• Digital Learning Communication Resources  
• What is an Infographic?
• 10 Types of Visual Aids for Learning

Use a daily schedule when learning remotely

Learning remotely can be a big change for both teachers and students. One way to keep your learning on track is with an easy-to-follow daily schedule. Using a daily schedule as a lesson plan, like in the example below, is one way to maintain a routine during difficult times.

As well as scheduling within your lesson plan, you can also create a calendar to help keep your students on track.

Allow time for creativity and fun in your lesson plans

One of the biggest benefits of eLearning, Remote Learning and Digital Learning is that you can stray from the confines of a traditional classroom. 

Giving students the opportunity to explore topics creatively can be one way to engage your learners in difficult times. Every student will have a different learning style and by scheduling structured creative learning activities you can ensure that your entire class has the opportunity to thrive.

Simple lesson plan format you can use

Though there are a several lesson plan types and no one format can be used for all lessons, the basic lesson format is always a good starting point.

This format covers the basics of teaching – say a little bit, do a little bit . The important part here is to provide input in a way that enables learners to see the structure and sequence.

You should format it this way:

• Lesson purpose: What you want students to learn or know about?
• Input : Specific information you want students to know.
• Activity : Used to get students to manipulate information from input.

Informing students on what they’ll be learning or doing keeps them more engaged and on track. So, it’s always a good idea to share your lesson plan by writing a brief agenda on the board or telling students explicitly what they will be learning and doing in class.

By doing this, you help students not only retain knowledge better but understand the rationale behind in-class activities.

To sum up: Use a lesson plan template to write an actionable and easy-to-follow lesson plan

Writing a lesson plan from scratch can be difficult, which is why Venngage has created tons of lesson plan templates you can edit easily. You can also draw inspiration from the different lesson plan examples in this post to customize your lesson plan template.

Simply create a Venngage account, pick the template you want and begin editing. It’s free to get started.

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SOCIAL STUDIES

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Instructional Practices

How to Create a Lesson Plan

No matter what content or subject you’re teaching, knowing how to create a lesson plan prepares you for class by providing a clear outline for the day. Your lesson plans don’t need to be complex or lengthy — they just need to contain elements about what you’re teaching, how you’re going to be teaching this material, and what goals and objectives you want your students to meet as part of the curriculum.

Regardless of the sections within a lesson plan, each class you teach should build on the previous lesson and move seamlessly into the next. Of course, it’s easier creating a lesson plan that flows from class to class when you know what goes into building one!

4 Advantages of Writing a Lesson Plan

In any class, there are going to be things that you can’t predict. But the more prepared you are, the easier it will be to adapt to the unexpected so you can effectively teach and respond to your students. Here are some of the main benefits of making a lesson plan ahead of time:

1. Inspire personal confidence

Having a good lesson plan lets you stay in control of the class and the lesson. As your confidence comes across to students, you’ll find it easier to keep them focused and on track.

2. Evaluate your own lessons

Lesson plans allow you to evaluate your own teaching performance as you compare your methods with the plan you’ve prepared. This is a good way to make adjustments to your teaching style and techniques.

3. Organization

Lesson plans help you think in an organized manner, visualizing each step of the outline as you work from one concept to the next. A disorganized class presents too many opportunities for students to get off task and misbehave.

4. A guide for substitute teachers

With a lesson plan guide, substitute teachers will know exactly what your students are learning that day, making it easier for them to stay on track to meet any curriculum objectives that are set for your class.

How To Make a Lesson Plan Engaging

While there’s no instruction manual on how to develop a lesson plan, there are some important components that go into building each one. 

Every lesson that you build is an entire segment that you create to teach your students something new. As you build a lesson it’s important to keep all your students in mind and ask the following essential questions before you begin:

Who are your students?

In order for you to figure out how to write a lesson plan, you must get to know your students. This may seem silly—of course, you know who your students are . . . right? Before you can write an effective lesson plan, you need to really know your students. This includes information such as their interests, abilities, how they work independently and in groups, any special needs that may require lesson tweaks, and their backgrounds.

What do your students already know?

Knowing your students’ prior knowledge of a subject can help you plan lessons. If you’ve been building lesson plans all along to follow a curriculum, you’ll already know what you’ve previously presented to your students; this allows you to continue with the flow.

What’s the best way to get them to learn?

Determine the best ways to get your students to learn. Younger students may do well with a lot of interactive teaching, while older students may prefer that some material is explained with a lecture and slideshow. After the first few classes, you’ll have a better idea of how to keep your students engaged.

You can break down the teaching techniques that you can use in your lesson plan into:

• The types of students you have in your class. Think about their interests, experiences, and times that they seem most engaged in the classroom.
• The type of learning and goals you’re aiming for. As an exercise, fill in this blank: “By the end of today’s class, I’m hoping my students will have learned or be able to ___.”
• The resources, materials, and teaching environment that are available to you, such as a dedicated room; field trip opportunities (including a virtual field trip!); or selected readings, videos, and other media.

