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Saturday, April 14, 2012

Didn't Win the Giveaway? Freebie for Everyone!

I was so excited to post that Liz was the winner of my giveaway for a custom lesson planning template! But I did feel a little bad leaving the rest of my followers high and dry.


Dana asked if I'd be willing to share my lesson plan template as is, and I thought it was a great idea, but I realized that MY plans might not be very useful for you, especially since it's not in a common font and a PDF won't let you edit easily.

So I deleted away some of my stuff, and made this into a basic table that YOU can modify. You can change the font, tint the boxes, and whatever works for you.

In case you missed my last post, here's why I love this template!

I don't have to write things over and over again. If I always do a spelling pre-test on Wednesdays during spelling, I don't have to write it each week. If Susie always has speech at 10:20 on Friday, it's on my template already.


Because my specials were never in the same block (so every day's schedule was a little different), having a two-page spread at a glance made it easy to see my plans- and then I had an extra column on the right for my To Do list items that didn't change from week to week. It's also a great place to record weekly items like spelling lists, vocabulary words, reading story, etc.

Simply put, a little work up front to personalize my lesson plan template saves me an incredible amount of time over the course of the year.

A few tips for customizing:
  • You can always right click on any cell of the table, and you will usually have the option to split the cell in half (if, like me, not everything happens on an even time interval!). You can split horizontally or vertically. 
  • You can also select two or more cells, and usually, you have the option to merge them (again, just right click!). I merge cells going across for things like morning work or lunch, which are the same every day. I merge cells going down for bigger blocks of time.
  • Use a light gray tint to make the specials, lunch, dismissal, etc. stand out easily!
  • Make a checklist off to the side for whatever you will need to do EVERY week. For me, most of my centers stay the same each week but I change the activity, so I made a list of the centers so I didn't have to write it out (and try to remember all of them) each week.
  • Leave space at the top and bottom for reminders each day!
  • Don't copy a million plan pages at the beginning of the school year, because you will change the way you want to do things. Type in anything you find yourself writing each week!
If this is helpful for you, please leave a comment to say thank you! It makes my day :)


Click here to get the FREE .doc, .docx, and .pdf starter files from TeachersPayTeachers!

NOTE: For more tips about how to customize this template, see my post HERE!

193 comments:

  1. Oooo - yes, share your measurement stuff. That's exactly what we're working on! lol
    Buzzing with Ms. B

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  2. Thank you for sharing!!! I will have to change the font back to ABCTeacher though :p!
    -Jessica
    A Turn to Learn

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    1. Oh, I know. I LOVE that font!

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    2. Thank you for the lesson plan format. We use an online program, but I cannot get it to printout in less than 25 pages (a bit inflated!) So I will use these over the summer and post to online program! Thank YOU!!!

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    3. Thank you for the lesson plan format. We use an online program, but I cannot get it to printout in less than 25 pages (a bit inflated!) So I will use these over the summer and post to online program! Thank YOU!!!

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    4. Thank you so much for sharing your lesson plan format.

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    5. Thank you! I appreciate your help!

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    6. Hey! This is super! I was a teacher in my former life (almost 5 years ago) and now stay home with my own kiddos. I've been thinking that it would be so helpful to plan my days here like I planned my days at school. I think I would be so much more productive and actually fit in some of the little and fun lessons I'd like to do with my kids. Nothing too much since one is in school during the day, but some of the fun stuff I know we can do as a supplement.

      Thanks and I'm glad to have found your blog! (kind of gives me the teaching bug!)

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    7. Awesome! Exactly what I've been searching for! Much appreciated that you've shared!!!

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    8. This is just what I need! Thank you so much for sharing!

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  3. Thank you for sharing the look of your plans. I currently have my plan book showing one day at a time and it works for me. My teamie does hers a week at a time like you. The only thing that bugs me about mine being a day at a time is that I can't "see" the week ahead of me. I might have to give this weekly thing a try!
    BTW, we (Lisen and I) are your newest followers. Your blog has so many awesome ideas on it :)

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  4. Thank you! I'm starting a new job next year and thought I'd start fresh with a new plan :) I'm going to try this out and see if I can make it work in my special education classroom! Thanks!

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  5. Thanks for sharing. I'm switching grade levels from K to 1st in the fall and want to try these plans out and break the habit of buying a premade plan book.

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  6. Thank you! I am your newest follower!

    ✰Becca
    Fun is Found in Fourth

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  7. Thank you... this will be very helpful :)

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  9. Thank you very much!! Love this :)

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  10. Thank you! I found you through Pinterest!
    ReadWriteSing

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  11. Thank you so much! I have one similar but I like your area for notes at the end and on the top. Thanks for the Share!

