CNAS GOALS 2000 PROGRAM  Recommended Format for Writing
Units and/or Teaching Activities

  These are guidelines (given in 18 steps) for recording Lesson Plans
as written by Frank B. Lojko in February, 1991.*

1. TITLE:  State the title of the unit or activity in the form of a question, such as:   "Do we use too many disposable items in our community?" 

2. NAME:  Give your full name.

3. GRADE LEVEL:  Give target grades.

4. SUBJECT AREA(S):  State the discipline(s) that the unit/activity encompasses.

5. TOPIC:  Detail the area(s) within the stated discipline(s) that are addressed by the unit/activity, such as "BIOLOGY--cell structure."

6. CONTENT/SKILLS:  Outline the process skills which are used and/or    
   improved by the activity, such as "classifying, measuring, graphing, interpreting, experimenting and problem-solving."

7. GROUP SIZE:  Indicate whether students will work individually, in pairs, or in groups (specify group size).

8. METHODS:  Include whether instructional method will be lecture,       
   discussion , field trip, research and/or laboratory activity, experiment/
   demonstration, Cooperative Learning, literary research/review, or some
   other method you devise.

9. TIME NEEDED:  List the number of class periods required to complete the activity, which may be a full day.

10. INTRODUCTION:  A brief description of the unit/activity.  Highlight its focus and convey the unit theme's purpose.

11. OUTCOMES:  The objectives use illustrative verbs within a statement which begins "The student will...," as in--(illustrative verbs are only underlined here, not in your writing):
    
    :  The objectives use illustrative verbs within a statement which begins "The student will...," as in--(illustrative verbs are only underlined here, not in your writing):
    
          Construct graphs from the data.
          Measure the energy required to germinate the pea seeds.
          Recognize and interpret seed viability.
          Evaluate the effects of various types of storage containers on
         seed viability.
           Infer the ecological impact of local rivers.
           List the five major parts of a tree.
    
        Never use the terms "appreciate" nor "understand" as these are not measurable outcomes.  It must be possible to evaluate or measure any outcome, which should be stated as such.  Objectives are concise, relate to your activity, and are correlated to the types of evaluations to be incorporated.  It is strongly recommended that Bloom's Taxonomy and the various levels within the "Cognitive Domain" be utilized.  Keep the number of stated objectives low, thereby assuring the unit's success.  An excessive number of  stated outcomes are difficult to achieve and evaluate.

12. MATERIALS:  A brief, but concise, list of all of the materials required to conduct the activity are listed in column or outline format, as in:
    
    Needed at each lab station:
    pea seeds (5-7)            plant pots (3" diameter)
    metric ruler                   potting soil (sterilized)
    balance (to .01 g)         graduated cylinder (100 m)
    3 paper towels             tap water (25 m)
    thermometer (100*C)  2 sheets of graph paper 
                                             (10 squares/cm.)

13. PROCEDURES:  The exact procedure for conducting the activity is given in step by step instructions.

14. EVALUATION:  Detail the method(s) by which student achievement of the stated objectives will be measured. as in: test, discussion, oral/written reports, or some other method you devise.

15. BACKGROUND:   Specifically state the background knowledge that students require in order to benefit most from this activity and whether it need be presented first or tested for prior to beginning the unit.

16. EXTENSIONS/CONNECTIONS:   Suggest additional areas in which this activity can be utilized. 
    :   Suggest additional areas in which this activity can be utilized. 
      Connect the unit to other instructional programs:  A Science paper on a local landfill could be submitted to the school newspaper for possible publication.
    Extend the unit:  An additional paper to be written with possible solutions to the landfill problem proposed by the student.

17. RESOURCES/REFERENCES:  A list of all information sources used for devising the lesson plan, including suggested areas for activity enhancement research.

18. SOURCE OF PLAN:  End the Lesson Plan with your name and the name and address of your school in order to give yourself credit and so that you may be contacted by potential users of your plan.

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Copyright © 2001 , Missouri State University
URL http://www.cnas.missouristate.edu/g2k/RA/ntbk/format.htm
Created and maintained by D. A. Watters
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Last Modified: Monday, September 26, 2005

*Edited by D.A. Watters 12-1998.