The Lesson Plan G.A.M.E. - Goals

Chances are that you won't have to look far to arrive at a set of goals for each lesson.

• The Teacher's Guide for your textbook may list goals for every chapter or lesson segment.

• Your religious school curriculum may include yearly goals for each grade level.

• The assessment tools used by your school are also a consideration in defining lesson goals. If students are to be tested and graded periodically, include the development of the skills to be tested in your lesson plans. While this suggestion sounds like that distasteful practice, "teaching to the test," it's meant to encourage awareness of skills on which students will be evaluated, and not to imply a narrow approach.

• If students receive report cards, lesson plans should reflect the skills that are to be graded. This simply means that if "Hebrew Translation" appears in the list of report card skills, students need opportunities to develop and practice this skill. If "Works well independently" is a "Classroom Skill" which appears on the report card, be sure to include some independent study activities in your lesson plans.

Of course, not every goal from the textbook, school curriculum, and evaluation tools will appear in every lesson plan. Rather, over time, include the spectrum of goals - some in one lesson, some in another.

You may have your own learning goals for your students, as well. Goals such as conducting class routines in Hebrew, discussing the weekly Torah Portion in an age-appropriate way, or keeping a Holiday journal - certainly include in your lesson plans, personal goals that enrich your students' Jewish learning experiences.