Steps to Building A Lesson Plan

Once you’ve identified the components that need to go into teaching a class, you’re ready to use these eight steps on how to build a lesson plan: 

1. Identify the objectives

To build a lesson, you first need to identify the objective(s). What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the period? Are there specific things that your students should know or be able to do? Make the goal specific. If you’re teaching younger students, a lesson objective may be that they’re able to identify animals that live in the rainforest after reading a chapter about animals in Brazil. For older students, this goal may involve learning how to solve a specific type of algebraic equation.

2. Determine the needs of your students

With this particular lesson, are you introducing new material or reviewing what you’ve already taught in a previous class? At the start of the class, be sure to let students know what to expect so they can stay focused on meeting your objectives. When reviewing material, some of your students may need more encouragement than others. Identifying these needs in your lesson plan will help you prepare.

3. Plan your resources and materials

Make a list of the resources and materials you’ll need to teach this lesson. Think about writing materials, paper, manipulatives, art supplies, and anything else that students may need to complete the lesson. Don’t forget to include technology resources in your plan when appropriate, like computers, apps, or educational websites.

4. Engage your students

What’s the point of a lesson if your students aren’t engaged? You want them to be interested in what you’re teaching. As you prepare a lesson plan, you need to find ways to get them interested in what this lesson is all about. Give them an outline of what you’re going to be presenting. Then, introduce the subject more informally. For example, if you’re teaching students a formula, try deriving it from scratch to build their intuition for where it comes from. Or, if you’re discussing certain historical events, try to draw parallels between those and current events so students can relate to the material.

5. Instruct and present information

Once you’ve set the stage for what you’ll be teaching, it’s time to present the information to your students. This is the time to instruct and use whatever resources you’ve included in your lesson plan. Involve your students in the process whenever possible so they’re engaged. For example, you could plan for most of the lesson to take place in pairs or small groups, or when having whole-class instruction, look for ways to facilitate class-wide discourse and involve student volunteers.

Whether it’s reading from a book, using props such as blocks for younger students, or displaying graphics on the screen for older students, it’s all about presenting information and concepts in a meaningful way.

6. Allow time for student practice

After teaching new material, leave time for students to practice. There are three practice methods that, when worked in order, are a good way to reinforce what you’ve just taught:

• Guided practice: With a guided practice, you’re taking students back through what they’ve just learned, letting them add their own input as they gain confidence with new information.
• Collaborative process: With partners or in a group, the collaborative process is all about students talking with their peers as they explore new concepts. Circulate among your class and offer additional instruction or help when needed.
• Independent practice: After the collaborative practice, it’s time for students to practice what they’ve learned on their own. Adapt independent practice according to the material just presented, such as using worksheets or having students write a short essay.

7. Ending the lesson

Finish the lesson with a quick wrap-up. Do a brief overview of the lesson, including the main concepts the class learned. Ask students to identify the key ideas as a refresher, and leave them with a preview of the next lesson so they know what to expect.

8. Evaluate the lesson

Did you achieve your learning objectives? Provide students with the opportunity to show they know the material by using a short quiz or formative assessment. Depending on the results, your next lesson plan may include a review of information before moving on to new material.

For the final step on how to make a lesson plan, you'll need to use a template. You can find many teacher lesson plan templates online. You could even ask your colleagues to share their format! 

This article was adapted from a blog post initially developed by the education technology company Classcraft, which was acquired by HMH in 2023. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.

Find more lesson plans and classroom resources on Shaped .

• PowerPoint Lesson Plan for Elementary Students

Fun themes for teaching students to create PowerPoint Presentations.

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Students are learning to create PowerPoint (or the Apple equivalent, Keynote presentations) in early elementary school.  Here are some simple PowerPoint themes to help you and your students get started!

PowerPoints are a ‘slide show’ on a computer. Each slide is like a page in a book.  Students can write their ‘story’, add pictures, sound effects, and videos.

Initially, have the student create a ‘paper’ draft of his/her first PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) to plan what the presentation will look like.  Depending the student’s age or abilities, the student can write an outline for each slide or write the full text for each slide.

Class Project

The classroom teacher should walk the class through step-by-step instructions on how to create PPT slides and if desired, how to add features.  Consider creating a class PPT presentation; divide the students into groups and have each group create a slide or several slides that will be combined for the class presentation.  For younger students, the class PPT could be an alphabet book.  Each slide would be a letter in the alphabet, with a picture that is associated with the letter.  Add a fun sound clip too!  Example:  The ‘A’ slide could have a picture of an airplane, the word ‘airplane’ (or sentence about an airplane) and a sound clip of an airplane flying.  Students can draw the picture or find a picture on-line.  The teacher can demonstrate creating the first slide or two, then the student groups can create the rest of the slide deck. 

Another class project could be to create a PPT about their class.  This PPT could include a slide for each student and staff (take digital pictures of the class/staff), the classes’ schedule, class rules, etc.  This PPT can be shown to parents during Open House and each student can keep a copy of the PPT.

All About Me

If the students are learning to write, for homework, ask the parents to help the student answer these questions:

• Slide 1:  Name
• Slide 2: My family
• Slide 3: My pet(s)
• Slide 4: I like to _____.
• Slide 5: I like to eat _____.
• Slide 6: I like the color ____.
• Slide 7: My favorite thing about school is ____.

