All lesson plan formats have strengths and are designed to help you plan for student learning.

Ever hear of the 4-A model? Use this video lesson to learn about what makes this format unique.

The 4-A Model

Lesson plans are an important part of education. They're a written plan of what a teacher will do
in order to achieve the goals during the school day, week, and year. Typically, lesson plans
follow a format that identifies goals and objectives, teaching methods, and assessment. These
basic components can be modified in many ways depending on specific student and teacher
needs.

The 4-A lesson plan model focuses on four main concepts. Each is necessary for student success,
and by identifying how they will be used in instructional practices, teachers ensure they are
front-and-center. The four components are:

 Activate prior knowledge

 Acquire new knowledge
 Application
 Assessment

These somewhat broad categories, which we'll narrow down in a bit, allow teachers to make sure
students are ready to learn. By activating prior knowledge, students make important connections
to past learning and prepare their brains for new content. New content is presented and taught,
then applied to real-world or past situations. Finally, an assessment is given to determine student
understanding. Let's dig a bit deeper into these components.

Activating Prior Knowledge

What does it mean to activate prior knowledge, and how can teachers accomplish this? The term
simply refers to tapping into a student's previous experience with the topic. For example, if the
new learning is oceanic life, a teacher could activate students' prior knowledge by connecting to
other life forms they studied, or asking students to share experiences about the ocean. In fact,
many instructional methods can be used to activate prior knowledge, including:

 Brainstorming
 Games
 Journaling
 Conversations
 Concept Mapping

….and so on. Virtually any way you can think of to get students thinking about a prior
experience will do the trick.

Acquire New Knowledge

During this instructional time, teachers promote higher order thinking and prompt students to use
inquiry skills in order to master content. Why do this? Instead of a serve-and-return method of
instruction, which simply has students listen and repeat content, the 4-A model fosters a more
rigorous learning model, one that has students thinking deeply about content. This is
accomplished in countless ways, such as having guest speakers, using interactive learning logs,
role-playing, teaching mini-lessons, and so on. This is the typical 'instructional methods' portion
of lesson plans with an emphasis on pushing towards high-level skills.

For one lesson in the oceanic life study, a teacher may have students watch a video of life in the
ocean, then read about how mammals and fish interact to survive. Another day she may have a
zoologist speak to the students, then have students respond to the experience by writing a letter
asking further questions.

4A's style is surely the teacher's Ace

I learned today the 4A's experiential learning cycle; Activity, Analysis, Abstraction, and
Application. If some educators are tired and bored using HBLT (hook-book-look-took), W7 (who-why-
what for-what-when-where-how) and the Ubd (understanding by design) here's another way to design
your lesson plan in a creative way and yet the learning-process is really from the beginning part until the
end of the class.
This 4A's style that i am mentioning will be the ace of the teachers in their teaching. What do i
mean by ace is that the teacher is surely able to meet the desired objectives using the template of 4A's
from the activity, analysis, abstraction, and application in facilitating learning all through out the class
session. But of course be reminded as well that teachers should be equip in using this style or else it will
not be effective. The consideration of methodology in each A's is very important!

THE 4 A’s
For 2 consecutive sessions our class was conducting a demonstration of different methods as
assigned to us by our professor and as teachers we ought to make our class as student-
centered as possible.

The collaborative effort of the students and teachers is a must in order to make a meaningful
and creative learning and 4A’s could be one of the most useful tools towards it. Based on Kolb’s
Experiential Learning Theory it aims to approach the child holistically. It also acknowledges the
past schemes of the student and integrating it to a new one so most likely this format will bring
out what has been in stored and what is missing will be filled in eventually towards a deeper
knowledge of the lesson.

Brief explanation of 4A’s

I. Activity – This will bring understanding to what the learners already know and clarity to what
learners should learn further. At this early stage, the student should already have a retrospect of
what they will be learning through the activity that will be presented.

II. Analysis – A more in-depth understanding of the lesson, it is another phase where the
students will process and classify what is valid and not. The teacher on this part will ask further
questions and will also lead as a facilitator rather than mere lecturing and sharing facts and
ideas. The students know gains a wider view of the lesson but at the same time draws closer to
the main topic.

III. Abstraction – The teacher on this part will now focus entirely on the lesson being presented
and ask more lead questions to lead the students in reinforcing what they know and should
know more. The student here starts to feel more the importance of the lesson to her and see the
necessity of it to his/her life.

IV. Application – The word itself describes the stage as bringing the student to a more practical
way of using HOW are they going to use what they have learned and thinking of new ways on
how it can be improve further.

To add, this format will best affect learning when we facilitate more rather than placing the
lesson in their heads. We aim to keep them at phase but not to the point of dragging them to
what we would like them to achieve. And last but not the least, Mastery of the Lesson – when
the teacher is prepared and has mastered the lesson it will surely surprise you with good
results.

4 A's Lesson Plan

 Lesson Plan in Science

I. Objectives
At the end of the class period, the pupils should be able to:

a. Identify rocks according to its characteristics,

b. Classify the rocks collected according to texture, hardness and colour using the key
c. Participate actively in the class discussion

I. Subject Matter
A. Topic: Classifying Rocks Using the Key
B. Science Ideas: Rocks are classified on the basis of their physical characteristics such as color, hardness
and texture
C. Science Process: Classifying and observing
D. Value Focus: Cooperation
E. Materials: Rock Samples, Manila paper, marking pen and magnifying lens
F. Reference PELC-VI-2-2-1; Into the future Science and Health5 pp. 198-199.

II. Developmental Activities

A. Pre-Activity
1. Science Word Drill
Rocks, sand, stones, wheel and axle screw

2. Motivation
Each group will be given cut-out puzzle. The first to finish will be the winner.
- What did you form out of this puzzle? Where can you find rocks? How do your rocks differ from one
another?

B. Activity Proper

a. Group Activity

b. setting of standards

c. distribution of the activity sheets

d. publishing and reporting

C. Analysis/Discussion
    What is rock?

   How did you classify rocks in you activity?

   How do rocks differ?

 How are they similar

 Why rocks do looks different from one another?

 Are rocks important? Why?

. D. Abstraction/Generalization

 How can rocks be classified?

E.. Valuing

 Did everyone participate in the activity?

 What trait did you show when you were doing your group work? (cooperation)

 Why is cooperation in important in any group work

F. Application

Draw rocks in manila paper, after you finished drawing, make a jingle or poem nor song
about your output.

III. Evaluation
Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it in the space provided.

______1.The grade five children had a field trip. They collected different kinds of rocks. They
got rocks with different colors. Some rocks were smooth and some rough.. Some were big,,
some were small. What does these show about rocks?

a. Rocks have different characteristics.

b. All rocks have the same color.
c. Rocks have the same color
d. Rocks have different fossils in them.

______2. How can you classify rocks? Through its ____________.

a. Texture b. hardness
 c. Color d. all of the above
______3. Why physical characteristics of rock can be observed by eyes?

a. Texture b. hardness
c. Color d. prosperity
______4. In which of the characteristics describe the texture of rocks?
a. rough b. green
c. crumble d. smooth

IV. Assignment
Direction: Search or find the three kinds of rocks. Write the meaning of three kinds and give examples.
(It can be printed or drawing.