The following checklist is from The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning. It includes the three-step process to sitting down and planning a lesson that will engage your students in learning about their faith. To help your students experience an encounter with Christ during your lesson, check out Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind for ideas and inspiration.
**Use one of these lesson planning templates along with this checklist.
Step 1: Know the lesson topic.
- Read the section/chapter of the textbook you are going to teach.
- Make a list of all the most important topics for your students to learn.
- Narrow your focus to one unifying theme for the lesson.
- Identify the three most important ideas for your students to learn and remember.
Step 2: Set the lesson objectives.
- Describe what you want your students to be able to do (SWBAT) by the end of the lesson.
- Describe what you want your students to feel (SWF) at the end of the lesson.
Use this lesson objective cheat sheet to write your lesson objectives.
Step 3: Find effective activities.
- Plan your presentation. Prepare a lecture or reading activity for your students to learn the three most important ideas in your lesson.
- Plan the practice. Find activities that will help students learn the most important ideas and demonstrate the lesson objectives.
- Integrate meditation, prayer, contemplation, and action activities. (Read more about these essential elements of a religious education lesson plan in Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind.)
- Plan the proof. What will your students do to show you they have met the lesson objectives?
The Religion Teacher offers hundreds of activity ideas as well as lesson plans you can use in class. There are also more than 250 worksheets and dozens of class videos available to members of The Religion Teacher. Learn more about becoming a member of The Religion Teacher here.
