How to Write a Lesson Plan in 15 Minutes

Minute 0–3: Write the objective. One sentence, one observable verb. If you can't assess it, rewrite it. This is the most important three minutes of your planning.

Minute 3–8: Sequence three activities. An opening hook or warm-up (5 min), a core practice activity (20–25 min), and a closure with assessment (5–10 min). Don't over-detail — a sentence per activity is enough.

Minute 8–12: Add differentiation notes. One scaffold for struggling students, one extension for advanced. Attach them to the core activity, not as separate sections.

Minute 12–15: Choose your assessment. An exit ticket question, a show-me check, or a quick pair-share. Write the question now so you don't skip it during the lesson.

Most planning time is spent on decisions, not writing. The 15-minute method front-loads the hardest decision (the objective) and uses it to drive everything else. Once you know what students should learn, the activities and assessment almost choose themselves.

The key is resisting the urge to over-detail. A lesson plan is a guide, not a script. If you can teach from it, it's done.

Enter your topic and constraints, and LessonCraft typically generates a complete plan in about 1–2 minutes. Review, tweak the objective or an activity, and you're ready to teach. The 15-minute method becomes a fast review workflow.