MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

CIRCULAR NO: 18/2024

REF. NO. ED: 15/6

FROM: Chief Education Officer

TO: Deputy Chief Education Officers

Directors, NCERD and School Boards Secretariat
Chief Planning Officer
Chief Schools Inspector
Assistant Chief Education Officers
Principal, CPCE
Senior Education Officers
Heads of Education Departments
District Education Officers
Headteachers of Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special Needs Schools

DATE: 3rd October 2024

SUBJECT: NEW GUIDELINES FOR LESSON PLANNING

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has examined the usefulness, and the underlying process required in the
preparation of lesson plans. An outcome of this examination revealed the need for modifications in the
application and preparation of lesson plans towards advancing student learning. Circular 5 of 2004
underscores that the “absence of lesson plans is a clear indication of unpreparedness to teach”. However,
while lesson plan is necessary, educators are reminded that notes of lesson are not the only form of lesson
planning.
General guidelines for the preparation and presentation of Lesson Plans
There exist several anomalies regarding the preparation of lesson plans which has resulted in multiple
instructions being issued to teachers at various levels. The following guidelines, which should be
implemented immediately, attempt to clarify these misconceptions while simplifying the lesson planning
process.
1. Teachers can prepare and submit written, printed, or digital lesson plans.
2. Teachers are NOT required to provide a ‘hard copy’ of their lesson plan if a ‘soft copy’ is available.
However, there must be some medium for the ‘soft copy’ to be reviewed. A cellular phone is not an
appropriate medium to review lesson plans. Lesson plans can be reviewed in the school’s IT lab. If
possible, teachers are encouraged to email their lesson plans to their respective supervisors (HM,
DHM, HoD, SM, Divisional Head, Year Head, DEO, etc.).
3. Any Artificial Intelligence (AI) software such as ChatGPT, Education Copilot, PlanifAI, etc. can be
used to generate lesson plans. As far as possible, lesson plans generated by AI tools should be merged
with the lesson plan format which is outlined in this circular. For ease of reference, an AI generated
lesson plan is attached to this circular. The newly proposed weekly lesson planning DOES NOT
require a day-to-day breakdown as is presented in the exemplar. The MoE wishes to encourage all
teachers to use AI software to generate their lesson plans, particularly lesson plans that incorporate
differentiated teaching and learning.

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4. Teachers in the same grade can prepare and submit collaborative lesson plans. However, these teachers
must conduct separate reflections for each class.
5. Teachers who teach parallel classes in the same school should meet weekly and prepare a single lesson
plan. The reflection for each class should be different.
6. Schools should create ‘Lesson Plan Banks’. This bank can be stored in the school’s OneDrive account.
The MoE has provided each school with 1 terabyte (TB) of cloud space for such purposes.
7. The review of a teacher’s lesson plan by a HoD or SM or DHM or HM should be done before the
teaching of the lesson or during the lesson (where a classroom observation is done) rather than after
the lesson. A review conducted before the lesson allows for a greater degree of coaching and correction
of pedagogical errors before the lesson is presented. Supervisors must sign and date lesson plans which
have been reviewed.
8. It is recommended that sampling be done in the review of teachers’ lesson plans with greater emphasis
being placed on less experienced teachers and external examination classes.
9. Nursery school teachers are required to prepare weekly lesson plans for the Group Story Time session
only with effect from January 2025.
10. Primary school teachers are required to prepare weekly lesson plans by subjects. Weekly lesson plans
mean one lesson plan per week per subject. Lesson plans should be prepared for Language Arts,
Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, HFLE, Spanish and IT (if taught at school). For example, for
Grade 5 mathematics, a teacher will prepare one lesson plan for the entire week. The topic for the
week can be broken down into separate objectives for each day during the week.
11. The preparation of lesson plans at the primary level must be guided by the National Learning
Outcomes for Primary Schools or Curriculum Guides.
12. Secondary school teachers are required to prepare weekly lesson plans. Weekly lesson plans mean one
lesson plan per subject per grade per week.
13. The preparation of lesson plans at the secondary level must be guided by the National Schemes of
Work for Secondary Schools.
14. The preparation of lesson plans by CVQ and SCCP teachers/instructors will remain unchanged in
terms of format and frequency as specified by CANTA or CXC or CTVET (Guyana).
15. The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) is required to immediately adopt these guidelines in its
lesson plan requirements for its trainees across all Centres.
16. Any teacher found without a lesson plan before the start of their lesson will be recommended for
disciplinary action. By a copy of this Circular, the Teaching Service Commission and the School
Boards Secretariat are advised of the MoE’s firm position on this issue.

