HotChalk Lesson Plans

Free!

Hot Chalk’s Lesson Plan website provides teachers with ready-made lesson plans that they can search and use in their classroom. To begin, teachers can choose to create a profile and log in or use the website as a visitor. The difference is that teachers can save content and provide lesson plans if they log in. If they use the website as a visitor, teachers will only be able to view content. To find lesson plans, teachers must click the “Lesson Plans” button and choose a subject area. At this point, the website will load a new page with lesson plans on it they can peruse or they can check different grade levels on the left side of the screen to narrow their search. When teachers find a lesson plan, they can click its title and read the lesson’s objective, procedures, standards, assessments, and more. (Please note, though the website provides a template for inputting information for the lesson plan, it accepts lesson plans with a variety of content. As such, the lesson plans’ content varies.). At this point, teachers can use the button on the right of the screen to save, print, share, download, or report the lesson plan. If teachers save the lesson plan, they can access it by clicking the “Lesson Plans” button and choosing the “My Lesson Plans” option. If teachers wish to share their own lesson plan, they can do so by clicking the “Lesson Plans” button and choosing the “Share a Lesson Plan” option. A template will then load, and teachers can write their lesson plan onto the template. Finally, the last two options this website offers are the “Topics” and “Resources” features. The “Topics” feature provides links to lesson plans and websites that relate to different themes, subjects, interests, and issues that may be addressed in the classroom. The “Resources” button provides access to blogs, newsletters, and inspirational stories for teachers.

Classroom Applications

1. When brainstorming ideas for lessons, teachers can use this website as a springboard. When they identify a lesson they like, teachers can attempt to teach it or modify it so it matches their exact needs before using it in the classroom.
2. As a project, teachers can place students in groups and assign each group a topic to teach. At this point, teachers can let them use this website to find a lesson that aligns to their topic. Next, the teacher can provide class time for the group to plan how to teach the lesson. When set, teachers can schedule each group for their lesson and then have each group teach their lesson in order. After each lesson, teachers can have students provide feedback to the group about what they liked about the lesson and how it could be improved. Teachers can add a twist to this lesson by having the group who taught the lesson grade an assignment their peers completed during the lesson.
3. As part of a lesson plan professional development, teachers can review different lesson plans loaded into this website and critique them regarding what they like about the lesson plan, how it could be improved, and discussing any modifications they might make to the it before teaching it.
4. After a very successful lesson plan, teachers can take the time to upload it to this website.

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