PHASE 1 LESSON PLAN RUBRIC

Note: You can download all of the Phase 1 Lesson Plan Project files as a single compressed
zip file: https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/shaping2paths/week2/phase1_all_files.zip

DIRECTIONS

Use this rubric to determine if you have completed all the elements of the lesson plan. As you
evaluate your peers' or your own lesson plan, also look carefully at the rubric below. The
description in each category should help you determine how well the lesson plan meets the
criteria. If you can't decide between two scores in a category, choose the higher one.

1. Use the Phase 1 Lesson Plan Template, either in .doc or .txt format to create your
lesson plan. If you upload the file to Coursera, please double-check the formatting. You
can upload ONLY a .pdf or a .txt file. See the Phase 1 Lesson Plan Project Assignment
for more information:
https://class.coursera.org/shaping2paths-002/wiki/phase1_lesson_plan_assignment
2. When it is time for your peer evaluations, please assign a point score for each element
on the Phase 1 Lesson Plan submissions page. It is best to print out your colleagues’
lesson plans and this Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric, then write down your scores on
paper as you read. Copy from your written document to the submission page.
3. Be sure to add a written comment at the end (Overall Evaluation, Comments Box)
that will be helpful to your colleagues in understanding your assessment and in revising
their work for Phase 2.

Evaluation Criteria

Pull down the >Points menu to select the number of points that best describes what is in the
Lesson Plan. (See Figure 1 to get an idea of the scoring in Coursera.) If you are in doubt about
a score, e.g., whether it is a 3 or a 4, generally it is best to award the higher score. Please read
the whole lesson plan before you evaluate it. It does not matter where in the lesson plan an
element is included. If it’s there somewhere, it counts. (Just add a note about this in the
Comments at the end.)

Figure 1: Peer evaluation scoring in Coursera

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the University of Oregon.
Paths to Success in English Language Teaching. Copyright 2015 University of Oregon. All rights reserved.
Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric - Week 2 Page 1
SCORING

A. Students and setting

For a score of 4: All elements of student and setting are fully described: Students’ age, grade
level, previous English experience; type of institution, number of students in the class, class
meetings per week, length of each class meeting. It’s clear who the students are, and we can
visualize their class.

0 = Neither the students nor the setting is described, or this section appears to be plagiarized.
Give a zero if the lesson is blank or unreadable, or if this section appears to be
plagiarized.
1 = There is very little information about the students and about the setting.
2 = Two or more elements are missing, so it’s not easy to understand who the students are
and/or what their setting is.
For example, if the students’ age (remember that “adult” is an age) and proficiency level
are given, but not the number of students in the class, type of institution, or number of
meetings per week, then this would be a 2. It is not easy to understand the setting.
Similarly, if the institution and class size are described, but not the students’ age and
proficiency level, this is a 2 because you can’t visualize the students.
3 = One or two elements may be missing, but it's still possible to understand who the students
are and/or what their setting is.
For example, if everything except the grade level is described, you have a pretty good
idea of who the students are and their setting. If you know the type of institution, number
of students in the class, and class meetings per week but not the length of each class
meeting, then this is a 3.
4 = All elements are fully described. It’s clear who the students are, and we can visualize their
class.

B. Lesson background
For a score of 4: The background of this lesson is clearly described. We can visualize what
happened in the class before (if this is not the first lesson) and after the lesson (if this is not the
final lesson).

0 = There is no information about what happened before or after this lesson, or this section
appears to be plagiarized.
1 = There is very little information about what happened before or what will come after this
lesson.
2 = There is some information about the background, but it’s hard to visualize what happened
before and/or after this lesson.
For example, if this lesson plan is about using pictures of the students’ own families to
practice vocabulary through a speaking and writing activity, it’s not enough to say that
the previous lesson was about families, and that what follows is another lesson about
families. That’s just too broad to give a clear picture, so it’s a 2.
3 = There is enough information about the background to visualize what happened either before
or after the lesson, but not both.
The previous and the following activities do not need to be very detailed. For example, if
this lesson plan is about using pictures of the students’ own families to practice
vocabulary through a speaking and writing activity, it is enough to say that in the
previous lesson, the students had an introduction to family vocabulary. It would be
This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the University of Oregon.
Paths to Success in English Language Teaching. Copyright 2015 University of Oregon. All rights reserved.
Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric - Week 2 Page 2
 enough to say that the following lesson will review family vocabulary from the textbook.
This is a 3 if either the previous lesson or the following lesson is described, but not both.
If both are described, it is a 4.
4= The background of this lesson is clearly described. We can visualize what happened in the
class before AND after the lesson.
If this is proposed as the first lesson for the class, there won’t be a description of what
happened before and this can be a 4. Similarly, if this is proposed as the final lesson for
the class, there won’t be a description of what happened after the lesson, and this can
be a 4.

