B. 5E Lesson Plan
5E Lesson plans are one type of lesson plan that focus on student-centric teaching. It allows students to absorb content over a period of time and get comfortable with the topic through the various stages of the lesson plan.
A. Engage
- The teacher works to understand the students’ prior knowledge on a topic/subject
- Any gaps in knowledge are identified and rectified
- Introduce the topic in a way that makes it interesting for students
Some ways to do this are:
- Use storytelling to introduce the topic
- Use audio or video to introduce the topic, almost like the trailer of a movie
- Use pictures, artifacts, or models of objects to introduce the topic. Though artifacts and models can be difficult to showcase in an online class, there are several websites that allow you to view objects in 3D
- Use a challenge, like a riddle, math problem, guessing game, etc. to introduce the topic before you begin teaching it
- Use up-to-date teaching materials, which include the latest news, research, articles, or policy changes related to the topic
B. Explore
- This is a hands-on learning phase, where students explore the content
- They can do so through peer learning (group discussions, etc.), making observations, etc.
Some activities to encourage exploration are:
- Laboratory practicals
- Online simulations
- Solving a real-world problem
- Reading articles
C. Explain
- This stage is more teacher-centric, and requires your involvement as an expert on the subject
- You can use aids to teach the topic, such as presentations, videos, diagrams, etc.
- This stage is meant for the students to understand the content and ask related questions
D. Elaborate
- This stage allows students to build on what they have learned in the Explain stage
- Students apply the concepts they have learned in the previous stages
Some ways to encourage the application of the concept are:
- Group presentations
- Individual investigations
- Informal assessments
E. Evaluate
- In this stage, teachers assess whether students have been able to grasp the concepts learned
- It may be useful to observe how students solve problems differently after learning the topic vs before learning it
Some ideas for evaluation are:
- Peer assessment
- Self assessment using a rubric
- Asking students to summarise the topic using a graphic organiser
- Worksheets, quizzes, creative assignments
- Video or presentation
Below are 2 examples of 5E lesson plans. Download and view them to gain a deeper understanding of lesson planning.
*Take the quiz end of this topic.
