Lesson Planning, Part 1

Back to Basics with Lesson Planning

“Start with the learning that needs to happen, rather than the technology you will be using.”

As Michael Dragoni mentioned previously, it is rare that we are able to move our lessons from the classroom into a virtual space without some (or a lot) of reimagining. This can definitely feel like starting over. First, reflect on the basics. Then, use the advantages your experience offers to advance your virtual teaching practice.

Visualize

Consider Michael’s initial question, “What do I want students to do?” The core challenge is often building in the guided practice and application of knowledge. So from there, we can expand:

What problem do I want students to solve?
What connection do I want students to make?
What evidence do I want students to uncover?
What pattern do I want students to identify?
And so on…

Once you have that question identified, you can begin to connect with tools, resources, and routines your students can use to achieve the goal/objective. This isn’t a new way of thinking for most of us, but something that has become so automatic for us in the classroom. How does your approach to virtual teaching shift with a focus on what students are doing?