Most lessons, in any subject and grade, can follow the same five parts. The minutes are a starting template for a 50–60 minute block, not a rule from research; adjust for your schedule and grade.
- 1. Review from memory5–10 minNo-notes questions from earlier lessons
- 2. Teach10–15 minSmall steps, a model, a worked example
- 3. Guided practice10–15 minCheck every student; reteach on the spot
- 4. Independent practice10–20 minOnce most get it right; mix in older work
- 5. Quick check3–5 minOne or two exit questions
- Review from memory, 5–10 min: No-notes questions from earlier lessons
- Teach, 10–15 min: Small steps, a model, a worked example
- Guided practice, 10–15 min: Check every student; reteach on the spot
- Independent practice, 10–20 min: Once most get it right; mix in older work
- Quick check, 3–5 min: One or two exit questions
Source: the five-part order draws on Rosenshine, Principles of Instruction (2012)
| Part | Minutes | What happens | Why (principle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Review from memory | 5–10 | A few no-notes questions: yesterday, last week, last month. In math, include fact practice. Scan answers. | 6, 7 |
| 2. Teach | 10–15 | Explain the new idea in small steps. Model it, thinking aloud. Show a worked example. Ask questions throughout. | 1, 2, 3 |
| 3. Guided practice | 10–15 | Students try matching problems while you check every student. Reteach on the spot if many miss it. | 4, 5 |
| 4. Independent practice | 10–20 | Once most students are getting it right. Mix in older problem types. Pull a small group for anyone still stuck. | 2, 8 |
| 5. Quick check | 3–5 | One or two exit questions. Their answers shape tomorrow's review. | 4, 6 |
The same shape in four grade bands
| Grade band | One lesson, start to finish |
|---|---|
| K–2 math | Five minutes of addition facts to 10, out loud. Teacher models making ten with counters, then drawings, then numbers. Students practice on whiteboards; teacher checks every board. Independent sheet mixes today's facts with last week's. Exit: two problems. |
| 3–5 reading | Quick quiz on last week's vocabulary from the human body unit. Teacher reads a passage on the lungs aloud, explaining new terms. Students reread with guiding questions, answers checked by all-write. Students write three sentences about what they learned. Exit: one question about the passage. |
| 6–8 science | Five retrieval questions on last week's cell content. Teacher teaches plant cell parts with a labeled diagram. Students label a blank diagram from memory; teacher scans. Then the microscope lab, now that they know what to look for. Exit: name two parts and their jobs. |
| 9–12 history | Quick quiz on the causes of World War I. Teacher tells the story of the war's first year, pausing for questions. Students read a primary source with guiding questions they can now answer. Discussion. Exit: one-sentence claim with evidence. |
Grade-band examples adapted from the Arkansas Science of Learning North Star.
Self-check after planning
- Does the lesson start with questions from earlier lessons, answered from memory?
- Is the new material broken into small steps with a worked example?
- Will I see every student's answer at least twice before independent work?
- Does independent practice include older material, not just today's?
- Do I know what tomorrow's review will include?
How strong is this?
Grade: the parts of this lesson draw on principles graded Proven or Strong. The five-part order draws on Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction (American Educator, 2012(opens in a new tab)). The lesson template as a whole has not been tested as a single package.
