Menu

Secondary Lesson Plan Template

A lesson plan template for middle and high school teachers, built around a single period. See the Grade 10 chemistry example below.

Your plans save automatically in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else. Don't enter students' personal details.

The standards the lesson addresses: Common Core or state standard codes, with a short description.

What students will be able to do by the end. Start with a measurable verb: "Students will be able to…"

Everything you need to prepare: texts, slides, manipulatives, handouts, tech.

Words students need to understand and use.

A short opener that grabs attention and connects to prior learning.

Lesson procedure

Each step with its timing: direct instruction, guided practice, independent work.

Support, extension, English learners, IEP/504 accommodations. Describe groups and needs, not named students.

How you will know they met the objective: exit ticket, observation, quiz, work sample.

How students sum up what they learned before they leave.

Optional practice or an extension task.

What worked, what to change, who needs a re-teach.

Save and share

My plans

Saved in this browser on this device only. Clearing your browser data deletes them, so download a backup now and then.

    Week

    Plans appear on the day set in their Date box. Click a plan to open it.

    Tips for secondary lesson plans

    • Plan to the bell. Put minutes on every step so the plan fits the period, with time for a proper close rather than a rush.
    • One plan, several sections. Teach the same course to several periods? Write one plan, then Duplicate it in My plans and adjust the date and notes for each.
    • Use a do-now. A task on the board as students arrive gets the lesson going while you take attendance.
    • Check for misconceptions. Plan one or two hinge questions where you'll decide whether to move on.

    In the UK, "secondary" means Years 7 to 13. The UK lesson plan template uses UK terms such as starter, main and plenary.

    Example: Grade 10 chemistry lesson

    Here is a complete example made with the maker above. Use it as a model, or load it into the form and change it to suit your class.

    Standard lesson plan (US)

    Balancing chemical equations

    SubjectChemistryGrade10
    DateLength55 minutes

    Standards

    State high school chemistry standard on chemical reactions and conservation of mass.

    Learning objectives

    Students will be able to balance simple chemical equations and explain how balancing shows conservation of mass.

    Materials and resources

    Molecular model kits, slides, practice set (12 equations, increasing difficulty), answer key for self-checking

    Key vocabulary

    reactant, product, coefficient, subscript, conservation of mass

    Warm-up / hook (5 min)

    Burn a candle on a balance (video). Mass goes down. Where did it go? Quick discussion.

    Lesson procedure

    TimeActivity
    10 minDirect instruction: count atoms on each side; coefficients vs subscripts; model with H2 + O2 → H2O using model kits.
    15 minGuided practice in pairs with model kits for three equations.
    15 minIndependent practice: practice set; students self-check with the key every four problems.

    Differentiation and accommodations

    Support: atom-counting table template. Extension: balance combustion equations for hydrocarbons.

    Assessment

    Exit ticket: balance two equations and explain in one sentence why subscripts cannot change.

    Closure (10 min)

    Revisit the candle: explain where the mass went using today's idea.

    Homework / extension

    Finish the practice set.

    Planned time: 55 minutes of 55

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the difference between a secondary and elementary lesson plan?

    Secondary plans usually cover one subject period, with more independent work, subject-specific vocabulary and assessment against course standards. Elementary plans have shorter chunks and more modeling.

    Should I write a plan for every period?

    Write one plan per lesson and duplicate it for other sections of the same course, noting any changes.

    Other lesson plan templates

    Daily lesson plan templateOne plan per lesson, saved by date, with a week view.Weekly lesson plan templateMonday to Friday grid by subject or period.Blank lesson plan templatePrint an empty form in any of 14 formats.Simple lesson plan templateJust the essentials: objective, steps, check, close.Lesson plan template: Word, Google Docs, PDFDownload as .docx, paste into Google Docs or save a PDF.Elementary lesson plan templateK–5 template with a Grade 1 phonics example.Special education lesson plan templateIEP goals, accommodations and data collection.Unit planningUnit plan, scope and sequence, and pacing guide.