Planning and Writing

Lesson Plans

Curriculum

• Goals & standards for desired

learning

• All learning experiences in which

children will be involved

FACTS or SKILLS

DAP Curriculum

– DAP= Developmentally Appropriate

Practice…

– In other words:

• Provides for all areas of development: social,

emotional, physical, and cognitive

• Is age appropriate and builds upon past

knowledge

Lesson Plan

• The outline for what will be done in

the classroom the day you are the

head teacher.

• You will use the lesson plan sheet to

guide your planning.

Objective:

• This is what the children will get out

of the lesson plan or activity.

• The children will…

• Ex: The children will observe that

apples come in different colors.

Picking an Objective:

• Good news! You do not have to

come up with your own objectives.

• Use the standards list (from the Utah Early

Childhood Core Standards book) to choose an

objective that matches your

activity.

Transition:

• Keeps the child’s attention when

moving from activity to activity.

• Example: Stand up and move to

the art table by walking like

a monkey!

Benefits to You

• Knowing what to expect reduces stress

• Can be prepared with required materials

• More organized = easier and more fun

• Can turn lesson over to a substitute

• Conveys professionalism to parent

Benefits to Children

• Children know what to expect

• Reduces tension thus reducing

misbehavior

• Sense of time and sequence is

developed

Benefits to Parents

• Parents feel more secure when they know

something about daily plans.

• Encourages them to discuss with their child

what is going on at school.

• Helps educate parents on appropriate

growth and development activities for their

child

How to

Organize a

LESSON PLAN

Step 1

• Establish a daily schedule or time

frame.– The center has an established schedule so you just

have to make sure that it is followed.

You need to be ready to go

5 minutes after the bell rings!

Step 2

• Choose a theme or topic to teach• Monthly (letters, shape, number, color)

• Weekly

• Daily

• Daily: Rain

• Weekly: Spring

• Monthly: Letters: V W X

Shape: Diamond

Number: 8

Color: Yellow

Themes

Activities: Raindrop Letters (Literacy)Counting Raindrops (Math)

Shaving Cream Rain Clouds (Science)

Shaving Cream Rain

Clouds

Brainstorm About the Theme

Brainstorm About the Theme

Ocean

Brainstorm About the Theme

Ocean

Danger

Beach

Sport Fish

Water

Brainstorm About the Theme

Ocean

Danger

Beach

Sport Fish

Water

Sunscreen

Life vest

Salty

Waves

Blue

Whales

Octopus

Starfish

Crabs

SharksBoating

Fishing

Surfing

Sand

Seashells

Umbrella

Step 3

Determine Objective:

What is your overall goal for the lesson?

What do you want the children to

learn?

Objectives

• Written with professional terminology

Format: The children will….. develop small motors skills

By…… using scissors to cut out pictures.

Action words like experiment, cut, practice, discover,

build, explore, compare, write, develop, etc.

DO NOT USE THE WORD LEARN!

Be more specific!

Step 4

Choose an activity!– Activities should correspond with your theme

– Think about the following learning areas:

Nutrition

Se

nso

ry

Art

Brainstorm Learning

Activities• Use resources like books, internet, peers, etc…..

• Must include a visual or manipulative

• Allow children to learn through their senses!

Example: Mr. Sims wanted his preschool class to share in

the joy he had while visiting a zoo. He began to describe

the animals to the children. As he talked, the children lost

interest. They could not understand his descriptions of the

various animals.

– How could the senses could have been more involved?

– What would encourage more interest?

Step 5

Plan specific transitions • Activities to help children move from one

activity to another smoothly.

• Prevents:

– Children wandering

– Children running around

– Children doing inappropriate things

Good Transitions

Should…

• Be simple, enjoyable

• Prepare children for what they are to do

next

• Motivate appropriate behavior

• Be short, 20-30 seconds long

Transition Ideas…

– Sing a busy song (clean up song)

– Marching in a line, choo choo train

– Catch a bubble

– Stand up if you are wearing a red shirt?• Who has brown hair?

• Who has blue eyes

– Simon Says

– Hop like a bunny• Growl like a bear

• Tiptoe like a mouse

• Swim like a fish

• Fly like a butterfly

– Hop, jump, skip, crawl, etc.

Step 6

Write your ideas in lesson plan form– Attach instructions and visuals of each activity as

needed

– Attach song lyrics

– Prepare any pre-lesson supplies

Step 7

Evaluate the Teaching Experience• What went well? What didn’t go as

planned?

• How would I do things different next time?

• Were they interested in the activity?

• Was the activity challenging enough to

keep them engaged?

• How could I change this activity to work for

toddler/preschool?

Head Teacher

• Prepare the lesson plan

• Gather all materials for lesson

• Set up/clean up all materials

• Present lesson plan

– Read the story, sing the song, and conduct the

learning activity

• Will be evaluated by the rubric on the back of

the lesson planning sheet

Support Teacher• Make the head teacher look awesome!

• Assist the head teacher as needed

• Sing the song with the head teacher

• Monitor the childrens’ behavior and make sure

they are listening and engaged

• Help the children with the activity as needed

• Be involved in the lesson!

• Given a score based on attendance and

participation

Sample Lesson #1• Theme: Apples

• Objective: The children will observe what the

inside of an apple looks like and practice large

and fine motor skills by using tongs to pick up

apples.

• Book: Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Suess

• Song: Way Up High in An Apple Tree– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKmFHRrkFuQ

• Activity: (only one of the following)• Art: Apple Painting

• Math: Counting Apple Seeds

• Large Motor: Bobbing for Apples (with tongs)

• Sensory: Apples in Every Form (applesauce, apple juice, dried apple, fresh apple, etc.)

• Cognitive: Apple Matching Game

• Language/Literacy: Apple Seed Letters

Sample Lesson #2• Theme: Caterpillars

• Objective: The children will discover the life

cycle of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

• Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

• Song: Birth of a Butterfly– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKmFHRrkFuQ

• Activity: (only one of the following)• Art: Caterpillar Toe Painting

• Math: Counting Caterpillars

• Large Motor: Caterpillar Bean Bag Toss

• Sensory: Green noodle sensory bin

• Cognitive: Caterpillar Patterns

• Language/Literacy: Caterpillar Names

“Birth of a Butterfly”Sung to the tune of Hush Little Baby

• A mama butterfly lays all her eggs,

Out pops a caterpillar, crawling on its legs.

• The caterpillar first is rather thin,But then it eats till it bursts through its skin.

• After growing nice and big,

The caterpillar climbs on a leaf or twig.

• It makes a shell where it hangs inside.

The shell then cracks, and the parts divide.

• Inside the shell, a change was going on,

The form of the caterpillar now is gone.

• When the shell opens, what comes out?

A beautiful butterfly fluttering about!