The Elementary Entourage: My Lesson Planning Style {With The Kindergarten Connection}

Lesson planning! I believe there are several lesson planning personalities. There are those who are super organized to the last minute and detail (oh to dream), those that are organized in their brain but still kind of a hot mess on the outside (raises hand), those that are like "what are we doing?" (wouldn't recommend this method) and so many more. Well - where I virtually raised my hand - that's me!

No matter what time of year it is, I always have my lesson planning binder. It's a (yes, pink) binder that I bought and just made a cover sheet for. I figure I have to look at it all year long so I may as well love it!

Inside I have tabs for Common Core standards, as well as a school year's worth of these editable planning sheets. They are from Babbling Abby, are free, and I love them! Simple and effective - which is just how I like it!

At the beginning of the year I type in my schedule, and then I print a ton of them off, hole punch them, and stick them in the binder! You can see a blank example of the template I used last year below.

You can also save these electronically and type into them. Many people love typed lesson plans.

Guess What? I am not one of them. I am kind of a hot mess with lesson plans. I like to hand write them, cross out (I even write in pen sometimes and scribble it out - what can I say? I like to live on the edge a little) erase, and make notes all over them.

So, I print them and do just that!

As the year progresses, I still write detailed plans in the notebook so that I can keep them organized and aligned to standards and goals, but I don't feel the need to constantly refer to them or the schedule.

After awhile I know our routine, I know my kids and the rhythm of our day. I also know that sometimes teaching needs to be adjusted many times in a day, no matter what "the book" says.

So while I still have my full lesson plans, rather than need them close to me all day, I like to have an "at a glance" option!

So I made a weekly snapshot page to post in my room or near my teacher area (I don't have a desk).

I can quickly type or write down the main goals of our day.

It is not my lesson plan, and to people just glancing at it, it wouldn't make sense -but to me, it reminds me of what is in my detailed lesson plan, and I don't have to search through it all to know what is coming up in my week.

You could even use it to write down reminders such as who is parent pick up or leaving early, etc. It is editable - so simply click HERE or on the picture below to download!