Sample Lesson Plan Using E-mail

 

(You may substitute any text for the one given.  Also, your objectives might differ according to the focus of your class.)

 

The main advantage of e-mail in this case is that it creates a sense of immediacy of interaction between instructor and student.  It opens up the possibility for dialogue in a way that written notes often do not.  Also, it creates accountability in that your students know they must submit their ideas to you in advance.

 

 

Lesson Topic:

 

The General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales

 

Lesson Goals/Objectives:

 

To help students understand the General Prologue by allowing them to send the instructor their ideas for a project.

 

 

Readings/Preparation Materials:

 

Students should have already read the General Prologue.

 

 

What is Required of the Instructor Before the Class Meets:

 

  1. The instructor should have an e-mail account and should be certain that the students have personal e-mail accounts.
  2. Ideally, your students will be familiar with e-mail.  You might consider handing out an instruction sheet in case of problems.

 

 

Segment #1 of the assignment:  Begin with a general introduction to the Prologue.

 

Segment #2:  Assign a project on the General Prologue, as you normally might.

 

Segment #3:  Demonstrate how to use e-mail.  If your students are already familiar with e-mail, this should not pose a problem and may not even be a necessary step.  This instruction may be more difficult if your students have not previously had e-mail accounts and if you have no computers in your classroom.  A written instruction sheet, including how to use an e-mail account would then be necessary.

 

Segment #4:  Give students your e-mail address and ask them to e-mail their preliminary ideas for their project.  When asking students to do so, however, consider the size of your class.  You’ll need to allow yourself adequate time to respond to each e-mail. 

 

Segment #5:  Respond to students’ ideas.

 

 

 

For next time, students will need to:

 

  1. Think of a plan for their project.
  2. E-mail their ideas to the instructor.

 

For next time, the instructor will need to:

 

  1. Check up on the students’ progress.
  2. Be available for questions, should they arise.
  3. Respond to students’ ideas.