Customer Reviews

Writing Effective Lesson Plans: The 5-Star Approach

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I used this book in my Methodology for Second Language Learning class at National University. It is a great book for planning effective lessons not only for the beginning, but for the seasoned teachers as well. I found a lot of useful practical advice and samples there, but I could also get some theoretical background for my planning decisions which I was curious about. This book helps to teach better. It is sound, well written, clear and very useful for all educators. I highly recommend it!
Milla Hill

I came across this title as I was doing some research for my graduate studies. I wish that I had this book when I was doing my student teaching years ago! This is an excellent guide for creating effective lesson plans, and I like the fact that it combines both theory and hands-on activities. The 5-star approach here comprises lesson description, goals and objectives, materials and tools, procedures, and reflective assessment and evaluation.

The chapters are as follows:
Ch. 1: Structure and Stages of Development -covers the basics in terms of preparation, development, implementation of instructional methodologies, and reflection, and sequencing lesson components.
Ch. 2: Lesson Description - provides an overview of the 5-star approach, how to provide a description of the lesson (date, subject, topic, grade) and practice sheets.
Ch. 3: Goals and Objectives - how to write goals and objectives. Stresses the need for objectives to be tangible.
Ch. 4: Materials and Tools - includes technology applications such as word processor, video, e-mail, web browser, audio and projection. Handouts and manipulatives are also covered, and ideas on designing an elementary and secondary classroom.
Ch. 5: Procedure - types of procedures, activities, strategies, fieldwork, homework/extension activities, etc.
Ch. 6: Reflective Assessment and Evaluation - student-teacher-parent conference, learning assessment and revision, testing, authentic assessment & evaluation, and metacognition.
Ch. 7: Time Efficiency in Teaching and Learning - how to time lesson activities, time management and lesson variables, time for self-directed learning, etc.
Ch. 8 : Knowledge Construction and Skill Development - organizing, structuring, and modeling in education.
Ch. 9: Course and Lesson: Strategic and Tactical Planning - provides an algorithm of a lesson plan
Ch. 10: Implementing the Plan - students' diversity, state standards, balance in a lesson plan, execution,etc.
Ch. 11: Extending the Lesson Plan to Home
Ch. 12: Teacher Professional Competence - five fundamental competences

There are also appendices that include sample lesson plans, and a 5-star lesson plan worksheet, and also a glossary, suggested reading, and index.

Conclusion - this is a handy and practical resource for novice teachers, but can also be used by experienced teachers looking to refine their lesson plans.

"Writing Effective Lesson Plans: The 5-Star Approach" is a very practical book that provides hands-on activities on lesson construction. The reproducible activity work sheets are a plus. My students just love them. I have used this book in my Internship classes, but it can be used at any level. I like the focus on all learners including the ELL and ESL students. I recommend this book highly for any teacher preparation program. Well prepared lesson plans are a recipe for effective teaching. This is one of the best books I have used on the subject of lesson planning.Valuable teaching tool.
Thanks,

I am currently enrolled in the second course I've ever taken which has required this exact textbook. The first time, I read the great reviews on Amazon and bought the book. I was sorely disappointed and sold the book back. This time around, I rented it to for this class. This book has very little detail and few real-life examples. The lesson plan format is EXTREMELY BASIC. I am insulted that our professors think we don't know how to write a lesson plan by this stage in our career.

If you want a book loaded with real-life examples of hands-on lesson plans with supporting rationale, content standards, and every accommodation one can think of for (GATE, ELLs, ADHD, and much more!), I recommend Practical Kindergarten: An Essential Guide to to Creative Hands-on Teaching. Each lesson plan has target areas of learning/ goals and objectives divided into five subcategories, has specific rubrics, recommended accompanying class literature and variations. Even though the book is written for kindergarten, I have used some of the ideas to help middle school English Learners by using grade-appropriate vocabulary. There is also blank lines for notes on many pages.

This book is like a giant workbook of leson plans and ideas. There is alot of fillin the blank ideas to develop. Its good for beginers to get used to the lesson plan process and learn the basics. My professor does not like the fact that the book was revised but we still use it extensivly.

I used this text for one of my credential courses and I felt it was very helpful giving step by step instructions in lesson planning. It really made me organize my thoughts and consider how to incorporate student needs (ELL, students w/special needs...) when planning.

I have had to buy, and slog through, many textbooks for my teaching credential coursework. This book is by far the most useful, practical, and readable. So many books concentrate on theory. This book is a how to on lesson planning. It is a valuable tool for organizing your lesson, step by step, keeping all learners in mind. With an organized lesson, students are engaged, class time is maximized, and classroom management problems are minimized. This book is a keeper!

Very laborious book, but very step by step for those that need such complete detail

Hi, I too thought this was a good book, until I tried to use it. It gives cursory explanations but no real details or examples. Some of the topics (including the "topic" section) seem interchangeable with others because this book's explanations are too vague. None of the information is new. Previously I was a preschool teacher and we learned this 5 step process 15 years ago. It was covered more clearly in one chapter of the text for the ECE class than this entire text. Don't waste your money. Not worth it. (If you look @ my review history, I only talk about texts that are a waste of money. I earned an "A" in the class that this text is for, w/o the help of this text. It was too frustrating to bother with).