WEEKLY SHEETS: A minimalist system for flexible lesson planning.
In optimizing my workflow, I've experimented with various systems of lesson planning. Individual lesson plan documents have allowed for in-depth construction of lessons, but they've taken far too much time to build. I'm talking two hours per lesson, NOT including generating slides. When balancing planning with preparation, grading, and all the other responsibilities of teaching, time is of the essence. And, reflecting on my workflow, I was losing a ton of time to bloated and disparate documents. I wondered...how can I plan out effective lessons, while also maximizing timeliness and keeping sight of my overall flow? So, one day I mapped out the components I thought most important for a lesson: clear objectives, discrete learning progressions, and maintaining a broad overview of the week.
The result is what you see above. I appreciate this system because it allows me to quickly align my teaching towards inquiry-based and constructionist methods, such as the BSCS 5E model. Moreover, it's flexible. I can always refer to my spreadsheet and use it as a hub for my overall learning progression for the week. I'm still experimenting with this system. For example, I'm considering shifting my framework to a unit-based spreadsheet rather than a weekly one, such that each topic is consistently connected and contained. But overall, I happily continue to plan with this framework.
Click on the image above to explore a sample week from the end of my evolution unit!
The result is what you see above. I appreciate this system because it allows me to quickly align my teaching towards inquiry-based and constructionist methods, such as the BSCS 5E model. Moreover, it's flexible. I can always refer to my spreadsheet and use it as a hub for my overall learning progression for the week. I'm still experimenting with this system. For example, I'm considering shifting my framework to a unit-based spreadsheet rather than a weekly one, such that each topic is consistently connected and contained. But overall, I happily continue to plan with this framework.
Click on the image above to explore a sample week from the end of my evolution unit!