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Create your own lesson plan outlines and
templates (or use the ones provided). Wherever you are (e.g., in faculty meetings), you can develop your lesson plans. You can create a template and then use other resource outlines in LW such as:
BEFORE Reading Activities, Multiple Intelligence Theory, DURING Reading Activities, Writing Topics and Ideas, AFTER Reading Activities, Cooperative Group Ideas, Graphic Organizers, Designing Performance
Tasks, Academic Thinking Skills, Writing Ideas & Activities, Mini-lesson Format & Ideas, Vocabulary Development, SDAIE Strategies, and more.
Steps for Creating Lesson Plans
1. You can begin 3 different ways on your handheld:
- Tap on "New" from the LessonWorks outline list screen to create a new outline/template for your lessons
- Tap on the menu then "New from Template" and choose a template that you have created.
- Tap on an old outline (one that you don't mind changing) and enter the new lesson information. It will overwrite the previous information.
2. Make a template: Open an outline and modify the items to make a template that you will use over and over. (You can edit it when you need to.)
3. Tap on the menu, then tap Save as Template
4. Now from the opening screen of LessonWorks, tap the menu and then "New from Template." Choose the template that you saved you can start a new outline of a lesson plan.
5. Put the title and date of the new lesson plan in place of the title (i.e., erase your generic lesson plan template title)
6. Fill in the items using your textbook, curriculum notes, and/or the outlines mentioned above, etc.
7. Before tapping "Done" to exit, tap on "Details" and place the lesson plan in the file you prefer (e.g., English Lesson Plans) for easier retrieval.
Differentiating Instruction
Students have a wide variety of individual needs. We are bombarded by thoughts such as: "He needs to learn how to…; she needs to learn why…" With LW even in the busy midst of teaching today's
lesson, you can quickly record "spur the moment" ideas and individual student information into tomorrow's lesson plan (e.g., teach Luis the use of commas).
1. Just open LessonWorks on you Palm device,
2. Tap on a lesson outline, for example "English Plan Day 23"
3. Create a separate item that keeps track of individual student needs, similar to the screen on the right,
4. Next to the student's name, write the specific details that you want to teach to that student or small group the next day (or whenever).
5. You can even have an ongoing outline called "Individual Class Needs" that is always evolving.
Multiple Intelligences & Learning Styles
The outline "Multiple Intelligence Theory" offers a brief description of the ways in which students can differ in how they learn. A student may learn the elements of story better through music or
drama than by just reading it. He or she may learn science concepts through cooperative or even kinesthetic methods. You can use LessonWorks to assess and keep track of how students learn best. Moreover,
you can record ideas for modifying instruction to meet the needs of those students are have "intelligences" that are typically not as valued or tapped in our schools. However, if developed and used,
these intelligences can magnify their learning in amazing ways.
For example, under a student file, "Ashton, Ana," one item may be "• MI & Learning Styles," under which you would note your observations on your MI assessments of her and continue to record
your other observations as she works on projects and with peers.
Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
The diversity of cultures and linguistic backgrounds that non-native speakers of English bring to our classrooms is both exciting and challenging. Teachers must be sensitive to the cultural and
linguistic differences involved in learning. Students bring a much wider variety of background knowledge to classrooms than teachers expect, and this often clashes with teaching styles and materials.
Some teachers have never learned a second language and do not empathize with those students learning brand new science concepts English while learning English. Use outlines to jot down specific
linguistic needs ("s" for third person conjugation) and refer to "ELD Lesson Outline" and "SDAIE Checklist (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English)."
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