Lesson Plan Template Overview

For a more detailed explanation, including examples, of each section within the
Lesson Plan Template, please view the Lesson Plan Handbook.

Content Area or Developmental Focus:

Age/Grade of Children:
Length of Lesson:

Goal The goal is the purpose of the lesson.

Objective The objective is what students will be able to know or do at the end of the
lesson.
Standards Included Standards are the knowledge or skills that students will be expected to
demonstrate. Depending on the age of the children you are working with, you
will choose the appropriate standard from the list below:

Birth to Age 3: Developmental Milestones. Click HERE to locate a

developmental milestone checklist that includes developmental standards.

Ages 3 to 5: Early Learning Guidelines. Click HERE to locate the Early

Learning Guidelines for your state.

Head Start Framework: If you work in a Head Start program, please click
HERE to choose a standard from the Head Start Early Learning Framework.

K-3: Click HERE to locate the Kindergarten through 3rd grade standards for
your state.
Materials The materials section lists all items needed throughout a lesson.
Introduction The introduction is how you will introduce the activity so your students are
interested, engaged, and have the opportunity to think about any background
knowledge/experience that they may have.
Lesson Development: The lesson development section includes the steps that you will take to teach
the lesson including any modeling, direct instruction, centers, etc. that will be
utilized. Sometimes this is also referred to as the procedures section of the
lesson plan.
Differentiation Often times you will have students that you will need to include modifications
for when you are developing a lesson. In this section you will need to explain
how you could modify your lesson to meet the needs of the different children
you are working with. These modifications may apply to the lesson
development section, the practice/check for understanding section, or both.
Assessment Students are given the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a formal
(Practice/ Checking for or informal way. You will need to describe what you will do to assess student
Understanding) learning. It can be through guided practice and/or independent practice.
Guided practice allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the
material while the teacher is present and can provide needed assistance.
Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department
 Independent practice might be group work, projects, or homework.
Closing Here the ECE teacher/provider reviews the highlights of the lesson and brings
closure to the activity.
Lesson Plan Template

Content Area or Developmental Focus: Science- Weather

Age/Grade of Children: Ages 2 and 3/ Infants and Toddlers
Length of Lesson:1 to 2 hours

Goal Talk about the weather and the different kinds of weather.

Objective Children should be able to identify the weather,

Standards Included
Children should be able to describe the temperature,
Children should be able to identify items like umbrella, rainboots, hat, etc.
Children should be able to identify which of those items they would need
based on the weather for that day.
The knowledge and skills children are expected to demonstrate focus
mainly on hand and finger skills as well as language development. They
exercise skills in cognitive development as well.
Makes vertical, horizontal, circular strokes with pencil or crayon
Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
Understands most sentences
Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
Turns book pages one at a time
Matches an object in hand or room to a picture in a book

Materials Day 1-Sun: paper plate, Yellow paint, scissors, glue, popsicle stick
Day 2- Clouds: cotton balls, glue, construction paper
Day 3-Rain: raincoats, rainboots, umbrellas, rain/thunder cd
Day 4-Wind: fan, bubbles
Day 5-Snow: paper snowflakes, construction paper, cotton balls, glue

Introduction The Friday before the unit begins we will read a book called Hello, World!
Weather by Jill McDonald this will introduce the children to the weather unit
we will be learning about the following week. The following Monday will

Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department

Lesson Development
begin the weather unit. Each day a new weather concept is introduced with a
book.
Day 1-Curious George Discovers the Sun by. H. A. Rey
Day 2- Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Day 3- The Little Raindrop by Joanna Gray
Day 4-Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch & Devin Asch
Day 5-Snow by P.D. Eastman
Day 1-Sun: read book, talk about the sun, describe the conditions, sing the
song oh mister sun, talk about activities you can do, describe clothing you
would wear, then create sun masks
Day 2-Clouds: read book, talk about the clouds, describe how they form, glue
cotton balls onto blue construction paper to create clouds
Day 3- Rain: read book, describe where rain comes from, talk about activities
you can do, describe clothing you wear when it rains, sing Rain Rain, Go
Away. Dramatic play- with raincoats, rainboots, umbrellas, rain/thunder
sounds cd.
Day 4- Wind: read book, describe what wind is, use a fan to demonstrate wind,
blow bubbles to demonstrate how the wind moves objects
Day 5- Snow: have paper snowflakes hanging around classroom, read book,
describe how snow is made, describe the conditions, describe how you would
dress when its snows, sing frosty the snowman, work sheets with winter
clothes that the children can color.

Differentiation Because the age group being taught is 2 and 3-year olds the activities require
more listening and group participation than individual activities. So there
doesnt necessarily need to be any more modifications made for these
activities. The goal with classes of young children is to keep the classrooms
small, so that the teacher can be flexible in the help that he/she is able to
provide.
Assessment In the dramatic play center, I would split them into small groups. I will provide
(Practice/ Checking for several different objects and clothing that pertain to the different types of
Understanding) weather. I will then name a weather and have them pick out the appropriate
items.

Closing In a Montessori focused environment children can still learn. I think the
learning becomes fun, and the children enjoy that. Weather is a part of
everyday life, so it is a necessary concept to be taught.

Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department
 References
Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. (2014). State-By-State. Retrieved from
http://ceelo.org/state-information/state-map/.

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2015). Standards by State. Retrieved from
http://www.corestandards.org/standards-in-your-state/

Head Start. (2011). Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. Retrieved
from: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/Assessment/Child
%20Outcomes/HS_Revised_Child_Outcomes_Framework(rev-Sept2011).pdf .
National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement. (2014). State/Territory Early Learning
Guidelines. Retrieved from
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/state_elgs_web_final.pdf.

Office of Child Care (2015). State Early Learning Guidelines. Retrieved from
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/resource/state-early-learning-guidelines.

The Early Childhood Direction Center. (2006). Developmental Checklists Birth to Five.
Retrieved from
http://www.preschoollearningcenter.org/images/upload/developmental_checklist.pdf

Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department