Running Head: Lesson Plan Analysis 1

Lesson Plan Analysis

By

James Lacayo

TED 623: Language Development Methods for Secondary and Middle School

Rebecca Mashburn

National University

June 5, 2016
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Lesson planning is one of the most important duties that an educator can do. Although

this idea seems pretty simple and clear cut it, in fact can be quite the opposite. There are many

reasons why lesson planning is important for teachers and students alike. One of the most

important aspects of lesson planning is that it gives the teacher the opportunity to know exactly

what needs to be done and how to do it, Serdyukov and Ryan state, "A well-thought out lesson

plan gives the teacher a sense of direction and may well foster a feeling of confidence and

enthusiasm in implementing instruction there by setting an atmosphere for learning" (2013, p.

93). So in order to get a better understanding of lesson planning, three lesson plans will be

analyzed. The lesson plans are connected with Social Science: the first is concerned with

Manifest Destiny, second is about the Industrial Revolution (specifically labor movements), and

the thirds is about the Lewis and Clark expedition. The lesson plans will be analyzed by going

over the similarities, the differences, how the plans differentiate instruction for English learners,

and suggested improvements. Let's begin with the similarities in the lesson plans.

Similarities

There are many different ways to create lesson plans and different ways to conduct a

lesson. However, there are also core aspects that are, or should, be in every lesson plan. These

sorts of things include goals, objectives, outcomes, assessment and etc. All of these aspects will

not be gone over but the ones that seemed to be particularly interesting will.

One of the first things that seemed to be similar in all three lesson plans was the idea of

pre-assessment. The idea of pre-assessment is an important one when thinking of creating any

kind of lesson plan. Pre-assessment works two ways. The first is that it gives teachers the

chance to see where the students are at before the lesson begins. It also gives teachers the

opportunity to go over material that may be important to know for the new lesson. The second is
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that it gives students the opportunity to revisit past materials or have a chance to ask questions on

things that they did not understand. "Constructivism," which is a consequence of the pre-

assessment process, "is based on the notion of building up ones knowledge via interaction

between prior knowledge and new knowledge and integration of the new knowledge in the

interaction between a learner and peers and the instructor" (Serdyukov, Ryan, 2013, p. 96). This

idea is so important that it is included in each of the lessons analyzed for this paper: the Manifest

Destiny plan states that questions will be asked by the teacher, the Industrial Revolution plan has

a mini quiz, the Lewis and Clark plan has a worksheet to assess what the students know. All of

these examples "activate and build on knowledge that the students already possess" (S.D.A.I.E,

slide 12).

Another similarity that these lesson plans have is the use of technology, "technology

should be integrated in teaching and learning when the teacher sees an opportunity to enhance

the learning environment" (Serdyukov, Ryan, 2013, p. 156). The use of technology has always

made sense in an educational setting and it does even more so now because technology is a part

of our daily lives, especially younger students! Using technology helps students not only want to

do the lesson but also develop skills that they can use in the future. The lesson plans use

technology in the following ways: The Manifest Destiny plan utilizes PowerPoint presentations

as well as audio technology and translation programs to assist English learner, the Industrial

Revolution plan utilizes PowerPoint and ELMO to show slides of the textbook, and finally the

Lewis and Clark plan utilizes video and website technology to guide students as they go along.

These are just a couple examples but ones that seemed particularly interesting and useful

when considering making lesson plans in the future.

Differences
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There are many different things that can be included in a lesson plan. What is put in the

lesson plan and what is not is an important thing to look at. This sort of freedom is beneficial

because it allows the teacher to address the specific needs of the students. There are a few things

that were different between the lesson plans analyzed for this paper. Let's look at the first.

One of the first things that can be seen, by looking over the lesson plans, is the detail that

the authors decided to go with. For example, in the Manifest Destiny plan, the lesson is

methodically laid out. Everything from what will be discussed to how much time will be spent

on each section of the plan is clear. This can be very beneficial because everything is there and

ready for the teacher to see. This layout is beneficial because the structure allows for a smooth

lesson. The Industrial Revolution plan is detailed as well but not on the same level. What will

be conducted in the lesson is clear but it does not read like a script. The historical fact as well as

how much time should be spent on each section is left up to the teacher. This is good because it

allows more freedom but it requires a more disciplined teacher to carry it out. The third, and last

plan, the Lewis and Clark plan, is somewhere in between the two others. It has some detail but

also leaves how the lesson will be carried out to the teacher. This goes into the idea of what kind

of activities are present within the three different plans.

The three different plans vary in what kind of activities they have students do. This is a

good thing and this idea would obviously be governed by the students needs in the class. One of

the best examples has to do with the idea of group work. Group work is a great way to get

students involved in any lesson this is, "because we traditionally learn in a social environment

we also collaboratively build on a common knowledge that will eventually be interiorized by

each member of the learning community individually" (Serdyukov, Ryan, 2013, p. 96). Group

work can be done in many different ways. The Manifest Destiny plan utilizes group activity in
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the form of a group discussion as well as the group work included in the learning activity. The

Industrial Revolution plan utilizes groups in the learning activity of filling out worksheets. And

finally the Lewis and Clark plan only uses group work in the form of a discussion but doesn't

specifically designate other group work, although there is plenty of room for the teacher to

incorporate it.