Students can bring in pictures, send in digital pictures or draw pictures. For students who are working on writing/story skills, the classroom teacher may determine how many slides are required and/or the minimum length of text per slide. 

Favorite Pet (Day as your pet)

• Slide 1: Title, author, illustrator
• Slide 2: Main characters (intro your pet)
• Slide 3: Setting
• Slide 4: Favorite activity #1
• Slide 5: Favorite activity #2
• Slide 6: Favorite activity #3
• Slide 7: “My favorite part”

School Day 

• Slide 2: Main characters (teachers, classmates)
• Slide 3: Setting (Mrs. B’s classroom)
• Slide 7: Ending
• Slide 8: “My favorite part”

Book Report

• Slide 2: Main characters
• Slide 4: Important event #1
• Slide 5: Important event #2
• Slide 6: Important event #3

Create a PPT about your student’s eye condition, IEP modifications, preferences, technology that the student uses, etc.  For ideas, see the post on Samantha: Self-Advocating Transition to Middle School Video .  A video like Samantha’s can be embedded into the PPT presentation or the video content can be written and incorporated into the slide deck.  For additional Advocacy ideas, see the post on College Preparedness #3: How to Explain Accommodations .

This Advocacy PPT can be shared with the IEP team, current staff and next year’s staff (at the end/beginning of the school year)

How to create an Accessible PPT

Create a PPT to share with Teachers (or peers) about how to make an accessible PPT or Word Document.

Teacher Hints

• Once the students have prepared their presentations, discuss how to include accessibility features, such as adding alt text to images, so that the PPT is accessible to everyone.
• Have each student write the content (text) of each slide before adding pictures, animations, sounds, and other features.
• Teacher of the Visually Impaired Hint: Pre-teach how to create PowerPoint slides, if your student would benefit from one-on-one instruction.
• For students who use a screen reader, be sure that pictures are named appropriately to identify the picture (vs. a random number).  Once the image is placed into the PPT, be sure to include Alt Text descriptions.
• For information on how to create an accessible PPT, see the attached Creating Accessible PowerPoint and/or go to the post, 7 Ways to Create an Accessible PowerPoint.

Did you create a PowerPoint presentation that can be used by other students and teachers?  Please send your educational PowerPoint to [email protected] or share the PPT directly on Paths to Technology!

JAWS PowerPoint Commands

PowerPoint Shortcuts, exercise and Notes for JAWS Screen Reader by Maeve May .  This website contains the following categories:

• Run a slideshow Presentation Shortcuts
• Create and Edit Presentations Shortcuts
• Work in an outline
• Navigation Shortcuts
• Creating a PowerPoint Presentation – an exercise using JAWS
• Layout of PowerPoint Screen
• Creating a new Presentation from Beginning: Practice Excercise 1
• Bulleted Slide
• Practice creating Bulleted Slide
• Practice creating a Text and Clipart Slide
• Changing the appearance of Slides
• Changing the layout of a Slide
• Adding Animations to Slides
• Tech Standards: Adding Image Descriptions to iOS Photos
• Tech Standards: Accessing Keynote Presentations with VoiceOver
• Tech Standards: Keynote Presentations with VoiceOver Activity Part 1
• Tech Standards: Creating a Keynote Presentation Part 2
• Technology lesson: Excel and PowerPoint  (Amazing Animal PowerPoint Activity)
• Tech lesson Week #1: (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote)
• Mother’s Day Activity: Presentation Tech Activity with Self-Advocacy Skills
• Apple Keynote Instructions (VoiceOver)
• Navigating Google Slides with ChromeVox  (Deep dive into navigating presentations)
• Mainstream  Technology Standards Scope and Sequence

Attached File(s)

https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Creating%20%20Accessible%20PowerPoint%20Presentations_0.docx By Diane Brauner

Keep reading

Pumpkin Life Cycle Lesson: Presentation (Powerpoint)

Screen Reader Tech Activities: Thanksgiving Lesson Plan

National Homework Hotline for Blind or Visually Impaired Students: Part 2

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How to Create an ESL Lesson Plan in 6 Steps

The perfect ESL lesson plan can help you prepare for an almost-perfect ESL class (there will always be surprises). 

With clear goals and a solid plan, you can go from flailing to confidently guiding your students through effective ESL lessons.

After a lot of trial and error throughout my years as an ESL teacher, I finally figured out a simple recipe to create ESL lesson plans that work . Now, I’m passing along all those lessons learned to you.

As a bonus, I’ve also included three ready-made plans that you can use in a pinch.