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  12. Thank you--this is exactly how I plan! For the past 10 years, I've just used pages from an old plan book and photocopied them year after year. This brings me up to date while allowing for more customization.

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  13. Thank you so much! =) found this on pinterest!

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  14. found on pintrest! this could help me a lot!<3

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  15. You're all over pinterest obviously! Thanks for the great template!

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  16. Thanks!!! I definitely think I'll be able to use this next year. Saw this on Pinterest, btw.
    -Claire @ specialspeckledeggs.blogspot.com

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  17. Thank you for sharing! Great idea!!!

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  18. Thank you so much! Have wanted to use this format...How do you fit it all in the boxes with out it "running off the page" and messing up the format?

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  19. Found you blog through Pinterest!

    Thanks for sharing. :-)

    -Elizabeth
    http://firstyearinthe3rdgrade.blogspot.com/

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  20. Thank you so much, I was planning on creating a new format over the summer and you have saved me a lot of time!

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  21. Thank you for sharing this. I tried to do my own and couldn't get it right. This is just what I was trying to do!

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  22. Thank you so much for sharing this. I am always looking for new ideas to stay organized.

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  23. I've been looking for something like this all over the place!! Thank you for making my world just a little bit better!

    http://renaissance-rockstars.blogspot.com/

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  24. Thank you for sharing - love the note space - great idea! As many others have shared, found you on Pinterest.

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  25. PERFECT! Just what I was looking for. I blogged about it on my page: http://elliottsfamilystory.blogspot.com/2012/06/perfect-school-planner.html

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  26. Thanks for sharing. I like the look of yours. My school is on a 4 day school week -- any quick tips on how to get rid of Monday and redistribute everything evenly?

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  27. Thank you for sharing!! Makes it easy for me...lol :)

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  28. Thank you so much! Gonna use for my Summer Camp

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  29. Thank you so much! Happy summer!!

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  30. Thank you for sharing your LP template....I am always looking for new ones to try! I found you on Pinterest and would love for you to check out my blog at 5thgradetomfoolery.blogspot.com. I look forward to hearing your comments/advice on mine! Thanks....Teri

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  31. Thanks for sharing! I have been wanting to ditch the Plan book I had been using.

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  32. Thanks for sharing! Found on pinterest and will start following your blog.

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  33. Thank you very much for sharing this with everyone. As a high school teacher I will find a way to utilize this in my classrooms as well!

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  34. Thank you! I am a new first grade teacher and will adapt this template right away!

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  35. I just found this and have spent the last day or so modifying it for next year. It will greatly help, especially for my sub plans while I'm on maternity leave. Thank you so much!

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  36. Thank you so much:) Thanks to your work and tutorial I have learned how to create and personalize my lesson plan and am so excited. Thank you:)

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  37. I just found your site from pinterest - thank you! Looking forward to exploring more!

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  38. Thank you for the lesson plan template! I am already planning for the first week of school with it! :)

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  39. Thanks so much for sharing this lesson plan template! One thing on my "To Do" list that just got much, much easier. ;) Thanks again!

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  40. Thanks for sharing! It is very helpful.

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  41. I have seen so many great things on pinterest, but this is buy far the most practical and impressive piece I've seen. This 5th grade teacher thanks you!

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  42. Thanks a million! Love it when others make my job easier!! Have a great school year!
    Holly :)

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  43. Thank YOU! I have been looking for something like this just so that I didn't have to take the time to create my own, and I love it!

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  44. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

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  45. Thank you so much for sharing! This looks perfect!

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  46. thanks - was designing my own - found yours - much happier !

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  47. I found you and your template via Pinterest. Thank you for being so generous. Happy Summer!

    ~PJ

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  48. Thank you for sharing this!

    Shanna Holt

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  49. Thank you for creating and sharing this template. It's taken me hours to modify, I can't imagine how long it would of taken me if I started from scratch. Your generosity is much appreciated!!

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  50. Found this on Pinterest and I'm so excited to use this. In fact, I've just begun filling in the spaces. Thanks!

    Meghan
    www.thetuckerstaketennessee.com

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  51. Thank you SOOOOO MUCH for this template! I've wanted to move away from pre-made plan books to something that I could easily modify for changing units or schedules. This is perfect and I can keep an electronic version on work and home computers, print, and put into a binder or email to a substitute or administrator.

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  52. LOVE THIS, so simple and basic but exactly what I was looking for. Thanks soooooo much!