WEEKLY LESSON PLAN FORMAT

The preparation of lesson plans by teachers must include the following areas:
1. Period of Lesson Plan: Lesson plan for week ending Friday 13th September 2024
2. Grade: Grade 7
3. Subject: Mathematics
4. Topic: Fractions
5. Sub-topic: Computation of fractions

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6. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
i. Students will be able to add and subtract fractions with like denominators given a set
of fraction problems, with 90% accuracy.
ii. Students will be able to multiply two proper fractions in a set of 10 problems, without
using a calculator, achieving at least 8 correct answers.
iii. Students will be able to simplify fractions to their lowest terms when presented with
fractions in a worksheet, with 95% accuracy.
iv. Students will be able to convert improper fractions into mixed numbers given a list of
improper fractions, with a success rate of 85%.
It should be noted that each objective is clear, measurable, and defines the expected performance,
conditions, and criteria.
7. CONTENT/CONCEPTS
Content in a lesson plan refers to:
i. The main ideas or themes that the lesson will cover. This could be a particular topic, skill,
or knowledge area.
ii. The specific details, facts, or data that students need to know. These can be definitions,
formulae, rules, or other essential pieces of information.
iii. The actions or abilities that students are expected to develop, such as solving a type of
problem, writing an essay, or conducting an experiment.
iv. The steps or methods involved in learning the content. This could include processes for
solving a problem, conducting research, or performing an activity.
v. The specific terms or words that students need to understand to grasp the lesson's content.
This is particularly important in subjects like science, math, or literature.
Here the teacher is required to broadly state the content of the lessons for the week. The points
above should be used to guide the content statements.
8. ACTIVITIES
Activities in a lesson plan refer to the specific tasks, exercises, and engagements designed to help
students learn and practice the concepts or skills outlined in the lesson. These activities are meant
to actively involve students in the learning process, making lessons interactive and dynamic. They
can vary in structure, depending on the subject and objectives, but all aim to promote
understanding and retention of the material.
Here the teacher is required to list the activities that will be employed by him or her (the teacher)
during all lessons for the week.
9. DIFFERENTIATION
Differentiation in a lesson refers to the practice of tailoring instruction to meet the diverse learning
needs, abilities, interests, and learning styles of students within a classroom. The key aspects of
differentiation include what students learn, how students learn, how students are assessed and the
setting or structure of the learning environment.
Here the teacher is required to list the ways in which the lessons will be differentiated to meet
the diverse learners in the class. Teachers must first be trained in differentiated teaching before
this is incorporated into lesson plans.

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 10. RESOURCES/MATERIALS
The resources or materials in a lesson plan refer to the tools, supplies, and content that a teacher
uses to facilitate the lesson and enhance student learning. These resources support the teaching
process and help achieve the lesson's objectives.
Here the teacher is required to list the resources/materials that will be used by the teacher and
students during all lessons for the week.
11. EVALUATION STRATEGY
An evaluation strategy in a lesson plan refers to the methods and tools that a teacher uses to assess
whether the learning objectives of the lesson have been achieved. It involves determining how to
measure students' understanding, skills, and knowledge gained from the lesson.
Here the teacher is required to list the strategies that will be employed by him or her (the teacher)
during the lessons and at the end of the week to determine if the objectives were achieved.
12. REFLECTION
A teacher's reflection in a lesson plan refers to the process where the teacher evaluates and analyzes
the effectiveness of the lessons after they have been delivered. It involves considering what worked
well, what didn’t, and why, to improve future lessons. It is also a determination of whether the
planned objectives were achieved.
Here the teacher reflects on one or all of the following: student engagement, learning outcomes,
teaching methods, challenges faced, improvements, etc.

