| One of the most dreaded activities teachers face | | | | be fooled! An engaging lesson may include only one |
| (besides dealing with the soured stomach spewage of | | | | occurrence of each element, but more often than not |
| a sick student) is sitting down and writing effective and | | | | it does not. In fact, following the same sequence |
| engaging lesson plans. | | | | repeatedly also makes your lessons unappealing, not |
| This is even more difficult if you're an Orange teacher | | | | to mention boring and monotonous. |
| who instinctively avoids copious amounts of | | | | No, the secret formula to an irresistible and appealing |
| paperwork. But many Gold administrators insist that | | | | lesson plan is to shake it up a little and give your HIPA |
| lesson plans need to be carefully written and followed, | | | | a little scramble. Maybe you start with a hook that |
| and since they set the rules and expectations, if you | | | | appeals to Blues, then provide a little instruction that |
| want to keep your job you humbly put your head | | | | appeals to Greens, then throw out another hook to |
| down, decide on your learning objectives, and build a | | | | engage the Oranges, then do a little Gold practice, |
| plan that tries to move students from one plateau to | | | | chased up by some Blue instruction, then a round of |
| another. | | | | Green practice, and finally wrap it up with an Orange |
| This chore becomes even more challenging when we | | | | assessment. |
| accept the fact that Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange | | | | An Example |
| students each have different preferences for learning | | | | Let's look at the complex skill of writing a complete |
| information. And being insightful teachers, it becomes | | | | paragraph. In a 45-55 minute lesson on paragraph |
| our responsibility to serve up lessons in ways that | | | | composition you might include the following steps: |
| appeal to their appetites; otherwise they'll turn up their | | | | |
| noses in disgust and leave the table. We reason that in | | | | 1. (H) Read the students a paragraph that is horribly out |
| order to be healthy, wealthy, and wise people, they | | | | of order or completely off topic. Ask them to |
| need to digest what we have to offer, otherwise they'll | | | | summarize or critique. |
| binge on something with dubious quality, or fill-up on | | | | 2. (I) Explain to students the basic constructs of a |
| something devoid of nutritional value. | | | | paragraph, e.g. topic sentence, supporting details. |
| Fortunately, turning our lessons into something that | | | | Dissect a paragraph as a class. |
| appeals to all four temperaments isn't that hard to do. | | | | 3. (P) Ask students to find a partner to read |
| Especially if you are willing to get HIPA deep into | | | | paragraphs and locate the topic sentences and |
| lesson plans! | | | | supporting details. |
| HIPA | | | | 4. (A) Quickly assess understanding by checking work |
| HIPA is an acronym for hook, instruct, practice, and | | | | as a whole group. |
| assess. These are the four components that, when | | | | 5. (I) Model how to write a paragraph. |
| used properly, help make lesson plans irresistibly | | | | 6. (P) Ask partners to compose a paragraph together |
| appealing to Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange students. | | | | complete with topic sentence and supporting details. |
| In any given lesson designed around the HIPA model, | | | | 7. (A) Ask pairs to read their paragraph to other |
| you need to start with an anticipatory hook. That gets | | | | partners for evaluation and critique. |
| both you and your students involved in the process | | | | 8. (I) Review/Define the editing process. And so it |
| and connected with the content. Next, you slide in | | | | goes. This complex task requires a more complex plan |
| some direct instruction that gives students the | | | | to get the desired results. The key is making sure you |
| step-by-step knowledge they need to know. This is | | | | conduct activities that appeal to all four temperaments |
| followed with a practice session on the material to | | | | at various times throughout the lesson. You may find |
| give them opportunities to demonstrate or apply their | | | | the need to have several hooks, instruction sessions, |
| knowledge in a safe and non-graded way. Finally, you | | | | practice sessions, and assessments. |
| arrive at the time to assess if they have learned the | | | | When all four HIPA elements are scrambled together |
| basics enough to regurgitate it or demonstrate | | | | in various quantities and flavors, your lesson plans will |
| competency. | | | | become far more appetizing and delicious to the taste |
| When planning using the HIPA model, it is common to | | | | of your students, who will consume them with gusto. |
| get trapped into thinking that you can use (or only | | | | Your classroom may then become their favorite |
| need) one of each element in a thoughtful plan; i.e. one | | | | hangout and the successes and scores of your |
| hook, one instruct, one practice, and one assess. Don't | | | | students will skyrocket. |