What is an ESL lesson plan

Questions to ask before making a lesson plan, step 1: decide on your lesson plan objectives, step 2: outline your lesson plan, step 3: choose activities to accomplish your lesson plan objectives, step 4: create esl materials and worksheets, step 5: create stellar visual aids for your esl classroom, step 6: the final stages of lesson planning, put it all into practice 3 ready-made esl lesson plans, lesson plan for kids/beginners: “what’s for breakfast”, lesson plan for young adults or adults: “introverts vs. extroverts”, lesson plan for adults/business english: “what makes a good conversation”, during class: troubleshooting your esl lesson plans, my lesson is finished, but there’s still time on the clock., my lesson is too long., the students aren’t interested., 6 great resources for esl lesson planning, ellii (formerly esl library), english speeches (youtube), linguahouse, film english, open culture, final encouragement to esl teachers.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

An ESL lesson plan (or a TEFL lesson plan) is a document that helps ESL teachers organize and structure their teaching so that it can be more effective. It usually includes the overall objectives for the lesson, a breakdown of how the time in class will be used, what activities the students will participate in and what materials will be used.

If you have a curriculum, each lesson plan and its objectives should be tied into the overall goals of the curriculum. 

Give these questions some thought before you outline your TEFL lesson plans. Knowing the answers will save you time and aggravation down the road.

1. Will you review what the school is teaching the students? Or will you create new learning goals? If the target language will be new, be sure it’s appropriate for the students’ level.

2. Will you focus on speaking, reading, writing or listening? Or a combination? Your school may have a preference.

3. Will you teach alone or will you have help? The simplest games, for example, can be difficult to teach without translation unless you’re very prepared.

This is the daunting part, but it’s crucial that you know this from the start. Step one is the foundation of everything that follows. Your focus could be:

• a song or a movie (be sure that your school permits this and that it won’t disturb neighboring classrooms). Remember that audio must be played loudly for students to understand it since it’s in a different language.
• a specific grammar point , such as forming questions or practicing the present progressive. Young or beginning learners might need to focus on the conjugation of only one specific verb such as “to be.” More advanced students could practice multiple irregular verb conjugations.
• a general exercise such as understanding a short passage from a “Harry Potter” book .
• a vocabulary group. For example, you might teach cooking, colors, medical terminology or animals.

To keep things organized, include the estimated time spent on each section. For example, a movie outline could be this:

1. Waiting for students to arrive and for the class to calm down  — 1 minute

2. Welcome/quick review of previous week/ ask students questions — 3 minutes

3. Pass out movie worksheets — 1 minute

4. Play preview of movie — 2 minutes

5. Introduce vocabulary needed to understand movie scene — 5 minutes

6. Individual practice of the vocabulary on student worksheets — 3 minutes

7. Giving answers to worksheets — 2 minutes

8. Listening exercises with the movie (includes playing the movie scenes several times, then going over the answers and letting the students watch the scenes a third time) — 20 minutes

9. Free watching of the movie (always a class favorite, but get permission from your head teacher first) — 6 minutes

10. Wrap up the class by asking vocabulary review questions — 2 minutes

It’s important to balance organization with time and flexibility for the unexpected . Be ready for the unanticipated questions that can throw off your timing.

Variety is the spice of the ESL classroom. Everyone learns differently. You need activities for visual and audio learners as well as doers.

• Use games in the classroom. Used correctly, games let students test what they’ve learned in a relaxed, exciting way. The key is to make sure everyone participates. Without proper management, weaker or lazier students will quietly sit back and do nothing. In a 45 minute class, a game shouldn’t be longer than 12 minutes. Watch your motivations. There’s a big difference between playing Charades to review animal names vs. playing Hangman to let the teacher relax.
• Balance individual and group work.  No lesson is complete without individual work. Everyone needs time to practice material on their own. These activities also help shyer students who can work quietly without the pressure of a spotlight. But group work is useful, too. Students can practice a dialogue with each other and learn from stronger partners. Team activities are often fun and give everyone a chance to relax a little. The drawback of group work, though, is that more advanced students tend to dominate the action. The right mix is essential.
• Repeat recent ESL activities. You can repeat activities. How often depends on how popular the activity is. One of my classes insisted on reviewing vocabulary by playing Pictionary every week. For classes that meet once a week, it’s best to recycle activities once a month if you can. Otherwise, your students might start to lose interest – and perhaps you will as well.

It’s true that the internet has a lot of free worksheets. By all means, use them. But rather than spending time browsing through tons of resources, try to identify a few favorite sites where you can find quality ESL material (see the list of helpful resources at the end of this post). 

Once you find the right materials, you’ll have to tailor them to your class’s level . Here are some tips that could make things go faster:

• Reuse workbook materials. Photocopy exercises from a textbook, white-out the answers and let students complete the questions as a review.
• If you do make your own materials, remember to include two sample questions with answers at the very beginning. Kids and low-level students always need a clear model to look at before doing individual work.
• For each grammar point, include five to seven questions.
• Include pictures on the worksheet. No one likes to look at straight, boring text.
• Puzzles of any type are fun and can help to quiet down an energetic class. “Boggle,” word searches or riddles (make sure they aren’t too hard) are always a welcome challenge.

Hang onto your ESL materials for future classes. Especially if you stay at the same school for more than one year, you’ll be able to reuse your materials. Buy a good binder and stick nice copies of your materials in it. It pays to keep your hard work on your computer as well as a USB drive.

You’ll need visual aids that add depth and interest to your class. It could be a PowerPoint presentation, a restaurant menu from home or things from your kitchen. Whatever you choose, make sure it enhances your lesson.

