5.6: Using the PSU Preschool Lesson Plan

Please use this guide to help you write lesson plans using the PSU preschool lesson plan template. A blank, editable template is provided for you in Canvas.

Teacher: As you write lesson plans in FCS 490, you will always use your name as the teacher.

Date: For our class, the date isn't always important. When planning lessons for your preschool practicum, include the date you are assigned to teach the lesson. For lesson plans that are included in your final theme project, you can leave the date section blank, as you won't know when they will be taught in the coming semesters.

Activity Name: This is the section where you will give your activity a name. It's essential to use concise, descriptive names rather than whimsical ones.

Domain: For the several lesson plans you will write, you will be assigned the domain in which you will design your activities. For your theme project, select the domain in which you think the activity fits best. Many activities target skills in more than one domain; in those situations, it is acceptable to list more than one domain in this section.

College & Career Ready Standards: This section is sometimes completed early in the lesson planning process, while at other times it is completed near the end of the process. For each lesson plan, you should include at least one, but no more than three, Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) that fit the focus of your lesson. It is recommended to cut and paste each standard you wish to use in its entirety. As you plan your activity, ensure that the chosen KELS align with the domain and are addressed in the lesson.

Materials: List the specific materials that are required for the activity. This list should help you gather all the items needed to teach the lesson. The best way to ensure you have included everything is to imagine whether someone else could carry out your plan with the items you listed. If you mention an item or material in another section of the lesson plan, it should also be included in the materials section.

Location: In this section, identify the best location for you to conduct the lesson. Again, be specific and consider all your options — carpeted large group rug, round tables, rectangular tables, specific learning centers, outdoor areas, etc.

Lesson Introduction: In this section, you will describe how you plan to motivate the children, assess or review their prior knowledge, and introduce the lesson to them. This might be a statement, a question, a book, or another visual. Be creative in how you attract the children's interest and pique their curiosity.

Main Activity: Describe the activity in detail as a step-by-step narrative that includes how the children will participate in the lesson. The main activity is where you want to include any new information, terms, and facts. Be sure to use the materials listed previously. When planning, some people begin with the standards, while others start with the activity. If, at this point in planning, you have already chosen the KELS addressed in your activity, ensure that the activity allows you to assess how the children are meeting the standards selected for the lesson. When planning, some begin with the main activity and build the rest of the plan around it. This means you might describe the activity and then choose the KELS that will be addressed in it.

Closure: After the main activity, bring the lesson to a close by reviewing it with the children. The closure may include your assessment of the children's attainment of the standards listed. Specific questions can be created to help you assess children's understanding of concepts from the lesson, providing some review and allowing you to evaluate their learning.

Transition: In this section, describe how you will transition the children to the next activity. Ideally, your transition will tie into your lesson and provide some review or opportunities for the children to apply what they've learned.

Questions: In your lesson, you should plan to ask at least three relevant questions. Ask questions that will help you determine if the children have met your goals. Open-ended questions will likely help you ascertain what the children understand. You can list all questions for the lesson in this section or include them in the section where they will be used, such as the introduction or closure. If you include your questions throughout your lesson, please highlight them.

Individualization: This section is divided into three parts: specific children, simplifications, and extensions. First, describe any modifications needed for specific children who require adjustments to participate or succeed in the lesson. For example, a child who needs more guidance may be paired with another child or an adult. A child who dislikes getting their hands messy may be given a paintbrush during a fingerprinting activity. It's possible that some plans will not need modifications for specific children.

For each lesson plan, you will need to include simplifications and extensions. A simplification might include describing how you would modify the activity for a younger age group than the one for whom the lesson is planned. You may also want to consider modifying a lesson if children are unable to participate because they haven't yet acquired a particular skill. For example, children may tear paper for an art project instead of using scissors, or items may be pre-cut for those who are not yet able to use scissors. An extension should describe how to make the activity more challenging or suggest an activity to follow that extends on the original lesson. A straightforward way to come up with an extension is to consider the next logical step related to your activity. For example, if children are planting seeds to watch the life cycle of a plant, a natural extension would be for them to observe and record changes in their plants each week in a journal or classroom chart.

Assessment: In this section, you will include each of the KELS that you chose for this lesson and explain how you will know each has been met. You might indicate that you will know the standard has been met by describing what you might observe or how children might answer questions. During a lesson, children may produce evidence that helps you determine if standards were met. For example, the children might identify different body parts by including them in a self-portrait. When writing this section of the plan, if you are unable to determine how to assess whether the standard has been met, you may need to reevaluate whether the chosen standards are adequately addressed in the lesson.