Title of Lesson: What are the Five Steps Involved in Backward Design Lesson Planning? Part One

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices. This is one of many lessons we will be sharing on teaching Judaic content, lesson planning, models of teaching, differentiated and individualized instruction and learning activities designed to transform the classroom into a Jewish community of cooperative learners. The title of this lesson is “What are the five steps involved in backward design lesson planning?" Since there are 13 elements in each lesson plan we will divide this lesson plan into five parts. Here is the first part of this five-part lesson on the five steps involved in Backward Design lesson planning.

Enduring Jewish Knowledge Rationale for the Lesson: We have previously established that a parent is obligated to teach or hire a teacher to instruct his or her child in the study of Torah. Judaic lesson planning is a mitzvah in that the teacher is preparing a written and thoughtful strategy to engage students in the study of Torah, la’asok b’divrei Torah. The lesson plan itself is designed to motivate and empower students to acquire, apply, and create Judaic knowledge.

Essential Question/s: What is a lesson plan? What are the eight essential elements of a lesson plan? What are the five steps in Backward Design lesson planning?

Objective/Learning Outcome: (What the student is supposed to learn from this lesson) In his or her own words, the student will be able to:

• Define a lesson plan
• Identify and explain the eight essential elements of a lesson plan
• Apply the five step Backward Design process to a lesson plan

Name of the Active Learning Procedures: Ticket In (on the 8 essential elements of a lesson according to M. Hunter) and the Presentation Model of Teaching

Anticipatory Set: (Motivation activity that prepares students for the learning outcome)

Suggested Motivational Statement:

1. Teacher says: ”Today we are going to discuss the five steps in Backward Design lesson planning. Before we do that, let’s review what you’ve learned in our last lesson by doing an activity called Ticket In. Ticket In is the reverse of what we did at the end of our last class. That closure activity was called Ticket Out. With Ticket In I pose a question or set of questions, and when all the students in our class can correctly answer those questions, we will then begin our exploration of the topic for today, Backward Design Lesson planning. So now I’m going to record these eight questions on the board, and I want you to make certain that you and your learning partners can answer these questions before we begin our investigation of Backward Design.”

· What is a lesson plan?

· What is an objective or learning outcome?

· What is an anticipatory set?

· What is an introductory activity?

· What are developmental activities?

· What does guided practice mean?

· What are assessments?

· What does closure mean?

Note: You can place students in dyads, triads, or quads.

2. After grouping your students, giving them time to discuss, and answer the above questions; then conduct a brief class discussion on those eight questions, and proceed to the introductory activity.

In the next post we will share the second part of a five part lesson on Backward Design lesson planning.