And if you’re using something that has a technological aspect, make sure you have a back-up plan in case the tech fails you. 

• Decide: Is a PowerPoint presentation necessary for this lesson? In class, PowerPoint presentations are good time savers. They can show interesting pictures and answers to questions, saving you the trouble of using the blackboard. Try to minimize using them, however. They take a lot of time to create, and bring the possibility of tech failures. 
• Weigh the pros and cons of using videos in ESL classes.   Videos quickly gain the attention of the class and are a sure hit. But be careful in selecting your videos. Even Disney movies have language that’s sometimes too difficult for low-level students. Background music, multiple people talking and jokes that don’t transcend cultures are all traps to avoid. 
• Find creative ways to add visual aids to your ESL class. Newspapers are an interesting prop. Even if the articles are too difficult, students can find the date, place of publication, price and the weather forecast. Jazz up a food vocabulary class by bringing a banana and an apple. For more advanced students, bring a colander, grater, bottle opener and other cooking items. Pass around currency from other countries.

Look at your lesson’s target language and see if anything already in your home applies. Try not to buy too much. It’s not necessary to spend a lot of money on this.

You’ve made it. Believe me, I sincerely congratulate you. Before you head into class, do a few things first:

• Get advice from other English teachers. Show your coworkers your ESL materials. Especially if you teach in a foreign country, their advice is invaluable. They understand your students better than you do and they’ll see gaps in logic, things that are too hard and cultural pitfalls. Take their advice and change your materials.
• Don’t stress about the outcome of the first class. Nobody’s perfect, and you won’t be either. On the first day, make copies only for that day. You’ll probably come back to your desk with a few things to change for tomorrow. Save trees by not making copies that’ll only go in the recycle bin.

To get you started, here are three ready-made ESL lessons that you can use today, if you’re in a pinch. Each lesson is organized around a video. However, they all address different learning objectives.

The first lesson uses a simple video to practice vocabulary and basic listening comprehension.

The second lesson uses a more difficult video to help students fine-tune their listening comprehension skills.

The third lesson features a thought-provoking video, which serves as a jumping-off point to help advanced students practice their conversation skills.

This lesson plan uses a simple video to teach grammar as well as breakfast food vocabulary . It incorporates several activities focused on questions in the present simple, vocabulary building activities and word games.

The video is short and can be played several times throughout the class if necessary. Because the video is on FluentU, you can toggle the English subtitles on and off depending on the needs of your class.

Warm-up Questions

These can be done in partners or with the whole group, depending on class size. Here are some examples:

What do you eat for breakfast?

What is your favorite food to eat for breakfast?

What do you think is a healthy breakfast?

Play the video

Play the video once (or twice, if you sense that your students are having a hard time understanding).

Activity: “Odd One Out”

For this game, you’ll need to compile a list of vocabulary taken directly from the video, plus one additional “odd word out.”

For example: Bananas, Eggs, Spaghetti, Coffee

Students will be asked to pick the odd one out. Of course, in this case, the answer is spaghetti, as it’s a dinner food, not a breakfast food.

You can ask questions such as Which of these would you not eat for breakfast? You can also follow up and ask students why they chose a particular food.

This activity can be done as a group exercise or individually depending on class size and whether this is done in a classroom or online.

Activity: Flashcards

For this game, you’ll need to compile flashcards related to the vocabulary shown in the video. Additional flashcards can be added for further study and can be food in general or breakfast foods. If you’re having difficulties preparing these materials, you can look at a website such as ESL flashcards for free resources.

The game is merely taking the flashcards and testing the vocabulary knowledge of your students. See if they can get all of the words through to the end without making any mistakes.

Questions in the Present Simple

Here you can ask questions in the present simple and encourage students to ask each other questions. As this is a beginner-level class, I’d focus on positive questions only.

You can model a question-and-answer scenario and then encourage your students to follow with their own questions. Be sure to write the question on the board or share a screen for an online class.

Do you eat breakfast in the morning? Yes, I eat toast with jam every morning.

This activity is to encourage conversation between your students. Longer answers are to be praised.

Do you like fruit for breakfast?

Do your parents eat breakfast?

What is your favorite breakfast food?

You can encourage students to follow up on these questions by asking Why? or Why not?

If you still have time , you can encourage students to play a game related to the class. This would also be an excellent chance to do some free practice or conversation.

Again, you could utilize the flashcards. Encourage students to make full sentences with the object shown on the flashcard and award points in two teams.

Or set up a fake cafe and have children take and place an order.

What do you want for breakfast?

Toast with eggs, please.

In this way, you’re consolidating vocabulary from the beginning of the class.

Think of this lesson plan as a template that can be tweaked depending on the specific topic your class is working on. For example, if your class is studying the past tense rather than the present simple, you can ask different questions like What did you eat for breakfast yesterday?

Or, you can use all the activities as listed but substitute out the video to cover a different vocabulary topic, such as animals , sports or clothing .

The video provided for this activity is called “ Introverts vs. Extroverts .” It’s quite technical, so it requires quite a high level of comprehension. For this reason, it would suit an intermediate to upper-level class of young adult or adult learners . If you need to adjust for different learning levels in the classroom, you can turn on subtitles.

