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The Four-Step Lesson Plan

The 4-step approach was developed by Bernice McCarthy and is based on David Kolb's model of experiential learning. According to this model, when we learn, we naturally go through four distinct steps:

David Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle

	Concrete Experience (Something happens.)
Active Experimentation (How can I use this elsewhere?)		Reflective Observation (What exactly was that??)
	Abstract Conceptualization (What can I induce from this?)

More on Sequencing Activities
» The Four-Step Lesson Plan Worksheet(Adobe PDF)

More on Varying Activites
» David Kolb's Experiential Learning
» Varying activities
» Adapting Activities to Various Learning Styles

The Four-Step Lesson Plan

When planning lessons, it is helpful to think of ourselves simulating this natural learning experience for our students. We can think of our lesson in four steps:

» apply new knowledge » use new information in a larger context what next?	» find out what students already know » activate old knowledge » identify/create the need for new knowledge » get students ready to approach the unfamiliar through the familiar why?
how? » manipulate new information in new ways » activities move from guided to free... » ...and easy to difficult » practice new knowledge	what? » gaining new information » defining the scope of the new knowledge

More on the Four-Step Lesson Plan
» The Four-Step Lesson Plan Worksheet (Adobe PDF)