It is expected that the implementation of these guidelines will increase the number of teachers who prepare
lesson plans thereby improving the planning process, making better use of resources and improving
expected learning outcomes.

This circular amends Circular No. 8/2001 dated May 9, 2001, Circular No. 1/2003 dated January 2,
2003, and all other circulars or memoranda that gave guidelines on lesson planning.

Kindly ensure that you bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all members of staff and that
they affix their signatures and the date thereon.

Yours respectfully,

Saddam Hussain
Chief Education Officer

For Information Copied to:

1. Hon. Priya Manickchand, Minister of 1. Regional Chairman, Regions 1 – 10
Education 2. Chairman of the Regional Education
2. Permanent Secretary, MoE Committee, Regions 1 – 10
3. Secretary, Teaching Service Commission 3. Regional Executive Officer, Regions 1 –
4. General Secretary, Guyana Teachers’ 10
Union

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 AI GENERATED LESSON PLAN
Important note: The newly proposed weekly lesson planning DOES NOT require a day-to-day breakdown
as is presented here. The AI generated exemplar presented here is to demonstrate the
transformative effect of AI on lesson planning.
Prompt used in AI engine: Compose a weekly lesson plan with specific objectives, content, activities,
differentiation strategies, resources or materials, and formative evaluation
strategies to teach sets, types of sets, empty sets, and subsets to a Grade 5
class.
Period of plan: Week ending Friday 20th September 2024.
Grade: Grade 4
Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Sets
Sub-topic: What is a set, Types of Sets, Empty Sets, and Subsets
Duration: 1 Week (5 days)
Day 1: Introduction to Sets

Specific Objectives:

• Define a set.
• Identify and represent sets using curly braces {}.
• List real-life examples of sets.

Content:

• Definition of a Set: A set is a collection of distinct, well-defined objects or elements.

• Representation of Sets: Sets are written using curly braces (e.g., {1, 2, 3}).
• Examples of Sets: Set of colours, set of books, set of fruits, set of numbers.

Activities:

• Class Discussion: Ask students to name things that come in groups (e.g., colours, books). Explain
that these are examples of sets.
• Interactive Activity: Students group objects from their environment into sets and write them using
curly braces (e.g., {pencil, eraser, ruler}).
• Worksheet: Provide a worksheet where students identify and group items into sets.

Differentiation:

• Struggling learners: Offer simpler sets with only 3–4 elements to work with.
• Advanced learners: Encourage students to create more abstract or complex sets (e.g., the set of
prime numbers under 20).

Resources/Materials:

• Whiteboard, markers, real-life objects (fruits, stationery), worksheets.

 AI GENERATED LESSON PLAN
Formative Evaluation:

• Monitor students’ participation during the class discussion.

• Check worksheets to ensure students correctly represent sets using curly brace

Day 2: Types of Sets (Finite, Infinite, Equal, Equivalent Sets)

Specific Objectives:

• Differentiate between finite and infinite sets.

• Identify equal and equivalent sets.
• Provide examples of different types of sets.

Content:

• Finite Set: A set with a limited number of elements (e.g., {1, 2, 3}).
• Infinite Set: A set with an unlimited number of elements (e.g., the set of natural numbers).
• Equal Sets: Sets that have exactly the same elements, regardless of order (e.g., {a, b} = {b, a}).
• Equivalent Sets: Sets with the same number of elements, though not necessarily the same elements
(e.g., {1, 2} and {x, y}).

Activities:

• Class Discussion: Explain finite and infinite sets with real-life examples (e.g., set of days in a week
vs. set of stars in the sky).
• Interactive Activity: Give students examples of different sets and ask them to classify each as finite,
infinite, equal, or equivalent.
• Group Work: In pairs, students create examples of finite, infinite, equal, and equivalent sets and
present them to the class.