The class is mostly focused on listening and awareness due to the nature of the video.

Tell your students that the title of the video is “Introverts vs. Extroverts,” and ask them the following questions.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Tell us a story that highlights this!

What do you know about this topic already?

What do you think this video will be about?

Can you predict any vocabulary form the video?

Students will be encouraged to discuss these questions in pairs or small groups.

Comprehension in Context

Give students a hand-out with the following instructions and questions. Then, play the video twice—once for general comprehension, and once for answering questions.

Choose the best meaning in bold from the recording. Use the context of the video to help you. These are common phrases and phrasal verbs.

1. “It was Carl Jung who coined the terms introversion and extroversion.”

(a) Carl Jung discovered the terms. (b) Carl Jung stole the words from another psychologist. (c) Carl Jung invented the words introversion and extroversion to describe the phenomenon. [Correct]

2. “Introverts prefer to mull things over.”

(a) Introverts quickly forget about things. (b) Introverts think deeply about something before deciding what to do. [Correct] (c) Introverts are forgiving and generous.

3. “…introverts might have stuck to the sidelines…”

(a) Introverts willingly participated in activities. (b) Introverts acted like referees and made sure people followed rules. (c) Introverts stayed hidden to avoid dangerous situations. [Correct]

Free-response questions:

Who responds more strongly to rewards? Introverts or extroverts?

What does “extroversion bias” mean?

Activity: Emotional Profile and Video Discussion

Put students in pairs to discuss their takeaways from the video. They can answer questions like:

Did you agree with the video?

Do you think it’s better to be an introvert or an extrovert in today’s society? Why?

Do you think that being an introvert or extrovert is genetic? Why or why not?

Activity: Quiz and Discussion

For a bit of fun, the students will be encouraged to take this short quiz to determine if they’re an extrovert, introvert or ambivert .

Students will ask their partner questions and fill out the form for them as if they’re a psychologist and a patient. After this, they’ll read out the “prognosis” to their partner.

As a follow-up, you can ask students if they agree with the findings of the quiz.

If there’s time at the end of the class, a quick game such as hangman can be played using the vocabulary from the video.

If your class is set up on FluentU , you can send students away with the link to the video so that they can watch again and practice on their own time using the built-in comprehension quiz and learn mode.

This lesson plan uses a video called “ What Makes a Good Conversation ?” and is mostly about conversation and video analysis. It encourages the students to examine a video at different levels while discussing key lessons and concepts. It would suit an English business class or an advanced adult class, and it’s incredibly adaptable to both an online setting or an in-person class .

Due to the class’s conversational nature, it’s integral to provide sufficient feedback and play the selected clip several times for the students.

You can also encourage note-taking as there will be some questions specifically related to the content of the video.

These questions can be asked in pairs or as a whole group, depending on class size.

Are you a conversationalist? What do you think this means?

Have you ever been involved in an incredibly enriching conversation? Tell us about it!

Have you ever been involved in a very poor conversation? Tell us about it!

What makes a good/productive conversation? What makes a conversation pointless?

Watching to Get the Gist

Show your students the video, and then ask them some general questions about the topic at hand.

What is the video about?

What does a conversation require?

Watching for Detail and Comprehension

Show the video again, and then ask more detailed comprehension questions.

According to the speaker, people don’t know how to have a good conversation anymore. What does she mean? What are the causes of this?

What advice did Henry Higgins give in “My Fair Lady” for people to have good conversations?

How many texts does an average teenager send per day?

What do you think conversational competence means? Can you define it?

What is the speaker’s profession? Or what do you imagine it is?

Follow-up: Personal Questions

Have you ever unfriended/unfollowed someone on social media because they said something offensive?

Do you think that people listen deeply these days?

What advice would you have for someone who wants to improve their conversation skills?

Follow Up: Roleplay

Ask students to get in character using one of these two scenarios.

Business context: you’re having a meeting with a new customer and your boss. It’s taking some time for your boss to arrive, so you have to engage in polite conversation with the customer.

General context: you’re new in a neighborhood and have been invited to a welcome party. Introduce yourself to your new neighbors and have a good conversation with them, following the tips in the video.

At the end of these conversations, conduct a short reflection activity. You can ask questions like: Did you have a great conversation with your partner? Why or why not? What would you change to improve the situation?

Now you’ve got three ready-made plans, as well as a template to help you create even more great plans.

But be forewarned: even the best-laid lesson plans can go awry. Not to worry! You just need to know a few basic troubleshooting strategies. Let’s look at some of the most common problems that arise in an ESL classroom, and what to do if they should happen to you.

Extra time on the clock can mean that your class was too advanced for the lesson, or maybe that you overestimated the time you needed. Either way, go back to your desk and decide what to do differently in the next class.

• Have review games ready. Depending on the class, five minutes of vocabulary Hangman or Pictionary is legitimate. Let the students draw.
• Prepare three or four easy questions for a short conversation with the class. Make the topic similar to your lesson so nothing comes out of left field.
• Write a sentence from the lesson on the board. Give the class 15 seconds to memorize it. Erase the sentence and ask students to tell you what it was.

