The Art of Designing Lessons

Have you considered how lesson planning is much like artmaking? Just like a work of art—all elements of the lesson (i.e. knowledge, skills, relevancy, resources, materials, instruction, assessments) should be a result of deliberate decisions that support your goals and objectives for your particular students. Just like a work of art you can’t just throw in things just because you like it, or found it, or thought it interesting—it all needs to work together. I encourage you to consider the Art Principles of Design and apply them to your lesson planning.

Emphasis. Have you identified the most important elements of your lesson? How will you make them stand out?

Unity and Variety. What do the elements of your lesson have in common? Do they build upon one another? Yet, is there enough variation for interest?

Proportion and Scale. Are the important components of your lesson taking up the most time and attention?

Rhythm and Movement. Have you organized the elements in ways that flow well? Is there a repetition or beat? Or is there a smooth continuation in certain directions?

Balance. When looking at your lesson as a whole, does something overpower too much? Is there an element that has gotten lost? Do you need to shift anything in its size, weight, or placement?