Differentiation:

• Struggling learners: Offer visual aids and simple sets with smaller numbers for classification.
• Advanced learners: Challenge them with more complex infinite sets (e.g., the set of even numbers)
and ask them to explain their reasoning.

Resources/Materials:

• Visual aids (charts with types of sets), worksheets, markers.

Formative Evaluation:

• Observe students during group work and ensure they are able to differentiate between types of sets.
• Check students’ classification of sets in their worksheets.
 AI GENERATED LESSON PLAN
Day 3: Empty Sets

Specific Objectives:

• Define an empty set.

• Recognize and represent empty sets using the symbol (∅) or curly braces ({}).
• Provide real-life examples of empty sets.

Content:

• Empty Set: A set with no elements, represented by ∅ or {}.

• Examples of Empty Sets: The set of students taller than 3 meters, the set of months with more than
31 days.

Activities:

• Class Discussion: Introduce the concept of an empty set using real-life examples. Write examples on
the board and discuss whether they are empty or not.
• Interactive Activity: Students think of and write down their own examples of empty sets.
• Game: Play a "Set or Empty Set?" game where the teacher reads out a set (e.g., "The set of dogs
with wings"), and students hold up cards to indicate whether it’s a regular set or an empty set.

Differentiation:

• Struggling learners: Provide pre-written sets and help them decide if they are empty or not.
• Advanced learners: Encourage them to find abstract or mathematical examples of empty sets (e.g.,
the set of even prime numbers greater than 2).

Resources/Materials:

• Whiteboard, markers, pre-prepared sets for the game, student answer cards (Set/Empty Set).

Formative Evaluation:

• Check student participation during the game and oral responses during the class discussion.
• Review students’ examples of empty sets in their notebooks.
 AI GENERATED LESSON PLAN
Day 4: Introduction to Subsets

Specific Objectives:

• Define a subset.
• Understand and use the subset symbol (⊆).
• Determine whether a set is a subset of another set.

Content:

• Subsets: A set A is a subset of set B if all elements of A are also elements of B. It is written as A ⊆
B.
• Examples of Subsets: {1, 2} ⊆ {1, 2, 3} but {1, 4} ⊄ {1, 2, 3}.

Activities:

• Class Discussion: Introduce the concept of subsets with visual examples (e.g., Venn diagrams).
Show how one set can be a part of another set.
• Interactive Activity: Students are given a list of sets and must determine which are subsets of
others.
• Group Work: In small groups, students create examples of subsets and non-subsets and present
them to the class.

Differentiation:

• Struggling learners: Use Venn diagrams and visual aids to help them understand subsets.
• Advanced learners: Challenge them to explore proper subsets and provide more abstract examples.

Resources/Materials:

• Worksheets with set examples, Venn diagrams, markers, chart paper.

Formative Evaluation:

• Monitor group work to assess students’ ability to identify subsets correctly.

• Check students’ work for accurate identification of subsets during the activity.
 AI GENERATED LESSON PLAN
Day 5: Review and Assessment

Specific Objectives:

• Review the concepts of sets, types of sets, empty sets, and subsets.
• Assess students’ understanding of all topics covered during the week.

Content:

• Review: Recap the definitions and examples of sets, types of sets, empty sets, and subsets.
• Assessment: Students will complete a written assessment covering all topics learned.

Activities:

• Review Game: Play a quick quiz game where students answer questions about sets, types of sets,
empty sets, and subsets.
• Assessment: Distribute a worksheet with questions on identifying and classifying sets, finding
subsets, and recognizing empty sets.

Differentiation:

• Struggling learners: Provide simpler, concrete examples for review during the quiz game.
• Advanced learners: Offer more challenging assessment questions involving complex sets and
subsets.

Resources/Materials:

• Quiz questions, worksheets for assessment, markers.

Formative Evaluation:

• Monitor student participation in the review game and gauge understanding through correct answers.
• Grade the assessment worksheets to evaluate each student’s grasp of the week’s concepts.