Lesson Plans Archives - A Lesson Plan for Teachers

I Have a Dream: Teaching Unity for Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month

Posted on January 17, 2020July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Over five decades ago, the inspiring Martin Luther King, Jr., summed up our purpose as teachers. "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of...Read More

How to Use Sticky Notes for Assessment

Posted on November 14, 2019July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Using sticky notes for assessment in the classroom may seem overly simple, but even first year secondary teachers are likely running out of fresh and exciting ideas for lesson planning. Instead of overthinking the next lesson or wracking your brain...Read More

How to Introduce the Asian Continent in an Engaging Way

Posted on March 27, 2019July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

"Class, meet Asia." Well, that was easy, wasn't it? But introducing your students to the Asian continent requires a bit more than a simple introduction. In fact, easing into a unit on Asia can be overwhelming as students may have...Read More

5 Tips for Teaching Presidential Contributions on Presidents’ Day

Posted on February 13, 2019July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Though a small percentage of your students may learn well from rote memorization, many need a more engaging lesson to help them retain facts, specific information, and comparisons among our American Presidents. Teaching Presidential Contributions to your middle school and...Read More

Why Teaching Black History is not just a February Thing

Posted on February 5, 2019July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

If you flip through any history textbook, you’re sure to find African American faces throughout. Many of America’s important leaders and historic figures are black - so why do we only spend one month learning about them? The biggest favor...Read More

5 Strategies for Teaching Primary Sources

Posted on November 7, 2018July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

The Library of Congress appropriately categorizes primary sources as the "raw materials of history," emphasizing the importance of analyzing, studying, and understanding these basic building blocks of any historical fact. By connecting students with firsthand facts and experiences, primary sources...Read More

Using Visual Teaching & Chunking Techniques to Explore New Content

Posted on October 24, 2018July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Teaching an entire geographical region can be intimidating, not only for the teacher but also for her students. Thinking about a continent in the context of its numerous countries, cultures, geographical differences, languages, business practices, and people, can overwhelm even...Read More

7 Awesome Books for Teaching Government

Posted on April 30, 2018July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Often, middle and high school students have been conditioned to associate government with the current political arena, but the study of government incorporates so much more. Teaching middle and high school students about government includes the teaching the inner-workings of...Read More

Designing Units for the Secondary Classroom

Posted on January 11, 2016July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

When sitting down to design a unit, I am always fearful that I will not create something that will work well for my students, will cover all of my content, or will be engaging and fun, keeping everyone motivated. To...Read More

Monday Mapping: Planning the Previews

Posted on January 26, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

The older I get, the less I am interested in reading things I do not consider relevant to my life. I LOVE reading, but I do not like wasting my time, and much of what is produced these days is...Read More