Know what is a priority. What must you accomplish for the lesson to be a success? Try to focus on that while watching the time. No matter what happens, remember to leave 2 minutes for a quick review. Back at your desk, figure out what went wrong and decide what to change.

There could be a lot of reasons for this. Are your English lessons too hard or too easy? Did they just get yelled at by their previous teacher for poor test results? Did three students just have a fight before you arrived and everyone got in trouble? Are you speaking too fast? Did your materials make sense?

The solution requires some reflection on what happened in order to fix it.

Whether you’re teaching in person or remotely, there are tons of amazing places to find ESL audio and video resources as well as ready-made ESL worksheets online. 

Familiarize yourself with these six resources now—they’ll come in handy over and over again as you plan your lessons.

Ellii is a subscription-based service, and it’s well worth a subscription for some ready-to-go activities if you’re a bit behind on your planning.

If you want all-in-one learning materials that’ll keep your students engaged, look no further than FluentU. 

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks —and turns them into personalized language lessons.

Each FluentU video features native English speakers, so your students can gain first-hand experience listening to authentic English conversations. Built-in vocabulary lists and interactive subtitles make these videos accessible, even for beginners.

The best part? Each FluentU video has its own “learn mode” that helps students practice vocabulary and grammar concepts. So, each video functions like a sort of “mini-lesson” where students learn through immersion .

We’re at a time when public debate, discourse and interaction have never been more relevant. Many ESL students don’t just want to learn English but are generally seeking more profound means of communication with people from around the world. The English Speeches YouTube channel compiles historical and contemporary speeches that are often moving, motivational or entertaining. Each speech is captioned with large lettering , and the speeches are categorized by English accent.

Linguahouse provides a wide range of ESL worksheets that are ready to use in class. The worksheets are divided into general, business, elementary and exam preparation, meaning you can utilize these resources for a specific class. You can also tailor the worksheets to suit the needs of a particular student or classroom. Access is free , and the website provides over 1,000 resources.

Film English is run by award-winning speaker, writer and educational trainer Kieran Donaghy . The content is based around (you guessed it) English films and short films. There are many well-prepared classes all devised around a particular video that can be downloaded. The lessons follow a very simple step-by-step format, and many of the topics are related to the themes of relationships, emotions and current issues.

Open Culture is a large-scale platform packed with educational and cultural content . The site is designed to be open-source, and you can draw from a deep well of specific topics and knowledge bases. The ESL section provides many audio and visual resources that can be easily adapted into an engaging and entertaining lesson plan.

As an ESL teacher, you have a hard job that most people can’t do. Making an exciting lesson out of a blank piece of paper is a real challenge. Even seasoned teachers who only use a book have trouble. To save your sanity, remember these points:

• Perfection will never be possible. That’s fine.
• Whatever comes out of your imagination will be awesome.
• Bells and whistles aren’t necessary. It’s the content and the thought behind English lessons that matter.
• When a lesson tanks, shrug it off. Fix what can be fixed. Forget about the rest.
• Teaching is a 50/50 relationship between the student and the teacher. You can do everything right, but if the student doesn’t do their part you’ll still have trouble. Do what you can and leave it at that.

The ESL classroom is an incredibly fun and exciting place. It can also be aggravating at times. But, hey, you’ll never be bored!

Teaching non-English speakers your language is an exciting privilege that you’ll never forget. Best of luck!

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How to Start a Presentation: 10 Proven Techniques for Grabbing Attention Right from the Start

The beginning of a presentation is where you either capture or lose your audience’s attention. Whether you’re pitching to investors, leading a team meeting, or presenting at a conference, a powerful start sets the tone for the entire session. A strong opening builds rapport, establishes authority, and makes your message memorable.

Let’s explore ten effective strategies, tailored for different types of presentations.

1. Open with a Compelling Story: Ideal for Funding Pitches and Inspirational Talks

Stories are one of the most engaging ways to start a presentation. They create an emotional connection and make complex ideas relatable. A well-told story can be a powerful hook, especially if it’s relevant to the audience and ties directly into your core message.

Example (in a Funding Pitch):

“Two years ago, our company was on the brink of failure. We were down to our last $1,000, and it felt like we were out of options. But then we discovered a new approach that completely turned things around, and that’s what I’m here to share with you today.”

Why It Works:

Stories humanize your message and quickly establish a connection, making it easier for the audience to engage with your content.

2. Start with a Shocking Statistic or Fact: Effective for Data-Driven and Awareness Presentations

Numbers can be powerful attention-grabbers, especially when they reveal something surprising or unexpected. Opening with a shocking statistic instantly engages your audience and primes them to pay attention to the problem or solution you’re presenting.

Example (in a Health Awareness Presentation):

“Did you know that every year, over 2.8 million people die from obesity-related conditions worldwide? That’s more than car accidents, wars, and natural disasters combined.”

Startling facts spark curiosity and concern, setting the stage for your presentation by making the problem feel urgent.

