What is a lesson plan?

What is a lesson plan?
A lesson plan is a framework for a lesson. If you imagine that a lesson is like a journey, then the lesson plan is the map. It
shows where you start, where you finish and the route to take to get there.
Lesson plans are the product of teachers’ thoughts about their classes; what they hope to achieve and how they hope to
achieve it. They are usuall y, though not always, in written form.
There are as many different kinds of plan as there are teachers. Trainee teachers often have to produce very detailed written
plans, with descriptions not only of each activity but also listing the exact questions and instructions they will give the class
as well as the timings for every activity. In a full-time teaching situation, however, it is impractical to expect teachers to plan
with this level of detail each lesson they teach.
Newly qualified teachers may rely on a less detailed, but still fairly comprehensive written plan. As teachers gain experience
and confidence, planning is just as important, but teachers develop the ability to plan much quicker and with less need for
detail.
Very experienced teachers may be able to go into a class with just a short list of notes or even with the plan in their head.
Whatever the level of experience though, it is very important that all teachers take the time to think through their lessons
before they enter the classroom.