Lesson Planet makes it easy for educators to search from over 150,000+ teacher-reviewed online lesson plans that are posted on the Web. Each of these lesson plans has been evaluated and rated by an experienced and credentialed K-12 teacher. Each Lesson Planet teacher reviewers is specially trained to review, summarize and rate each online lesson plan according to the review guidelines listed below. Lesson Planet reviewers also assign an overall rating for each lesson plan based on the Lesson Planet: Lesson Plan Rating Criteria Rubric.
- Source Authority, Credibility and Authenticity
- Does the lesson source have an extensive background in the subject matter?
- Is the lesson source an acknowledged leader in its field?
- Does the lesson source have background and experience creating lesson plans?
- Does the lesson source have credibility in both the professional world and on the Internet?
- Does the lesson source provide a bibliography or cite sources for authenticity?
- Accuracy, Objectivity, and Lack of Bias
- Does the lesson resource provide current, up-to-date information?
- Does the lesson resource provide both sides of an idea or argument?
- Does the lesson resource promote objectivity or does it attempt to enforce its point of view?
- Quality, Design, Structure, Comprehension and Readability
- Is the lesson plan easy to read and understand?
- Does the lesson plan include additional resources (e.g., worksheet, quiz, rubric) to facilitate implementation?
- Does the lesson plan follow a highly structured, logical sequence for the teacher to follow?
- Does the lesson plan adequately address common lesson elements such as content standards, learning objectives, special needs, assessment and grade level?
- Does the lesson plan include follow up activities to further enhance the lesson?
- Creativity and Innovation
- Does the lesson plan represent a novel, creative or innovative teaching approach or idea?
- Does the lesson plan incorporate current research and trends in education?
- Does the lesson plan effectively make use of technology?
Note: When reviewing a lesson plan, Lesson Planet reviewers also identify all relevant characteristics of the lesson plan such as the subject(s) addressed, technology used, types of linked resources (quizzes, worksheets, rubrics, etc.), teaching method, class design, lesson source, materials needed, controversial content, related key words and more.
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| Source Authority, Credibility & Authenticity. |
- Has extensive background in the subject matter and is an acknowledged leader in its industry.
- Has background and experience in creating lesson plans
- Has credibility both in the professional world and the Internet as well
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- Has some background in the subject matter and is acknowledged in its industry.
- Has some background and experience in creating lesson plans
- Has some credibility both in the professional world and the Internet as well.
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- Has background in the subject matter.
- Has some background and experience in creating lesson plans
- Has some credibility in either the professional world and/or the Internet.
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- May not be able to check the Source Authority, Credibility & Authenticity
- May have some background and experience in creating lesson plans
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- May be severely lacking in the Source Authority, Credibility & Authenticity
- May not have any background and experience in creating lesson plans
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| Accuracy, Objectivity & Lack of Bias |
- Presents both sides of an idea or argument and does not attempt to enforce its point of view upon the students.
- Provides current, up to date information.
- Cites sources for further review and the checking of facts.
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- Attempts to present both sides of an idea or argument; may not attempt to enforce its point of view upon the students.
- Provides mostly current, up to date information.
- Cites sources.
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- May present both sides of an idea or argument; may attempt to enforce its point of view upon the students, but acknowledges it.
- Provides some current, up to date information.
- May cite sources.
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- May attempt to enforce its point of view upon the students.
- May provide some current, up to date information.
- May cite sources
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- May attempt to enforce its point of view upon the students.
- May not provide accurate information
- May cite sources
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| Quality, Design, Structure, Comprehensiveness & Readability. |
- Provides a robust lesson plan filled with many different types of activities that make use of multiple intelligences.
- Follows a highly structured, logical sequence
- Reads smoothly and is easy to understand
- Provides many different follow up activities to continue on with the lesson even after the initial evaluation.
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- Provides a lesson plan filled with a few different types of activities that may make use of multiple intelligences.
- Follows a structured, logical sequence
- Reads smoothly and is easy to understand
- May provide follow up activities to continue on with the lesson even after the initial evaluation.
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- Provides a lesson plan that may have a few different types of activities
- Attempts to follow a structured, logical sequence, but a few parts may be out of sequence
- Reads smoothly and is easy to understand
- May provide follow up activities to continue on with the lesson even after the initial evaluation.
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- Attempts to follow a structured, logical sequence, but may be difficult to understand.
- May contain narrative rather than structure.
- May need to read multiple times to either understand or fill in the gaps in the lesson plan.
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- Provides a lesson plan that is too short on specifics
- May contain narrative rather than structure to be able to accurately provide a lesson..
- May need to read multiple times, but still not able to understand or fill in the gaps in the lesson.
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| Creativity & Innovation |
- Makes use of innovative, hands on experiences.
- Shows a willingness to take a chance and try something new.
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- Makes use of some innovative, hands on experiences.
- May take a chance and try something new
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- Attempts to use of some innovative, hands on experiences.
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- Provides a fairly standard lesson plan without any creativity or innovation.
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- May be unable to detect Creativity and/or due to the lack of organization or specifics.
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