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  53. Thank you!!
    I'm a first-year teacher, and I could not for the life of me find a template that I liked and that would fit my obsessive nature :)

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  54. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I have used a template for the past several years, but I love yours and your suggestions. Bless you.

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  55. Love the lesson plan template! But I cannot find the ABC teach font anywhere....do you know where I could find it?

    Thanks so much!
    Christie Malone

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    1. My school bought it as part of a pack called Fonts for Teachers, I believe. The font itself is called ABC Teacher. This may be a place to download it here- wish I knew if it was legitimate! :)

      http://www.font-db.com/font/AbcTeacher/17969

      Jenny

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  56. Hi there! I have been looking for my own lesson plan template and was in the process of creating my own when I found your template on Pinterest...I love it! I just downloaded it and am about to input my own schedule - thank you SO much for sharing, you saved me a bunch of time!

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  57. I love the way this looks, but my computer is running an older version of word. Docx documents open in a weirdo "alien" language. Any possibility of you saving/sending/posting it as an older version of Word, for those of us still in a dinosaur era? Thanks so much for your consideration!

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  58. Thank you for the great lesson plan template.
    Kimberly Baldwin

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  59. I have been thinking of using a customized plan book for the upcoming year. Thanks so much for sharing your template! It gives me a great head start.

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  60. Thanks! I'm a first year teacher just getting ready for orientation so I can use all the help I can get! Your tips seem very helpful!

    Cindy Young

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  61. Love it! Using it! Thank you!

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  62. Thanks for that! My friend/colleague are teaming this year and were looking for a planning tool just like THIS!! Woo-hooo!!

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  63. You are a life saver! Bless you :) First year homeschool mom here and a little stressed LOL

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  64. This was SO helpful! Thank you!

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  65. thank you!! I've been using my own self-created template for years but now whenever I edit it, the entire rows misalign! I'll try yours this year.

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  66. Thanks for sharing! Can't believe the time you have saved me! Appreciate your attention to detail on how to customize as well!

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  67. Thank you! So glad I found you, got to love Pintrest!

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  68. Thank you! So much time saved by using this. Got to love Pintrest!

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  69. Thank you for sharing with other teachers. :)

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  70. Thank you so much for sharing your hard work. This is a perfect template for me to start with. Thanks again!

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  71. thanks!! I have taught reading k-5 for 7 years and next year (which starts in two weeks!!) I will move into a classroom and teach 4th grade. I have been looking for a lesson plan format!! Thanks for sharing!

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  72. Thank you so much! I teach two college courses, but I come from an elementary/MS background and it's been annoying to have to try to use planners that don't fit my schedule very well. I changed this one up so that it's way more streamlined and uses WAY less paper.

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  73. Thank you for sharing.... teachers have enough to do without having to reinvent the wheel each time we get an idea! This time you did it for us!

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  74. This looks like a really useful template. I'm so grateful you shared it!

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  75. Thank you for sharing =) I love this template!

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  76. Hi! Just found this through pinterest. I'm excited to try it this year! Thanks for sharing!

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  78. Thanks for sharing your lesson plan template. I can't wait to begin planning!

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  79. Found this on Pinterest! Thank you!

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  80. Thank you for your generosity!

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  81. Thank you!! I am teaching a new grade (3rd) in a new district. We team plan but I am hoping this will help me simplify!

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  82. Wow, this is amazing! I made my own plan sheet last year but it just didn't work for me. I can already tell this format is going to boost my planning and prep this year. Also, thanks to the Pinners out there who lead me here!

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  83. Thanks so much for this printable. I was looking for something just like this. What a great time saver!

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  84. Wow. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for!!! I'm at a new school this year and they allow hand written plans. All I've ever known is super in-depth, typed up plans...one for each subject for each day...and I didn't even know where to begin with a weekly printout. I was hesitant to buy a plan book in case I don't like it but I'm going to give yours a try. Thank you SO much!! I'll be sure to add you to my blog & link back after a few weeks if I'm having success! :)

    Little Miss Glamour Goes to Kindergarten

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  85. Thank you! Just the way I like it! Straight to the point and no fluff! :)

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  86. Thank you so much. I taught 4th grade for 8 years and now I am a home schooling mom of 5- what a wonderful resource. Thanks for sharing.

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  87. Thank you so much for sharing! This is sooo helpful!

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  88. Found you through pinterest! I don't have my own classroom yet (substitute teacher looking for a job!) but I saved it for later!

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  89. I found you through Pinterest. I'm a stay-at-home mom and this is exactly what I've been looking for to plan the week for my almost two year old. Thank you so much!