C. Learning objectives/expected results

For a score of 4: The learning objectives/expected results are appropriate and clearly connected
to integrated skills. We can easily visualize what the students are supposed to understand or
demonstrate that they know as a result of this lesson.

0 = Learning objectives/expected results are not included, or this section appears to be

plagiarized.
1 = Learning objectives/expected results are unclear. We don't know what the students are
supposed to be learning.
For example, if the learning objective is “The teacher will present vocabulary,” that’s not
describing what students will learn or do. It’s about the teacher and it’s very general. It’s
a 1.
2 = Learning objectives/expected results are not very clear. We have a little idea about what
students should understand/learn or be able to do.
Students should be able to demonstrate what they have learned. Take for example a
lesson plan about using pictures of the students’ own families to build vocabulary
through a discussion and writing activity. If the learning objective just says, “The
students will learn about families,” we have only a general idea about what the learners
will learn. It’s not detailed enough to see how the learners will actually demonstrate their
knowledge. This is a 2.
3 = Learning objectives/expected results are clear enough to give an idea of what students
should understand/learn AND what they can do.
The objective describes clearly how students will demonstrate their knowledge. Take for
example a lesson plan about using pictures of the students’ own families to build
vocabulary through a discussion and writing activity. If the learning objective just says
“Students will learn family vocabulary,” then we know what they should learn but not
what they can DO. It’s pretty good, but it’s a 3.
4 = Learning objectives/results are very clear. We easily visualize what students are supposed
to learn AND what they can DO.
For example, if this lesson plan is about using pictures of the students’ own families to
build vocabulary for a discussion and writing activity, the learning objective should be
something like “Students will use the vocabulary practiced in class to discuss their
families, first in small groups and then in reports to the whole class. They will then write
a paragraph about their family using the vocabulary they have practiced.” You can
understand that students should have learned vocabulary well enough to demonstrate
their knowledge in discussion and writing. This is a 4.

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the University of Oregon.
Paths to Success in English Language Teaching. Copyright 2015 University of Oregon. All rights reserved.
Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric - Week 2 Page 3
D. Materials and sources
For a score of 4: All of the materials and the sources for the materials are listed and described
clearly, including worksheets or handouts, and instructions. It is easy to tell what the teacher
should use. Other teachers could make or find the materials easily.

0 = The materials and where to find them are not included, or this section appears to be
plagiarized.
1 = Materials are not listed. Instructions or handouts are incomplete or missing. Sources are not
given.
Materials might include worksheets or handouts, as well as realia (real objects);
authentic materials, such as books or articles written for native speakers; and helpful
articles and videos about the pedagogy of the lesson, as for example, the videos and
articles selected for our course. Sources of all materials should be listed or this is a 1.
2 = Most of the materials are listed, but instructions, handouts and/or resources, as well as their
sources, may be incomplete or missing.
If the only source is described simply as “my textbook” without any title, then this is a 2.
If the lesson plan refers to a handout as a major part of the lesson, but does not describe
it at all, this is a 2. It may be included as an upload, which would mean a 3.
3 = All materials and sources are listed and described, but the descriptions may not be clear
enough to know what the teacher is to use.
When a number of materials are used, some exact sources may be missing. A handout
for a small part of the lesson may not be fully described. If it’s pretty clear what the
teacher and students used, and someone else could figure out how to replicate the
lesson in general (maybe with effort), then this is a 3.
4 = All materials and sources for the materials are listed and described clearly. It is easy to tell
what the teacher should use.
You understand clearly what the materials, worksheets, and instructions are for this
lesson plan.

E. Procedures and timing

For a score of 4: Steps in the activity are clear and make sense. Integrated skills AND
alternative assessment are used appropriately. The right amount of time is allocated. We can
visualize how the lesson will proceed.

