Teaching Physics for Every Learner

Lesson planning does not need to be complicated. Teachers are often given long templates full of boxes, paperwork and extra detail, but the best lesson plans are usually the ones that help you teach more clearly.

One useful structure is CHACER: Consolidate, Hook, Activity, Check-in, Extension and Reflection.

Start by consolidating previous learning. This could be a short quiz, quick questions, mini whiteboards or a retrieval task. Pupils need to bring last lesson’s knowledge back into their working memory before they can build on it.

Next comes the hook. This is where you grab attention and show pupils why today’s learning matters. It might be a question, image, demo, video clip or real-life problem.

The activity is the main learning part of the lesson. This could involve teacher explanation, reading, discussion, practical work, modelling, practice questions or group work.

Then comes the check-in. This is where you find out whether pupils have understood the key idea. It might be a short written answer, an exit question, a hinge question or a quick explanation in their books.

The extension gives faster pupils a chance to go deeper. This should not just be “more of the same”, but a task that makes them apply, challenge or connect their understanding.

Finally, the reflection closes the lesson. Pupils should leave knowing what they have learnt and how it connects to the bigger picture.

CHACER works because it is simple, flexible and focused on what actually happens in the classroom. It gives lessons a clear shape without turning planning into paperwork.