Lesson plan template
The three-part lesson template — with the questions that make it work.
Minds On, Action, Consolidation: the structure most boards expect, written as guiding questions instead of empty boxes, with a full worked example so the template teaches itself. Copy it, use it tomorrow, and adapt the worked example to fit your class.
The template
Minds On
5–10 minutesActivate prior knowledge and give every student a way into the thinking.
- Hook: what question, image, or quick problem makes the topic feel worth caring about?
- Connection: what do students already know that today builds on?
- Success criteria: what will a student be able to say or do by the end - in their words?
Action
25–35 minutesStudents do the heavy lifting - exploring, practising, and talking through the concept.
- Task: what will students actually DO (solve, build, sort, write, investigate)?
- Grouping: independent, partners, or small groups - and why for THIS task?
- Teacher moves: what will you listen for, and what question will you ask a stuck group?
- Differentiation: what scaffold is ready for students who need support, and what extension for those who finish early?
Consolidation
10–15 minutesMake the learning visible and check who got where.
- Share: which student work will you highlight, and in what order, to build the big idea?
- Key takeaway: what one sentence should every student leave with?
- Exit check: what quick evidence (exit ticket, thumbs, one-liner) tells you who needs a follow-up tomorrow?
Worked example: Grade 4 math - equivalent fractions (60 min)
Minds On (8 min)
Show two chocolate bars: one cut in halves with 1 piece shaded, one cut in fourths with 2 pieces shaded. "Two friends each claim they got more. Who's right?" Partner talk, then collect claims on the board without judging them. Success criteria co-written: "I can show that two different fractions can name the same amount."
Action (32 min)
Pairs get fraction strips and a set of comparison cards (1/2 vs 2/4, 1/3 vs 2/6, 3/4 vs 6/8, 2/5 vs 3/10). For each: build both, decide equal or not, and record the evidence with a sketch. Scaffold ready: pre-folded strips for students who need them. Extension: "Find a fraction equivalent to 2/3 that nobody else in the room will think of." Teacher circulates listening for 'same size whole' reasoning; stuck-group question: "What has to be TRUE about the two wholes before we can compare?"
Consolidation (15 min)
Sequence two pairs to share: first a pair who matched strips visually, then a pair who noticed the multiply-top-and-bottom pattern. Big idea sentence: "Equivalent fractions name the same amount with different-sized pieces." Exit ticket: "Is 3/6 equivalent to 1/2? Show or tell how you know."
Use the template as a practical starting point.
Start with the worked example, then change the learning goal, task, and consolidation questions for the class in front of you. The structure keeps each part of the lesson visible while you make those choices.
The three-part structure reflects common Ontario practice; adapt timings and terminology to your board's planning expectations.