0 = The procedures and timing are not included. Neither integrated skills nor alternative
assessment are used.
1 = The steps in the activity don't make sense or time is too long or too short. Either integrated
skills or alternative assessment is not used.
If integrated skills are not used, then this is a 1. If alternative assessment is not used,
this is a 1. If you don’t understand the steps in the activity at all, then this is a 1.
2 = The steps make sense, but some may be missing. Timing is not appropriate. Integrated
skills and alternative assessment are poorly used.
Take, for example, a lesson plan about using pictures of the students’ own families for a
discussion and writing activity. If the students just practice vocabulary and do not
discuss or write, then integrated skills are used poorly and this is a 2. If students are
assessed with a worksheet, then alternative assessment is not used and this is a 2. If
the students are at beginning level and the teacher asks them to write a paragraph in 3
minutes, the time is far too short. If the students are beginners and they are expected to
discuss the photos for 30 minutes, the time is far too long.
This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the University of Oregon.
Paths to Success in English Language Teaching. Copyright 2015 University of Oregon. All rights reserved.
Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric - Week 2 Page 4
3 = The steps are okay, but the time is a bit too long or too short. All required topics are used,
but not well. We can visualize the lesson a bit.
Take for example a lesson plan about using pictures of the students’ own families for a
discussion and writing activity. The time would be too short in a 45-minute lesson if
beginning students are expected to review family vocabulary as a whole class, look at
the photos, discuss them in a group, create a list of vocabulary, do a worksheet, check
their work, write a paragraph, and share their work with each other. These are all good
steps, but it’s too much for beginners.
4 = Steps in the activity are clear and make sense. Integrated skills and alternative assessment
are used well. The timing is appropriate.
If the steps are clear and the timing seems more or less okay, and integrated skills and
alternative assessment are used appropriately, this is a 4.

F. Reflection
For a score of 4: The reflection discusses how the lesson demonstrates the use of integrated
skills and alternative assessment. The reflection clearly explains why the lesson is appropriate
for the students.

0 = The reflection is not included, or this section appears to be plagiarized.

1 = The reflection is missing one or more elements: use of integrated skills, alternative
assessment, why the lesson is appropriate for the students.
The reflection can discuss the elements in any order, but it must have all of these
elements. If one or more is missing, it is a 1.
2 = The reflection mentions both topics, but does not explain clearly how they are used or why
the lesson is appropriate.
If the reflection does not clearly explain how the elements are used in the lesson plan,
then it is a 2. Alternatively, the lesson plan may be inappropriate for the targeted
students. For example, if the students describing family photos are advanced, but are
only being asked to give family roles, like “mother,” “father,” "grandmother,” then the
lesson is not appropriate. It deserves a 2.
3 = The reflection mentions using integrated skills and alternative assessment, but may not
explain clearly why the lesson is appropriate.
The reflection explains clearly how integrated skills and alternative assessment are
used, but does not explain why the lesson is appropriate for the targeted students. This
is a 3.
4 = The reflection discusses the use of integrated skills & alternative assessment. The reflection
explains why the lesson is appropriate.
When all the required elements in the reflection are included, even if they are not well-
organized or perfectly written, this is a 4.

Overall Evaluations
Give a general score to the lesson plan as a whole. If you suspect plagiarism or copying, please
give this lesson plan a score of 0 and report it to one of the course instructors immediately.

Overall, I felt that this lesson plan:

0 = Was completely unclear and inadequate, or largely appears to be plagiarized.
Give a zero if the lesson is blank. Otherwise, it’s probably at least a 1.
1 = Had one or two good areas, but was mostly unclear and/or inadequate. It was hard to see
how the lesson would work.
This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the University of Oregon.
Paths to Success in English Language Teaching. Copyright 2015 University of Oregon. All rights reserved.
Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric - Week 2 Page 5
2 = Had almost all of the elements required, but was not easy to understand or use; it should be
extensively revised.
3 = Was fairly clear, and seemed to have all or most of the required components.
If the lesson plan was clear but something important was missing, it should get a 3.
4 = Was clear and complete. A teacher could use most of this lesson as described.
The lesson plan does not need to be perfect to get a 4.

Comments Box
Please add comments on your evaluation, especially for those areas where you did not give full
points. Your comments should help the author revise for Phase 2. Comments are very much
appreciated by the lesson plan author! (20 word minimum; the more, the better) Please try to be
as specific as possible, rather than just saying "good job" or "not useful." You should try to make
comments that will help your colleagues improve their work. If elements are in the wrong place,
please note that, too.

Remember: If you are in doubt about a score, e.g., whether it is a 3 or a 4, generally it is best
to award the higher score.

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the University of Oregon.
Paths to Success in English Language Teaching. Copyright 2015 University of Oregon. All rights reserved.
Phase 1 Lesson Plan Rubric - Week 2 Page 6