Social Studies Literacy

    Lesson plans are one of those controversial topics. As more schools underperform, district and school administrators are increasingly likely to require teachers to write them. If you've been teaching long enough, you've probably made a joke or seen the memes suggesting that students didn't learn today because you didn't have your objectives posted on the board. Savvy teachers know that posting objectives isn't what drives student learning. However, lesson planning still plays an important role in helping teachers prepare for instruction and ensure that students are meeting outcomes.

 

    I know that developing a lesson plan is unpopular with many teachers, but in practice, most teachers already use some form of lesson-planning structure, even if it's simpler than the 10-page plans some are currently required to write. During my nearly 20-year teaching career, I wrote lesson plans for every class, every day, and they were rarely longer than a page. I kept up this practice because it gave me a quick blueprint for where I wanted to take students and what they needed to accomplish. Taking a few minutes to map out the destination also helped me quickly assess whether students had the content knowledge or skills to meet the objective. When I found that most students weren't ready, I could design a lesson that would build those skills and help them reach the next level.

 

Lesson Planning Process

 

1. What are the state-level objectives you are trying to meet?

 

Identifying what students need to be able to do by the end of the course allows you to scaffold activities and practice opportunities to help them get there. A common social studies standard is to analyze and evaluate historical documents, typically with attention to point of view and historical context. Knowing the end goal helps you reach it more efficiently.

 

2. What do students need to know to complete the task?

 

This is where I identify the content knowledge and skills students need. If we're working with a historical document, I consider what background knowledge students need to understand it. For the document analysis portion, I assess where students currently are: Do I need to provide analysis questions, or can they generate their own? Have I introduced a framework like OPCVL or APPARTS? This step helps me pinpoint where to focus instructional time so students can build the skills they need.

 

3. What activities will students complete to show they are working toward mastery?

 

Once I've worked out the essential questions, I plan the activities for the lesson. If students need specific content knowledge, I'll include it in a note-taking activity or, if time allows, a brief reading followed by a small-group discussion. If we're analyzing historical documents, students will analyze a historical document. These activities are formative and should help you see where students are succeeding and where they need more support.

 

    That's it. In three steps, you can identify the state-level objective, clarify what students need to know to complete the task, and design activities that are directly aligned to those goals.

 

    Educators today are facing enormous challenges, and it can feel like the weight of all of America's educational problems rests on your shoulders alone. But teachers can still meet students where they are and provide high-quality instruction that helps them grow. It takes only a few minutes to identify where students need to go and think through what they need to get there.

 

    Head over to our TPT page to download your free copy of the social studies lesson plan framework.