By: Umar | Published: 24-10-2026 | Last reviewed: 24-10-2026

A lesson plan is a practical roadmap: it states what students should learn, sequences activities with realistic timings, and defines how you will check that learning happened. This guide gives you four complete lesson plans (mathematics, English language arts, science and social studies), a seven-step method for writing your own, free daily and weekly templates in Word and PDF, and a terminology guide for teachers working across the US, UK, Canada, Australia and India.

Free downloadable templates

Both templates are fully editable. Open the Word version to type into it, or print the PDF and fill it in by hand.

What is a lesson plan?

A lesson plan is a teacher’s written guide to the learning objective, instructional approach, classroom activities, resources and assessment for a single lesson or learning block. Good planning helps you:

• Align instruction with the curriculum or standards your school uses.
• Manage time by giving each activity a realistic length.
• Anticipate needs by spotting likely misconceptions and preparing scaffolds and extension tasks in advance.
• Check learning through short formative assessments such as questions, mini-whiteboards and exit tickets.

Essential components of a lesson plan

Formats differ between schools and systems, but most plans include the following.

• Context: subject, grade or year level, topic and duration.
• Prior knowledge: what students need to know before the lesson.
• Measurable learning objective: what students will be able to do by the end.
• Success criteria: student-friendly indicators of success.
• Materials and resources.
• Hook or starter: a short task that activates prior knowledge.
• Explicit instruction (“I do”), guided practice (“We do”) and independent practice (“You do”).
• Formative assessment: checks for understanding during and at the end of the lesson.
• Differentiation: scaffolds for students who need support and extension for those ready for more.
• Closure and reflection: a summary of the key idea and a short teacher evaluation after the lesson.

How to write a lesson plan in 7 steps

Step 1: Identify the intended learning outcome

Start from the curriculum or standards your school follows, such as your state standards in the US, the National Curriculum in England, your provincial curriculum in Canada, the Australian Curriculum or your board’s syllabus in India. Decide the one idea or skill the lesson must deliver.

Step 2: Write a measurable learning objective

Use an observable action verb such as calculate, classify, explain or construct rather than vague verbs such as understand or learn. Bloom’s revised taxonomy is a common source of such verbs [10]. Some schools call this statement a learning intention.

Step 3: Decide how you will assess it

Choose the evidence that will show mastery, such as an exit ticket or a completed graphic organizer, before you design the activities. Planning this way is often called backward design [11].

Step 4: Prepare resources

Gather manipulatives, texts, slides, graphic organizers and printed exit tickets before the lesson starts.

Step 5: Sequence activities with realistic timings

This sample split fits a 45-minute lesson. Adjust the minutes to your class and lengthen the practice blocks for a 60-minute lesson.

Step 6: Plan differentiation

Pre-plan supports such as visual models, word banks and sentence frames, and extension tasks that ask for deeper reasoning rather than simply more work.

Step 7: Reflect and plan next steps

After the lesson, note whether students reached the mastery threshold you set, which misconceptions appeared, and what to re-teach.

Four complete lesson plan examples

Each example lists the phases with timings that add up to the full lesson length, plus assessment questions with answers and differentiation ideas.

Example A: Mathematics – equivalent fractions (Grades 4–5 / Years 5–6)

• Duration: 45 minutes
• Prior knowledge: fractions as equal parts of a whole; multiplication facts to 10 × 10.
• Objective: students will find and explain equivalent fractions using fraction strips and multiplication of the numerator and denominator by the same number, scoring at least 80% on a two-question exit ticket.
• Materials: fraction strips (physical or digital), mini-whiteboards and markers, a practice sheet and exit-ticket slips.

Success criteria: I can show equivalent fractions with a visual model. I can explain why multiplying the top and bottom by the same number gives an equal fraction. I can write an equivalent fraction for a given fraction.

Exit ticket.

• Q1. Write two fractions equivalent to 3/4. Answer: 6/8 (multiply by 2/2) and 9/12 (multiply by 3/3).
• Q2. Why is 2/3 equivalent to 4/6? Answer: the numerator and denominator were both multiplied by 2, so the fraction covers the same amount of the whole.

Differentiation. Support: fraction tiles and pre-drawn fraction bars. Extension: simplify 12/18 to lowest terms (2/3) and find an equivalent fraction for the improper fraction 5/4, such as 10/8.

