Lesson Planning Made Easy: Tools for Beginning Teachers

By Loy Dakwa | June 10, 2024

As a beginning teacher, developing effective lesson plans can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are numerous tools and websites available to simplify the process and help you create engaging, well-structured lessons.

Here are some user-friendly resources that can assist you in planning your lessons with ease and efficiency.

1. Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT)

Website:Teachers Pay Teachers
Overview: Teachers Pay Teachers is a marketplace where educators can buy, sell, and share original teaching resources. It's an excellent resource for finding ready-made lesson plans, worksheets, and activities across all subjects and grade levels.
Features:
Extensive library of resources, both free and paid.
User reviews and ratings to help you find high-quality materials.
Resources created by fellow teachers, ensuring relevance and practicality.

2. Khan Academy

Website:Khan Academy
Overview: Khan Academy offers free, high-quality educational resources, including instructional videos, practice exercises, and lesson plans. It's particularly strong in subjects like math, science, and history.
Features:
Comprehensive lesson plans and unit studies.
Interactive exercises and quizzes to supplement lessons.
Dashboard to track student progress and identify areas needing improvement.

3. Common Sense Education

Website:Common Sense Education
Overview: Common Sense Education provides a wealth of digital teaching resources, including lesson plans, educational videos, and interactive tools. It's a great resource for integrating technology into your classroom.
Features:
Reviews and ratings of educational apps and websites.
Lesson plans focused on digital citizenship and media literacy.
Resources for incorporating technology into various subjects.

4. ReadWriteThink

Website:ReadWriteThink
Overview: ReadWriteThink offers free resources in reading and language arts instruction. The website provides detailed lesson plans, interactive tools, and professional development resources.
Features:
Standards-based lesson plans for K-12.
Interactive student tools for literacy activities.
Calendar activities and printouts to support lessons.

5. Planbook

Website:ReadWriteThink
Overview: Planbook is an online lesson planning tool designed to help teachers create, organize, and share lesson plans. It's highly customizable and allows you to align your lessons with standards and track your progress.
Features:
Easy-to-use interface for creating detailed lesson plans.
Customizable templates and the ability to attach files and links.
Integration with state and national standards.
Option to share plans with colleagues and administrators.

6. Nearpod

Website:Nearpod
Overview: Nearpod is an interactive learning platform that allows teachers to create engaging, multimedia lesson plans. You can incorporate quizzes, polls, videos, and interactive activities to make your lessons more dynamic.
Features:
Interactive lessons with real-time feedback.
Integration with Google Slides and PowerPoint.
Extensive library of pre-made lessons and activities.
Tools for student engagement and assessment.

7. Education.com

Website:Nearpod
Overview: Education.com offers a wide range of teaching resources, including lesson plans, worksheets, games, and activities for PreK-5th grade. It's a valuable resource for elementary teachers looking for creative and engaging materials.
Features:
Extensive library of free and premium resources.
Printable worksheets and interactive online activities.
Lesson plans aligned with Common Core standards.
Tools for creating custom lesson plans and activities.

Conclusion

Establishing clear and simple classroom management procedures from the first day of school is essential for creating a productive learning environment. By focusing on these three key steps—entering and settling down, responding to attention signals, and ending class smoothly—you can ensure your classroom runs efficiently. Remember, consistency is crucial. Reinforce these routines regularly until they become second nature to your students. With these procedures in place, you and your students will be ready to tackle the school year with confidence and success.