Appealing and Applicable Lesson Plans By Andrea Nielsen Supplemented by Backward by Design

 If a lesson isn’t interesting nor applicable to the students, then they won’t strive to work their hardest to do their best. Interest and Application

 Deciding what needs to be taught is sometime difficult but important.  The book doesn’t always provide the essential concepts.  The teachers have to decide what they will teach and what is essential.  Identifying what you will not teach will help you know what to focus on.  Teaching to the test doesn’t provide the students with the foundation to remember and connect to the concepts. Uncovered

 Without questions or test in mind, students have to guess at what is being looked for or what they will be tested on.  So when creating a lesson ask yourself the following questions:  Am I helping them make connections with the information they are learning?  Are the students involved in their learning?  Are you growing complacent in what you teach that you aren’t looking for current information or improving your methods of teaching? Are you adjusting? Guessing

 Don’t be afraid to answer questions that may be unusual.  Clarify so that all angles will be presented to allow students to make their own interpretations.  Students have a hard time thinking outside the box, your job is to help them transition to the outside and think with an open mind.  Misunderstanding grows when content and questions are:  Abstract  Need prior knowledge or life experience to be understood  Not basic or unclear and unfamiliar  Just a summary that comes from a different subject like math, history, or Spanish books  How can you check for misunderstandings?  Have continuous formative assessments  Be aware of your students reactions Addressing Misunderstandings

 Acronym WHERE  Where you are going with the material  Hook the students to wanting to learn  Explore all the information that will help students understand  Rethink the information discussed and have the student re-edit their work  Evaluate the summative assessments and the students actions to help improve and adjust for their needs. Directing your energy