Preschool lesson planning should be easy. But all too often you spend your weekends planning and searching for activities and crafts on Pinterest. In this post are some great tips, templates and resources to help you save time planning and prepping. Take back your weekends and have fun teaching again!
Easy Lesson Planning Starts with a Plan
There are steps to making Preschool lesson planning easier. But a little effort at the beginning will make your entire year run like a well-oiled machine. To start, I like to bring out an editable planning calendar. I begin by filling in breaks and days off…show me a teacher who doesn’t do this when the school calendar comes out, and I’ll show you a real unicorn. Next, I add school events like picture day, the Halloween parade, Christmas program, class parties, and Parent/Teacher Conference dates. I fill in my own dates for special projects, co-worker birthdays, and anything else that takes preparation and planning.
Then, I get into the rest of the year month by month. I use my planning calendar to plot out my themes for the year, and Letters of the Week. In addition to that, I have a section to list what I want to put on my block table, what I’ll put in my sensory bin, and even what dramatic play set I will set up. I also list who will be my snack family for each week, any special projects and science experiments for the month so I know what supplies I may need.
Planning Grids & Newsletter Templates
I am a visual person, so I love to use a planning grid for each week so I can see all the centers I’d like to do for each theme. I have another more comprehensive template that I use along with my planning calendar for every theme. There are places to fill in EVERYTHING I need and get an overall view of the week. On this template I will list fiction and non-fiction books, concepts to cover and standards, letter of the week, volunteers, any special events, and all of my free-choice centers. As a result, I have a great one-page list to keep from year to year so I don’t have to always be re-inventing the wheel. It saves me tons of time and energy.
Finally, I use a Newsletter template and fill in the information from the planning calendar, planning grid, and one-page planning document. I use the same template year to year, so I just have to change dates and move a few things around by cutting & pasting. Then I make sure activities and centers to reflect my current week. I will send this newsletter out to parents each week via email. All these editable templates can be found in my TPT store.
Organizing Each Week
Lesson planning for preschool should always begin with the end in mind. One thing to keep in your thoughts are your main objectives. Be clear about what standards and concepts you are trying to cover. Then find the activities that will accomplish your objectives. Compile all your math activities in a bin or on a shelf, then do the same for literacy, art, science, etc. I do the same thing with books, separating them into fiction and non-fiction piles. Next, I plot out each day with books and all activities, making sure there is a progression from the basics, to the more complex activities as the week goes on.
Finally, to bring it all together, I use a shelf system. There is a shelf for each day of the week, but you can use daily bins too. I place everything I need each day on the corresponding shelf. Each Day my aide or I just take everything off the shelf and we are ready for out day. One of the benefits to this system is there is never any need for sub plans. Everything is ready and waiting!
Tips to Help You Stay Ahead
- Make a list of what you will need for the week-at LEAST a week before you need it!
- Gather all your books for your themes in two-week batches-BEFORE Friday. (I bring bags of books for the following week in on Wednesdays, and have the next week ready to go)
- Have bins for Math, Literacy, Art/Science and fill them with next week’s centers throughout the week so you have everything you need.
- Finally, gather all of your dramatic play props, block center toys, and sensory bin materials, in a designated spot
- Make a prep-list for activities that require cutting, or making copies and break it down by the day it needs to be done.
**Make sure all of this is done by Thursday after school. If you do a little each day…it’ll be EASY!
Easy Preschool Lesson Planning with Resources You Love
Over my many years of teaching preschool I knew I needed a system of organizing and planning so that I would have more time to myself. Consequently I designed a curriculum that has helped me stay on top of everything. Each of my lesson plans has a list of EVERYTHING you will need for each unit. Also, there are labels and suggestions to organize the activities and elements of each unit as well. Every activity included has an assessment recording sheet for assessing basic skills throughout the year. As well as the assessments, there is a list of standards covered for each activity.
Each unit has every day planned out from circle time thru dismissal. There are book lists for both fiction and non-fiction, video suggestions, and even whole group activities. There are classroom posters and theme vocabulary strips for your pocket charts. All you have to do is print, laminate and do a bit of cutting, and you are all set!
With a little research, and an awesome online marketplace like Teachers Pay Teachers, you can plan your year. By the bundle, unit or by the single center, you’ll find so much to make your planning easier and teaching more fun! below are a few of my larger bundles. With bundles you save a LOT, but they can be a bit of an investment. Always do what is best for you and your classes.
So…Start planning now and have more time to do the things you love!
