Planning instruction by deciding on an activity first and then writing objectives and assessments to fit the activity has a number of potential benefits. It allows teachers to think outside the box in terms of what they might be teaching, as it encourages them to come up with interesting activities that can supplement or even replace traditional lectures. An activity-first approach may also help students stay engaged in the lesson, as participating in an interactive activity is often more enjoyable than simply listening to a teacher talk. Furthermore, this approach can make it easier for teachers to assess whether their students have learned the material, since they already know what knowledge or skills the activity was designed to teach. Finally, this approach makes planning less intimidating for new teachers who may not feel confident enough yet to start from scratch when creating lesson plans.
Many teachers begin planning by deciding on an instructional activity first and then writing objectives and assessments to fit the activity. Discuss the benefits and possible challenges of planning instruction in this manner.
However, there are some possible challenges associated with planning instruction using an activity-first approach. One challenge is making sure that any activities chosen are appropriate for all students in the class; if too difficult or too easy, activities can end up being counterproductive and frustrate both students and teachers alike. Additionally, fitting objectives and assessments into preselected activities may limit creativity; while choosing an existing game or exercise can save time upfront when developing a lesson plan, if done repeatedly it may cause lessons to become overly repetitive or formulaic. Finally, depending on how much time is spent doing each part of a lesson (i.e., introducing topics/activities vs wrapping up/doing assessments), accurately determining how long each individual lesson will take may become difficult due to variability between classes and lessons—especially if some parts of those lessons aren’t always completed due unforeseen circumstances such as disruptive behavior or technology issues during class time.
Overall, planning instruction using an activity-first approach can be beneficial for both experienced educators looking for ways mix things up as well as novice instructors seeking help getting started with their own planning processes; however there are still some challenges that must be overcome if this method is used consistently over time in order ensure successful student learning outcomes each step of the way