Example B: English language arts – main idea and supporting details (Grade 5 / Year 6)

• Duration: 45 minutes
• Prior knowledge: basic paragraph structure in informational text.
• Objective: students will state the main idea of a paragraph and identify three supporting details on a graphic organizer, with at least 80% of details correct.
• Materials: the short passage below (one copy per student), graphic organizers and two highlighter colors.

Success criteria: I can state the main idea in one sentence. I can find three details that support it. I can tell a supporting detail from an interesting extra fact.

Sample passage: “Life on a Coral Reef” (original text for classroom use)

Paragraph 1. A coral reef looks like a rock garden, but it is built by tiny animals called corals. Over many years, corals grow in colonies and form hard skeletons that become the reef’s structure.

Paragraph 2. Coral reefs give shelter to thousands of kinds of sea life. Small fish hide in the gaps between corals, crabs and shrimp live in cracks, and larger fish visit to feed. Many of these animals could not survive in open water.

Paragraph 3. Reefs are in danger from warming seas. When the water becomes too warm, corals lose the algae that live inside them and turn white, which is called bleaching. Bleached corals are weaker and may die. Reefs are also popular with divers, who often take photographs.

Assessment questions.

• Q1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2? Answer: coral reefs shelter thousands of kinds of sea life.
• Q2. Which detail in paragraph 3 supports the claim that reefs are in danger? Answer: warming water causes bleaching, which can kill corals.
• Q3. Which sentence in paragraph 3 is an extra fact rather than a supporting detail? Answer: the sentence about divers taking photographs.

Differentiation. Support: sentence frames such as “This paragraph is mostly about…”. Extension: write a three-sentence summary that leaves out all extra facts.

Example C: Science – photosynthesis using the 5E model (Grades 6–7 / Years 7–8)

• Duration: 50 minutes
• Prior knowledge: basic plant parts and the idea that cells contain chloroplasts.
• Objective: using the 5E model, students will explain the inputs and outputs of photosynthesis by completing and labeling a word-equation diagram with at least 80% accuracy.
• Teacher preparation: several days beforehand, keep one plant in a dark cupboard and keep a matching plant in light. Have leaf specimens, magnifying lenses and a printed chloroplast diagram ready.

Success criteria: I can name the inputs of photosynthesis. I can name its two outputs. I can describe how light energy is changed inside chloroplasts.

The 5E model has five phases: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate [9].

Assessment questions.

• Q1. What are the three things a plant needs for photosynthesis? Answer: water, carbon dioxide and light energy.
• Q2. What are the two products? Answer: glucose and oxygen.
• Q3. What does chlorophyll do? Answer: it absorbs light energy so the plant can power the reaction.

Differentiation. Support: a word bank and a partly completed equation. Extension: research why leaves of some plants are not green and report back.

Example D: Social studies – primary and secondary sources (Grades 7–8 / Years 8–9)

• Duration: 50 minutes
• Prior knowledge: reading a simple timeline.
• Objective: students will classify eight sources as primary or secondary and justify two of their choices in writing, with at least 80% of classifications correct (7 of 8 or better counts as mastery).
• Materials: eight source cards per group (listed below) and a recording sheet.

Success criteria: I can define primary and secondary sources. I can sort sources correctly. I can explain why a primary source gives first-hand evidence.

Source cards and answer key.

Differentiation. Support: a checklist (“Who made it? When? Were they there?”). Extension: explain how a primary source can still be biased.

Lesson plans across grade levels

• Elementary / primary (K–5, Years 1–6): short activity blocks, visual and hands-on materials, clear routines and plenty of guided practice.
• Middle school / lower secondary (Grades 6–8, Years 7–9): collaborative work, structured inquiry such as the 5E model, explicit academic vocabulary and guided analysis of texts.
• High school / upper secondary (Grades 9–12, Years 10–13): deeper analysis, independent research and planning that fits the demands of exams in your system.

International terminology guide

Names for the same ideas differ between systems. Always check your own school, district, board or local authority for the exact terms and forms it requires.

A note on Herbartian lesson steps (India and beyond)

Herbartian lesson planning is named after the German educator Johann Friedrich Herbart (1776–1841). Britannica lists five steps: preparation, presentation, association, generalization and application [13]. Some historians of education argue that the five-step form was developed by Herbart’s followers, notably Wilhelm Rein, rather than by Herbart himself [14]. Many Indian teacher-education materials teach a six-step version that adds recapitulation (a closing review) after application [12][15]. The outcomes-based plans in this guide can be adapted to this tradition: preparation maps to the hook, presentation to explicit instruction, and recapitulation to the closing review.

