I seem to keep coming across Ross Morrison McGill’s 5 minute lesson plan recently and have decided I really like the idea. I’ll be giving it a try over the next week or so and will report back.

I discovered a version adapted for Maths by Mark Greenaway on his Suffolk Maths site (under Teaching pedagogy – Lesson planning & Ofsted). Actually I rather like this adaptation for any subject, I think I’ll combine the ideas from various versions I have found and refine a document of my own as I try it out, I certainly don’t want to lose vocabulary for example.

In the meantime I thought I would start thinking generally and adding some resource links under the headings on the 5 minute plan. This is very much a work in progress. I have listed the headings I intend to start working with and some initial thoughts / links below. (You’ll find explanations by Ross Morrison McGill on the page I have linked to above)

Context
This should also be for the learner not just the observer. I have started adding syllabus references to resources for my GCSE class this year for example, having supplied them with the specification and AQA’s excellent exemplification document and have noticed several students noting these down. We have calendars for the year with schemes of learning on our VLE.

Objectives

Engagement
I intend to use this section to plan the beginning of my lesson, this may include a settler on any topic before the first question or activity on the main topic of the day in which case I will include both.
Bell Work   Starters Ideas

Stickability
What do I really want them to take away from this lesson? Not just what though, but how will we make it stick and how will I know it’s stuck?! I have written more than once on the need for recall. Highlighting is a Waste of Time!

Links to other topics
Students sometimes make suggestions that a topic reminds them of something they have already studied. It strikes me that it would be useful to ask students what topic links they can make as well as noting them myself on the lesson plan.

Words
I regularly use resources to show definitions and have a link for my students here. The various dictionaries, the glossary for teachers and the document with exam terminology are all excellent resources and it is worth noting all the key terms relevant to the work currently being studied.

Student feedback / input/ discussion

Differentiation
Progression

Key Questions
Rich Questions   Random Name Pickers

Activities – include Assessment for Learning
I’m looking for …Problems and Activities    Assessment for Learning Resources

Homework
Homework Ideas 

See later post also: Lesson Planning Again

Thank you Ross (@TeacherToolkit) for the inspiration!