Again, these are just a couple examples but it does show how lesson plans can

differentiate in structure as well as what kind of activities are included within them.

Differentiation of Instruction

Today, especially in southern California, classrooms are as diverse as ever. This

diversity at first glance can be intimidating to teachers when thinking of ways to develop lessons.

However this, "diversity should be used as a benefit, rather than a hindrance to foster students'

learning" (Serdyukov, Ryan, 2013, p. 125). This diversity can be in the form of cultural,

economic, social, and even academic. To get a better understanding of how to address all of

these areas let's see how it was done in the lesson plans.

One of the best ways to make a lesson more accessible to more students is by creating a

lesson that encompasses many different teaching strategies. Students learn in a variety ways so a

teacher has to try and address all those needs. Haley and Austin state, "when planning, therefore,

we suggest that you include a wide array of activities that cover students' learning styles,"(2014,

p.45) each lesson does this in its own way. The Manifest Destiny plan utilizes a PowerPoint

presentation that would show not only visuals of what is being learned but also notes of what is

important. This presentation would be good for visual learners. It also has a learning activity

that allows an opportunity for students to do hands on work to test their skills individually. And

finally it has opportunities to work in groups. The Industrial Revolution does this by individual
Lesson Plan Analysis 6

work in the form of quizzes, group work with worksheets and visuals in a presentation. The

Lewis and Clark plan has more freedom but utilizes many of the same techniques. The point is

that in any given lesson it is important to incorporate different strategies to address different

learning styles.

Besides addressing the different ways that a lesson can address the needs of various

students learning styles, a lesson has to include ways to address students who are English

learners (ELL). This can also be done in a number of ways, again let's look at the lesson plans.

The Manifest Destiny plan uses printed material that has some translations of the English words

into their native language. This allows the student to develop their vocabulary as well as help

them stay along with the lesson. "For those students acclimating to an English-only

environment, "Haley and Austin state, "having print materials that are familiar can help to bridge

gaps in their language acquisition process" (2014, p.56). The Industrial Revolution plan utilizes

some of the same techniques such as providing words in English and native languages.

However, it also utilizes another strategy, when it allows the opportunity to group ELL students

with native speakers, ". . . teachers can model clear speaking, elaborate on child's speech, explain

unfamiliar vocabulary and stimulate social interaction among children by encouraging them to

ask each other for help so they can practice using language and increase their competency in

reflecting on their learning" (Haley, Austin, 2014, p. 11). The Lewis and Clark lesson plan

doesn't specify how it adjusts its lesson but leaves plenty of room for the teacher to do so. These

are just a couple examples but it helps show how lesson plans can adjust to the needs of all

students including those who are English language learners.

Suggested Improvement
Lesson Plan Analysis 7

All of the lesson plans seemed to be strong in their own ways. Each lesson incorporated

many different strategies to encompass the different learning styles of various students. So when

trying to think of a way to improve the lessons, it became somewhat difficult. However, there is

one area that I noticed could have used a little improvement and that was tying the various

material to the students life. Haley and Austin note, ". . . it is vital that teachers provide avenues

that place teaching and learning in 'real world' contexts. Activities need to be meaningful and

engaging. Students must be encouraged to explore areas of study that are relevant in their lives"

(2014, p.22). The reason why this is so important is because it helps make the material, no

matter what it is, seem more relevant to the students. In this case these lessons can tie in

student's lives into points in history. For example, in the Manifest Destiny plan students can be

asked what it would feel like if someone came into their lives and told them what to do. The

Industrial Revolution plan can get students to think about their own work experience and how

that has changed them, much like the labor movement changed American society. The Lewis

and Clark plan can compare the trip to any of their experiences going somewhere they haven't

been. This is a technique often used called "contextualization" where teachers, "devise metaphors

and analogies based on student experiences" (S.D.A.I.E, slide 14). These are just a few ideas,

there are countless, to use but the main idea is to keep it relevant to the student to keep interest.

Conclusion

So by looking at these three lesson plan's similarities, differences, differentiation of

instruction, and suggested improvements we can begin to see how lesson plans are made and

different ways of conducting a lesson. These will serve as a tool for any future educator when

lesson plans are created.

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References

Haley, M.H, Austin, T.Y. (2014) Content-Based Second Language Teaching and Learning: An
Interactive Approach. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Serdyukov, Peter, Ryan, M. (2013) The 5-Minute Lesson Plan: A Practitioners Guide. Boston,
MA: Pearson

S.D.A.I.E: Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English and Related Strategies.

[PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from:
https://nu.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_2981
3_1&content_id=_1870751_1&mode=reset

Lesson Plans

Manifest Destiny: Social Science Lesson One

https://nu.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_29813_1&co
ntent_id=_1870755_1&mode=reset

Industrial Revolution: Social Science Lesson Two

https://nu.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_29813_1&co
ntent_id=_1870755_1&mode=reset

Lewis and Clark

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/class/l01.html