AI-assisted lesson planning: responsible prompts

AI tools can produce a first draft quickly, but you remain responsible for accuracy, age-appropriateness and alignment with your curriculum. Check every fact, example and standard reference before you use it. Never enter identifying student information, medical details or private school records into a public AI tool.

Prompt A: lesson plan generator

Act as an experienced instructional designer. Write a 45-minute lesson plan on [TOPIC] for [GRADE OR YEAR LEVEL] students.

Include:
- One measurable learning objective using a Bloom's Taxonomy verb.
- Three success criteria.
- A timed agenda (hook, instruction, guided practice, independent practice, closure) whose minutes add up to 45.
- One exit ticket with an answer key.

Do not invent curriculum standard codes. State any assumptions you make.

Prompt B: differentiation and scaffolding

I am teaching a lesson on [TOPIC] to a [GRADE] class. Suggest three scaffolding strategies for English language learners and two extension tasks for students who finish early. Explain how each one would work in the classroom.

Prompt C: curriculum alignment

Here is my lesson objective: "[OBJECTIVE]". Suggest how to align it with [CURRICULUM, for example the Australian Curriculum or my state standards]. Describe the kind of standard that would fit, but do not give standard codes unless you are certain they exist. Flag anything I should verify.

Prompt D: formative assessment and exit tickets

For a lesson on [TOPIC] for [GRADE] students, write three mid-lesson checking questions and a two-question exit ticket. Include a full answer key and note one common misconception each question could reveal.

Common lesson-planning mistakes and how to fix them

Frequently asked questions

What sections must a lesson plan include?

There is no single universal list, but most plans include a measurable objective, success criteria, resources, a timed procedure, formative assessment and differentiation.

Is there one mandatory lesson plan template?

No. Schools, districts, universities and teacher-training programs set their own forms. In England, Ofsted has stated that it does not require schools to provide individual lesson plans and does not specify how planning should be set out, how long it should take or how much detail it should contain [1]. Check the current Ofsted handbook for any changes.

How long should a lesson plan be?

There is no required length. Ofsted says it is interested in the effectiveness of planning rather than its form [1]. In practice, a trainee or observed teacher may be asked by a school or university to write more detail than an experienced colleague would, so follow your own institution’s guidance.

Can AI replace teacher planning?

No. AI can draft ideas, but you need to adapt them to your students, check accuracy and decide what to teach.

Conclusion and next steps

Strong lesson planning rests on a measurable objective, an assessment aligned to it and activities that fit the time you have. Download the templates, adapt one of the four examples for your next lesson, and refine your plan after you see how students respond.

• Download the daily or weekly template above and fill in one lesson.
• Adapt one example to your subject and grade.
• Reflect after the lesson and note what to re-teach.

References

1. Ofsted. Ofsted inspections – clarification for schools, in the School inspection handbook, September 2018 (lesson planning section). gov.uk PDF.
2. Australian Government Department of Education. Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). nccd.edu.au.
3. Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care. SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years (applies to England). gov.uk.
4. U.S. Department of Education. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the definition of an IEP, 34 CFR 300.22. ed.gov; regulation text.
5. U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Frequently Asked Questions: Section 504 Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). ed.gov.
6. Ontario Ministry of Education. Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide, “What is an IEP?”. ontario.ca.
7. Ontario Human Rights Commission, quoting Ontario Ministry of Education on accommodations and modifications. ohrc.on.ca.
8. Australian Curriculum. Structure of the Foundation to Year 10 curriculum. australiancurriculum.edu.au.
9. Bybee, R. W. (2015). The BSCS 5E Instructional Model: Creating Teachable Moments. NSTA Press.
10. Anderson, L. W., and Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.) (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Longman.
11. Wiggins, G., and McTighe, J. Understanding by Design (ASCD; backward design).
12. University Grants Commission e-content (CEC), Bachelor of Physical Education module, “Lesson Plan Structuring” (Herbartian approach with recapitulation). cec.nic.in.
13. Encyclopædia Britannica. Herbartianism. britannica.com.
14. Peter Lang. Chapter on Herbartianism and formal steps (notes that the five steps originated with Wilhelm Rein). peterlang.com.
15. Jayarani, C. B. Memory Level of Teaching – Herbartian Approach, Loyola College of Education, Chennai (lecture slides). slideshare.net.

Educational information only. Terms, laws and inspection guidance change; confirm requirements with your school, district, board or authority.