Planning and Lesson Plans

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1 TATS eupdate Curriculum & Instruction Planning and Lesson Plans December 2010 The implementation of planned, organized, sequenced activities and lessons focusing on academic readiness (Klein & Knitzer, 2006, p.7), taught in an intentional manner, is a cornerstone of a quality curriculum. Quality classroom settings will have evidence of a planned curriculum linked to state standards. Careful planning and the use of lesson plans provide this evidence. Lesson plans lay out the process of providing effective instruction to children and should reflect IEP goals with functional objectives to support them. Best Practice The Administrators Walkthrough Checklist for Prekindergarten Classrooms, developed by the Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS) project, identifies indicators of quality programs. The implementation of a quality curriculum is addressed in the Administrators Walkthrough Checklist by the following indicator: There is visible evidence of a developmentally appropriate planned curriculum, lessons plans, a posted schedule, and curriculum guidebook linked to state standards. The lesson plans are open, current, and reflect activities consistent with the curriculum guidebook, if one is used. Children are provided with well-planned, meaningful, and fun experiences to develop basic concepts in math, nature/science, art, music, technology, understanding self/community/world, and physical education. Children are provided early language and literacy experiences (including read aloud and phonological and alphabet awareness activities) in a meaningful, fun, and natural part of their day. There is evidence of intentional teaching of social skills built into the daily plan with an attempt to individualize to children s needs. Page 1 of 5

2 Description: This teacher maintains a lesson plan binder on her desk for daily reference. The lesson plans contain activity goals and objectives, descriptions, materials needed to complete the activities, and the ways in which these activities relate to the appropriate developmental standards. Description: The daily schedule is posted with pictures and words on the magnetic dry erase board. The teacher uses this schedule to teach the daily activities, outcomes, and expectations. There is a balance of teacher-directed and child-directed activities implemented in the daily routine to support teaching the standards. Page 2 of 5

3 Description: Evidence of planned language, literacy, and numeracy experiences are visible throughout the classroom. These are examples of a classroom display of a math lesson using non-standard measurements and estimation. Description: The teacher reads aloud to the children and asks questions to support critical thinking, promote emergent literacy, and develop receptive/expressive language skills. Page 3 of 5

4 Description: There is evidence of the intentional teaching of social skills. Classroom rules are taught throughout the day and are supported by posted visual cues. There is a quiet place for children to work through conflict resolution strategies, engage in selfreflection, and problem-solve. Planning and selecting appropriate teaching strategies are the keys to effective classroom practices. They go beyond classroom activities and include embedding opportunities for learning in all aspects of a child s day. Reflection 1. How can a good lesson plan support embedded learning opportunities that reflect IEP goals? Plan your work for today and every day then work your plan. Norman Vincent Peale References and Resources Epstein, A. (2007). The intentional teacher: Choosing the best strategies for young children s learning. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Klein, L., & Knitzer, J. (2006). Pathways to early school success: Effective preschool Page 4 of 5

5 curricula and teaching strategies, Issue Brief No. 2. New York: National Center for Children in Poverty: Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M. L., Smith, B. J., & McLean, M. E. (Eds.). (2005). DEC recommended practices: A comprehensive guide for practical application in early intervention/early childhood special education. Division for Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children. Longmont, CO: Sopris West. Sandall, S. R., & Schwartz, I. S. (2008). Building blocks for teaching preschoolers with special needs (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Company. Sandall, S. R, Smith, B. J., & Hemmeter, M. L. (2006). DEC recommended practices tool kit: Interactive tools to improve practices for young children with special needs and their families [CD]. Missoula, MT: The Division for Early Childhood. School Readiness Performance Standards These are performance standards for three-, four-, and five-year-old children developed by the Office of Early Learning in the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation to address school readiness issues. Technical Assistance & Training System (TATS) TATS is a statewide project providing technical assistance and training to programs in Florida serving prekindergarten children with disabilities. The TATS website provides information and resources on curriculum and instruction, evaluation and assessment, family involvement, inclusion, program effectiveness/quality, and transition, as well as links to early childhood partners. TATS eupdates are a service of the Technical Assistance & Training System Communities of Practice. The TATS eupdates are intended to provide current information related to best practices or trends in the education of young children with special needs in the areas of Transition, Program Effectiveness, Inclusion, Curriculum & Instruction, Evaluation & Assessment, and Family Involvement. For more information about the TATS Communities of Practices and the TATS eupdates, please log on to Page 5 of 5