3. Pose a Thought-Provoking Question: Suitable for Sales Pitches and Consultative Presentations

Asking a question invites your audience to reflect and mentally engage from the start. It’s particularly effective in scenarios where you want your audience to think critically about their needs or challenges.

Example (in a Sales Pitch):

“What would it mean for your business if you could reduce operational costs by 30% while increasing productivity at the same time?”

A well-crafted question aligns the audience’s thinking with your message and prepares them to receive your solution.

4. Start with a Bold Statement: Works Well in Motivational and Leadership Presentations

A bold, declarative statement can grab attention and set the tone for a confident and assertive presentation. This approach works best when your presentation is built around a central argument or a new perspective.

“Leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about empowering others to lead themselves. And that’s the mindset shift we need to succeed in today’s world.”

Bold statements immediately communicate confidence and challenge the audience to rethink conventional wisdom, creating intrigue.

5. Use a Powerful Visual or Prop: Effective in Creative Pitches and Product Demonstrations

Sometimes, visuals speak louder than words. Starting with an impactful image, video, or prop can grab attention and set a strong visual context for what’s to come.

Example (in a Product Demo):

Displaying an image of a crowded cityscape

“This is the reality of urban living today—busy, congested, and stressful. Our product is designed to make this scene more manageable, efficient, and less chaotic.”

Visuals immediately engage multiple senses and can simplify complex ideas, making your message easier to grasp.

6. Share a Relevant Quote: Suitable for Thought Leadership and Educational Presentations

Quotes, especially from recognized experts or thought leaders, can lend authority and credibility to your presentation. They work well when your audience values the wisdom of established figures.

Example (in a Thought Leadership Presentation):

“As Albert Einstein said, ‘In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.’ Today, I’ll show you how to turn your challenges into your biggest opportunities.”

Quotes set a thematic tone for your presentation and can instantly align your audience with the principles you’re about to explore.

7. Acknowledge the Audience’s Pain Point: Essential for Problem-Solving and Sales Presentations

Directly addressing a common pain point your audience faces helps you immediately connect and position your solution as relevant and valuable.

“I know you’re frustrated by how much time is wasted on repetitive manual tasks. What if I told you there’s a way to automate those processes and free up 20% of your team’s time?”

When you articulate a problem your audience is currently experiencing, they’re more likely to be receptive to your proposed solutions.

8. Leverage Humor: Effective in Team Meetings and Creative Presentations

A light joke or humorous observation can break the ice and create a relaxed atmosphere, especially when addressing a familiar audience or a casual setting.

“I know everyone loves a good Monday morning meeting—especially after a weekend filled with anything but spreadsheets. But trust me, this one’s different!”

Humor disarms the audience, making them more open to your message while fostering a positive, engaging atmosphere.

9. Start with a Demonstration: Suitable for Technical Presentations and Product Launches

Diving straight into a live demonstration or interactive example is a great way to showcase the value of your product or concept from the very beginning.

Example (in a Product Launch):

“Instead of telling you about how intuitive our new app is, let me show you in real-time how it works.”

Hands-on demonstrations provide immediate value and clarity, leaving no room for doubt about the benefits of what you’re offering.

10. Introduce Yourself with a Twist: Useful in Networking Presentations and Personal Branding Talks

Sometimes, a creative or unexpected introduction can set you apart and establish rapport with your audience from the get-go.

Example (in a Personal Branding Talk):

“Most people introduce themselves by their job title. But if you ask my team, they’d say I’m the person who brings donuts on Fridays and won’t stop talking about customer experience. Let’s talk about why that passion matters.”

This approach humanizes you, breaks the ice, and provides a unique perspective on your expertise.

The way you start your presentation is crucial—it determines whether your audience leans in or tunes out. Tailoring your opening to the context and goals of your presentation will set the tone for a successful session. Whether you’re telling a story, asking a question, or making a bold statement, the key is to make your audience feel engaged, intrigued, and ready to listen.

By mastering the art of a strong start, you ensure that your presentation captures attention from the first moment, making it easier to keep your audience invested as you deliver the rest of your message. Tailor your approach to fit your content and audience, and you’ll consistently start your presentations on the right foot.

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Beginners to Python Programming - Lesson 4

Subject: Computing

Age range: Age not applicable

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

28 August 2024

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An Introduction to Python Lesson Four. This is the 4th lesson in a series of 7 one-hour lessons, with full class presentation, lesson plan, and with fully tested codes for any teacher who has little experience of coding, or wants to jump straight in. Easy to follow programming, with all codes and tailor-made videos, to make teaching effortless.

This lesson covers:

• Understanding lists
• Creating lists
• Sequence of a list
• Varied list data types
• List outputs
• Checking a list
• Appending a list
• Inserting values into a list

This Introduction to Python lesson is created to enable you to jump straight in with absolutely no specialist background whatsoever.

This lesson has been created to be 1 hour in length. However, this can be broken down due to the nature of the presentation and is fully editable for teacher use.

This is suitable for secondary education and for home schooling, but can be used for younger children, where applicable, or older learners with little Python experience.

This package includes:

• Extensive presentation
• Full lesson plan
• Full and extensive codes (no need to code yourself)
• Practice session at the end of the lesson, this can be used for homework

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

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