31 Overview
What are the core elements of an effective lesson plan?
Learning experiences come in all shapes and sizes and so do lesson plans. But, many effective lessons do share certain common elements. What are the core elements of an effective lesson plan? Think back to a memorable experience that you had as a learner in a structured classroom environment. What made the lesson effective? Think about your own teaching. What is the first thing you do when you start planning a lesson?
Regardless of what or where you teach, lesson planning can enhance learning.
Many lesson planning models exist. The ISW lesson is built on six core elements. They fit with what we know about how people learn and are included because they each have an important role in the learning process, while also offering guidance to the instructor. These six elements are relevant regardless of the content and the setting.
In the FLO Blended Workshop, consider addressing these six elements in your lessons. This model for lesson organization creates a shared vocabulary that will enhance the workshop experience for everyone. The six elements will also provide an analytic structure that will form part of the focus for your feedback. The six elements are:
- Bridge-In
- Outcome
- Pre-Assessment
- Participatory Learning
- Post-Assessment
- Summary/Close
Some people use the acronym BOPPPS to help them remember the six elements.
Core Lesson Elements
Beginning
Bridge-In (Why): Begins the learning cycle by gaining learner attention, building motivation, and explaining why the lesson outcome is important.
Outcome (What): Outlines the learning intention by clarifying what the learner should be able to know, think, value, or do by the end of the lesson.
Pre-Assessment: Formally or informally answers the question: “What does the learner already know about the subject and outcome of the lesson?”
Middle
Participatory Learning (How): Involves the learners actively in the learning process. This intentional sequence of activities or learning events helps the learners achieve the desired learning outcome. Although this section is called “participatory”, it is important to build participation and engagement into the entire lesson.
Closing
Post-Assessment: Formally or informally demonstrates whether the learner has indeed learned enough to meet the outcome outlined above.
Summary/Closure: Provides an opportunity for the learners to reflect briefly and integrate the learning as the lesson cycle comes to an end. In some situations, this section may include the development of an action plan for application of learning outside the workshop and/or reference to the next lesson.
Notice that this lesson plan model is built around the outcome. All parts of the lesson refer to or align with the lesson outcome. When building a lesson, it can be extremely helpful to start by clarifying the ending. In other words, begin by identifying the outcome.
When using a blended mode, consider which parts of the lesson plan will be held online, asynchronously, or in-person. For example, prior to the in-person session, you might offer a video introduction as the bridge-in, describing why the lesson is important, or invite students to engage in an online discussion in which they connect the topic to an experience of their own. Similarly, as a post-assessment, you could have students work in teams, asynchronously, after an in-person session, in which they work on a problem together based on the in-person lesson.