LESSON 4

BASIC PARTS OF A LEARNING PLAN

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. recognize the importance of lesson planning;
2. identify the different parts of a lesson plan using the 4As Approach;
3. scrutinize sample learning plans demonstrated in a public school; and
4. craft a learning plan with ICT integration.
Discussion:
A lesson plan is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be
done effectively during the class time. Before you plan your lesson, you will first need to identify
the learning objectives for the class meeting. Then, you can design appropriate learning
activities and develop strategies to obtain feedback on student learning.
A successful lesson plan addresses and integrates these three key components:
• Objectives for student learning
• Teaching/learning activities
• Strategies to check student understanding
Specifying concrete objectives for student learning will help you determine the kinds of
teaching and learning activities you will use in class, while those activities will define how you
will check whether the learning objectives have been accomplished (see Fig. 1).

Steps for Preparing a Lesson Plan

Below are six steps to guide you when you create your first lesson plans. Each step is
accompanied by a set of questions meant to prompt reflection and aid you in designing your
teaching and learning activities.
(1) Outline learning objectives
The first step is to determine what you want students to learn and be able to do at the end
of class. To help you specify your objectives for student learning, answer the following
questions:
• What is the topic of the lesson?
• What do I want students to learn?
• What do I want them to understand and be able to do at the end of class?
• What do I want them to take away from this particular lesson?
 Once you outline the learning objectives for the class meeting, rank them in terms of their
importance. This step will prepare you for managing class time and accomplishing the more
important learning objectives in case you are pressed for time. Consider the following
questions:
• What are the most important concepts, ideas, or skills I want students to be able to grasp
and apply?
• Why are they important?
• If I ran out of time, which ones could not be omitted?
• And conversely, which ones could I skip if pressed for time?
(2) Develop the introduction
Now that you have your learning objectives in order of their importance, design the
specific activities you will use to get students to understand and apply what they have
learned. Because you will have a diverse body of students with different academic and
personal experiences, they may already be familiar with the topic. That is why you might start
with a question or activity to gauge students’ knowledge of the subject or possibly, their
preconceived notions about it.
For example, you can take a simple poll: “How many of you have heard of X? Raise your
hand if you have.” You can also gather background information from your students prior to
class by sending students an electronic survey or asking them to write comments on index
cards. This additional information can help shape your introduction, learning activities, etc.
When you have an idea of the students’ familiarity with the topic, you will also have a sense
of what to focus on.
Develop a creative introduction to the topic to stimulate interest and encourage thinking.
You can use a variety of approaches to engage students (e.g., personal anecdote, historical
event, thought-provoking dilemma, real-world example, short video clip, practical application,
probing question, etc.). Consider the following questions when planning your introduction:
• How will I check whether students know anything about the topic or have any
preconceived notions about it?
• What are some commonly held ideas (or possibly misconceptions) about this topic that
students might be familiar with or might espouse?
• What will I do to introduce the topic?
(3) Plan the specific learning activities (the main body of the lesson)
Prepare several different ways of explaining the material (real-life examples, analogies,
visuals, etc.) to catch the attention of more students and appeal to different learning styles.
As you plan your examples and activities, estimate how much time you will spend on each.
Build in time for extended explanation or discussion, but also be prepared to move on quickly
to different applications or problems, and to identify strategies that check for understanding.
These questions would help you design the learning activities you will use:
• What will I do to explain the topic?
• What will I do to illustrate the topic in a different way?
• How can I engage students in the topic?
• What are some relevant real-life examples, analogies, or situations that can help students
understand the topic?
• What will students need to do to help them understand the topic better?
(4) Plan to check for understanding
 Now that you have explained the topic and illustrated it with different examples, you need
to check for student understanding – how will you know that students are learning? Think
about specific questions you can ask students in order to check for understanding, write them
down, and then paraphrase them so that you are prepared to ask the questions in different
ways. Try to predict the answers your questions will generate. Decide on whether you want
students to respond orally or in writing. Here are some guiding questions you can ask
yourself:
• What questions will I ask students to check for understanding?
• What will I have students do to demonstrate that they are following?
• Going back to my list of learning objectives, what activity can I have students do to check
whether each of those has been accomplished?
An important strategy that will also help you with time management is to anticipate
