Lesson planning with purpose - five approaches to curriculum design

Aug 27, 2026

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Uploaded by Violet

A practical framework for lesson planning that emphasizes “purpose” through five distinct curriculum design approaches. The book explains what it means to plan with intention, then guides readers through perceptive teaching, behaviorist skill development, constructivist individualized meaning making, aesthetic sensory-rich experiences, ecological real-world relevance, and integrated social-emotional learning. Each approach includes rationale, theoretical background, lesson plan formats, learning aims, assessment, classroom roles, comparisons, critiques, discussion questions, and templates with examples.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages219

Reading Time9 h 12 min

AccessFree to download

Table of Contents

Planning with Purpose

Curriculum Lens

Overview of the Five Approaches to Lesson Planning

General Tips to Make Each Approach Successful

Teachers as Artists

What Does It Mean to Plan with Purpose?

How to Use This Book

Perceptive Teaching: Who I Am and What I Do

Teaching is Never a Neutral Act

What is Culture? What is Multicultural Education?

What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy?

The Behaviorist Approach to Lesson Planning: Skill Development

Rationale

Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats

Assessment and Evaluation

The Constructivist Approach to Lesson Planning: Individualized Meaning Making

Rationale

Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats

Assessment and Evaluation

The Aesthetic Approach to Lesson Planning: Sensory-Rich, Memorable Experiences

Rationale

Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats

Assessment and Evaluation (Critique)

The Ecological Approach to Lesson Planning: Real-World Relevance and Connections

Rationale

Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats

Assessment and Evaluation

The Integrated Social–Emotional Learning Approach to Lesson Planning: Relationship Building and Holistic Development

Rationale

Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats

Assessment and Evaluation

Planning with Purpose Summary and Extensions

The Five Approaches to Lesson Planning

Unit Planning

LESSON PLANNING WITH PURPOSE LESSON PLANNING WITH PURPOSE FIVE APPROACHES TO CURRICULUM DESIGN Christy McConnell Bradley Conrad P. Bruce Uhrmacher Foreword by Jacqueline Grennon Brooks Published by Teachers College Press,® 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 Copyright © 2020 by Teachers College, Columbia University Cover art and design by Rebecca Lown Design. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. For reprint permission and other subsidiary rights requests, please contact Teachers College Press, Rights Dept.: [tcpressrights@tc.columbia.edu](tcpressrights@tc.columbia.edu) [Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data](Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data) Names: McConnell, Christy, author. | Conrad, Bradley, author. | Uhrmacher, P. Bruce, author. Title: Lesson planning with purpose : five approaches to curriculum design / Christy McConnell, Bradley Conrad, P. Bruce Uhrmacher ; foreword by Jacqueline Grennon Brooks. Description: New York, NY : Teachers College Press, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2020010770 (print) | LCCN 2020010771 (ebook) | ISBN 9780807763988 (paperback) | ISBN 9780807763995 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780807778616 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Lesson planning. | Curriculum planning. Classification: LCC LB1027.4 .M37 2020 (print) | LCC LB1027.4 (ebook) | DDC 371.3028—dc23 LC record available at [https://lccn.loc.gov/2020010770](https://lccn.loc.gov/2020010770) LC ebook record available at [https://lccn.loc.gov/2020010771](https://lccn.loc.gov/2020010771) [ISBN 978-0-8077-6398-8](ISBN 978-0-8077-6398-8) (paper) ISBN 978-0-8077-6399-5 (hardcover) ISBN 978-0-8077-7861-6 (ebook) To our families without whom our lives would be dull and our writing duller still. To the memory ofElliot Eisner (1933–2014), whose ideas we hope will inspire generations to come. To teachers everywhere who plan with purpose every day. We hope this book unleashes your creativity and makes your work more meaningful. Contents Foreword Jacqueline Grennon Brooks Preface Acknowledgments 1. Planning with Purpose Curriculum Lens Overview of the Five Approaches to Lesson Planning General Tips to Make Each Approach Successful Teachers as Artists What Does It Mean to Plan with Purpose? How to Use This Book 2. Perceptive Teaching: Who I Am and What I Do Teaching is Never a Neutral Act What is Culture? What is Multicultural Education? What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy? Educational Psychologists’ Contributions to Multiculturalism Qualities of Perceptive Teaching Who I Am: Open-Minded, Aware, Caring, Authentic What I Do: Personalize the Experience, Teach the Whole Person, Teach with Intention, Develop Autonomy Discussion Discussion Questions 3. The Behaviorist Approach to Lesson Planning: Skill Development Rationale Theoretical Background Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats Learning Aims: Behavioral Objectives with ABCD Format Assessment and Evaluation Classroom Interactions and Roles Lesson Plan Comparison: The Behaviorist Approach to Teaching Metaphor Critiques and Considerations Discussion Questions 4. The Constructivist Approach to Lesson Planning: Individualized Meaning Making Rationale Theoretical Background Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats Learning Aims: Emergent Understandings Assessment and Evaluation Classroom Interactions and Roles Lesson Plan Comparison: The Constructivist Approach to Teaching Metaphor Critiques and Considerations Discussion Questions 5. The Aesthetic Approach to Lesson Planning: Sensory-Rich, Memorable Experiences Rationale Theoretical Background Practical Application: Lesson Plan Formats Learning Aims

FAQs

What does “planning with purpose” mean in this book?

It frames lesson planning around clear intention, aligning teaching choices with defined learning aims and broader educational purposes. The book also shows how to use different curriculum lenses to keep instruction meaningful.

What are the five approaches to lesson planning covered?

The book covers perceptive teaching, the behaviorist approach, the constructivist approach, the aesthetic approach, the ecological approach, and an integrated social-emotional learning approach. Each approach is structured with rationale, theory, planning formats, and classroom guidance.

How does the book help readers put each approach into practice?

Each chapter includes practical application of lesson plan formats, learning aims, assessment and evaluation guidance, classroom interactions and roles, and critiques with discussion questions. Appendix templates and examples further support implementation.

Aug 27, 2026

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Uploaded by Violet

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