5 Popular Models of

Lesson Plans
 Direct Instruction / 5 Step Lesson
Description
This type of lesson involves
carefully planned steps that build
upon one another. They consist of
an anticipatory set, input,
modeling, guided practice, and
independent practice. Each of
these steps is reliant upon the
previous.
Teacher’s Role
Teacher presents a topic,
explains concept to be learned,
models new skills, helps
students try this skill while
checking for understanding, and
then assigns an activity that
demonstrates new skills. If
checking for understanding
results in low levels, the teacher
will loop back to input and
modeling before moving ahead
again.
Students’ Roles
Students follow through each
step with the teacher in the lead.
They watch, ask questions, and
practice the new skill with the
teachers help, and then try it on
their own. This final step is often
done as homework or an
assignment in the last part of the
lesson. In this type of a lesson
students are good listeners and
are responsible for asking for
help as they necessary.
 Cooperative Learning
Description Teacher’s Role
In this type of a lesson The teacher assigns students to
often a problem is posed groups and often provides roles for
and groups of students each group member and guidelines
work to resolve the for executing their task. The teacher
problem using skills and poses a problem and provides
resources provided in students with tools and resources to
class. In a cooperative accomplish it. She/he does not
learning lesson individual answer questions often, but rather
and group accountability poses questions and redirects
are necessary. student efforts towards successful
outcomes. In a well-planned
cooperative lesson, students are
grouped in heterogeneous groups
and given everything they need to
complete a task of solving some sort
of problem. The teacher is merely a
facilitator.
Students’ Roles
Students work with peers to
complete a task or solve a problem.
They keep each other accountable
and record their progress. As they
work together to complete the task
or solve the problem, they should
be discussing possible approaches
and respecting each other’s
opinions. By the end they should
be prepared to report out to the
whole class what they learned in
some sort of organized fashion,
perhaps with a product of some
sort. In this type of a lesson
students are first very interactive
and then reflective.

Description
A concept attainment lesson
uses an inductive structure
as opposed to the typical
deductive structure.
Therefore the lesson begins
with several observations
and moves towards the
students making
generalizations about these
observations. Once students
believe they have a
conclusion, they test their
theory.
Concept Attainment
Teacher’s Role
The teacher in a concept
attainment lesson must prepare
opportunities for observation.
They often prepare examples and
non-examples to present to
students without providing
categories or labels. After all are
presented, the teacher prompts
students to create categories or
labels to generalize. The teacher
plays the role of facilitator
throughout the lesson. The
objective and concepts are
provided in detail at the end of
the lesson instead of the
beginning.
Students’ Roles
Students listen and observe for the
first part of the lesson. Then
students are tasked with creating
generalizations about what they
observed. Students are often
provided with structured time to
discuss and record ideas. By the
end of the lesson, students often
work in groups to investigate their
theory about the observations and
conduct further research. Students
in concept attainment lessons must
be prepared to collaborate and
respect multiple ideas.

Description
Inquiry lessons can focus
on standards based content,
but must be solely driven by
students’ curiosity. There
are four steps to an inquiry
lesson: students develop
questions, research topics
in class, present what they
learned, and then reflect on
the process and outcome.
Inquiry
Teacher’s Role
The teacher in an inquiry lesson is
often concerned with how to
trigger student curiosity and
connect the content personally for
students. The role that a teacher
fulfills is facilitation of the four
steps. It is important for teachers
to remember that they should not
lead students to an answer, but
provide support and skills needed
to research. Most of a teacher’s
work takes place before the lesson
by gathering resources and
training students to research.
Students’ Roles
Students in an inquiry lesson must
often work in groups to conduct
research. They must be somewhat
intrinsically motivated by curiosity.
Students must use class time to
research and present their findings.
In an inquiry lesson, the majority of
the responsibility lies on the
students. The outcome of an
inquiry lesson usually involves
students completing an authentic
assessment such as a report,
presentation, or project.
 5 E Lesson
Description Teacher’s Role
A 5 E lesson plan Throughout a 5 E lesson plan, the
involves constructing teacher is responsible for creating an
new knowledge based on interest in a topic (engage), facilitates
prior knowledge. They opportunities for inquiry and cooperative
follow these five steps: learning (explore), provides definitions
● Engage and clarification (explain), helps
● Explore students connect new knowledge to
● Explain prior knowledge and apply it (extend /
● Extend / Elaborate evaluate), and observes and records
● Evaluate student progress while encouraging
reflection and self-evaluation (evaluate).
In a 5 E lesson, the teacher carefully
plans each step and combines both
facilitation with presentation of new
material.
Students’ Roles
Students in a 5 E lesson should
be prepared to ask questions,
work in groups, and engage in
careful listening throughout
various kinds of collaboration.
Typically, a 5 E lesson will
require students to make multiple
connections and complete an
authentic assessment that allows
for various perspectives to be
shared and respected
throughout.
Based on your standard,
subject area, and
personality, which type of
lesson may work for you?