students’ questions. When planning your lesson, decide what kinds of questions will be
productive for discussion and what questions might sidetrack the class. Think about and
decide on the balance between covering content (accomplishing your learning objectives) and
ensuring that students understand.
(5) Develop a conclusion and a preview
Go over the material covered in class by summarizing the main points of the lesson. You
can do this in a number of ways: you can state the main points yourself (“Today we talked
about…”), you can ask a student to help you summarize them, or you can even ask all
students to write down on a piece of paper what they think were the main points of the
lesson.
You can review the students’ answers to gauge their understanding of the topic and then
explain anything unclear the following class. Conclude the lesson not only by summarizing the
main points, but also by previewing the next lesson.
How does the topic relate to the one that’s coming? This preview will spur students’
interest and help them connect the different ideas within a larger context.
(6) Create a realistic timeline
GSIs know how easy it is to run out of time and not cover all of the many points they had
planned to cover. A list of ten learning objectives is not realistic, so narrow down your list to
the two or three key concepts, ideas, or skills you want students to learn. Instructors also
agree that they often need to adjust their lesson plan during class depending on what the
students need. Your list of prioritized learning objectives will help you make decisions on the
spot and adjust your lesson plan as needed. Having additional examples or alternative
activities will also allow you to be flexible. A realistic timeline will reflect your flexibility and
readiness to adapt to the specific classroom environment. Here are some strategies for
creating a realistic timeline:
• Estimate how much time each of the activities will take, then plan some extra time for
each
• When you prepare your lesson plan, next to each activity indicate how much time you
expect it will take
• Plan a few minutes at the end of class to answer any remaining questions and to sum up
key points
• Plan an extra activity or discussion question in case you have time left
• Be flexible – be ready to adjust your lesson plan to students’ needs and focus on what
seems to be more productive rather than sticking to your original plan
THE 4AS FRAMEWORK
Fosters collaboration between students and teachers, thus making the learning process
more student-centered. Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, this framework aims to
approach students holistically, acknowledging their past experiences and integrating them into
new learning contexts.
The 4A’s lesson plan is a framework widely used by teachers to design effective and
student- centered lessons. The term “4As” stands for Activity, Analysis, Abstraction, and
Application, representing the different stages of the lesson.
• Activity – (Activates prior knowledge)
This will bring understanding to what the learners already know and clarity to what
learners should learn further. At this early stage, the student should already have a
retrospect of what they will be learning through the activity that will be presented. This
phase serves as a foundation for student learning, building upon their existing
knowledge while providing clarity on what they will learn. Through engaging activities,
students gain a retrospective view of the topic and develop a sense of curiosity and
interest. This phase lays the groundwork for a meaningful learning journey.
• Analysis – (Making connections through sets of questions)
A more in-depth understanding of the lesson is another phase where the students
will process and classify what is valid and not. The teacher on this part will ask further
questions and will also lead as a facilitator rather than merely lecturing and sharing
facts and ideas. The students now gain a wider view of the lesson but at the same time
draw closer to the main topic. The Analysis phase delves deeper into the lesson,
encouraging students to process and classify information. Teachers transition from a
lecturing role to that of a facilitator, guiding students through thought-provoking
questions. By critically evaluating the validity of concepts, students gain a wider
perspective while drawing closer to the main topic. This phase encourages students to
think critically and refine their understanding.
• Abstraction – (Summarizing the new concept)
The teacher on this part will now focus entirely on the lesson being presented and
ask more lead questions to lead the students in reinforcing what they know and should
know more. The student here starts to feel more the importance of the lesson to her
and see the necessity of it to his/her life. In the Abstraction phase, teachers focus
entirely on the lesson, reinforcing students’ existing knowledge while guiding them
toward a deeper understanding. Through open-ended questions, teachers help
students internalize the importance of the lesson and its relevance to their lives. By
relating the content to real-world scenarios, students develop a sense of ownership and
appreciation for the subject matter.
• Application – (Applying knowledge to a new situation)
The word itself describes the stage as bringing the student to a more practical way
of using HOW are they going to use what they have learned and thinking of new ways
on how it can be improved further. The Application phase prompts students to apply
their learning in practical ways. By considering how they can utilize their newfound
knowledge, students explore innovative ways to improve and expand upon what they
have learned. This phase encourages creativity, problem-solving, and the transfer of
knowledge to real-life situations.