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  90. I'm currently in a full year student teaching program & have been trying to figure out the how I wanted to setup my plan book for next semester. Now, I've found my answer! This is exactly what I was looking for! So great that you shared such an awesome tool. Great time saver for already busy teachers! :)

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  91. Thanks! I am excite to try this template :)

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  92. Thank you so much!! :) I'm 16 years old, and aspiring to be a teacher. I'm currently volunteering with an after school program and I create lesson plans and usually lead the kids in science experiments as well as reading and I usually try to get some sort of Spanish game in as well. Anyways, just thought I'd share that you made my job ten times easier just now.

    Ashley

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  93. I am a first year special ed teacher. Every lesson plan that I have found will not let you edit it and does not fit what I need...FINALLY SOMETHING GOOD!! Thank you!

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  94. I love fonts. I bought like a year ago a program at www.fonts4teachersblog.com with 56 fonts that is amazing.
    Mar Canalo
    1st grade teacher

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  95. Thanks so much for the great timetable! LOVE IT!

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  96. Thank you SO much! I'm a teachers aid and am responsible for showing my principal how I spend my days helping which teachers. I looked all over for a day planner that would fit my needs, but this works SO much better. Thanks again!

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  97. THANK YOU!!! This is perfect and saves me time!! This planner is just what I was looking for!!!

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  98. THANK You so much this is so helpful!!!

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  99. Thank you very much for your generosity in sharing!

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  100. Thanks for sharing! I too use word but I'm not very handy with it and wish I was better. I hope someday my lesson plans go smoother when I'm making them up as I'm never really satisfied with how they turn out.

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  101. Thanks so much! I keep changing my lesson plan format and I think this might work! :)

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  102. Thank you for sharing! I do my plans the same way! Unfortunately, my district requires its teachers to include standards, objectives, a bit of the procedure, and closure/assessment, so the cells expand and the table fits over multiple pages. As a Kindergarten teacher, I only have a purchased curriculum for Math (Everyday Math), so I am unable to type in "Teacher Manual, pp. XX" for most subjects. Just out of curiosity, does anyone else have this requirement as a public school teacher?

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  103. Thank you, I will have to use this :) Awesome

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  104. Thank you! I am brand-new to homeschooling (just began yesterday) and I have zero idea what I'm doing.

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  105. Our district is forcing us to have layout lesson plans. This is VERY similar (but MUCH more user friendly) than the hyper-complex layouts they've made up. I can't tell you how good it is to see every lesson the whole day for the week on one front/back page as opposed to one day per page! Wowza!

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  106. Thanks for the template! YAY FREEBIES!!!

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  107. Thank you for the template! It is great! I am looking forward to using it next year!

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  108. Thank you for the template. It is going to work great!
    Ayce

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  109. Thank you for sharing your template! This is perfect. I've looked all around and haven't found anything that I quite liked until now. Thank you again!

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  110. Thank you! I'm trying to get a head start on next school year.

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  111. Thank you! I had a horizontal one on 8 1/8 x 11 last year and it wasn't working. This rocks!

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  112. Thanks from a first year teacher!!! What a blessing!

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  113. ditto to Terri...

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  114. Jenny,
    Thanks for sharing your plan book on TpT. Would you mind sharing your filled in version with me? I also teach 3rd grade and your info could help me. rajenkins@comcast.net

    Thank you for all your hard work!!!

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  115. Thank you so much for the template and, especially, for the excellent explanations!

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  116. You are a LIFESAVER with this template! THANK YOU!!!!

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  117. Thank you for sharing. Template is awesome and meets most of my scheduling needs

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  118. This is so wonderful. Thank you!

    Just one question: Do you just use these plans to teach from for the week, or do you have other daily plans with more detail and use this weekly format for broader planning?

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    1. I teach from these for the week, except for my small groups. I have a separate planning page for each reading group. Most of my other lessons, I think through in-depth, but I don't necessarily write it all down. Luckily, my administration doesn't require everything to be written out. I have added "I Can" statements to the right column for the week now that we are required to post those. Thanks for stopping by & saying thanks!

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  119. Thank you! I've been looking of an easily edit-able & adaptable lesson plan.

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  120. I really like yours, and have tried and tried to figure out how to make the grid lines at different levels. It keeps moving the whole line all the way across. How did you make yours different lengths?

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  121. Thanks! I love the ideas for a teacher binder! The lesson plan layout is exactly what I was looking for. The side to do list is a great addition instead of the scrap paper pieces I lose all the time!!!!

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  122. Just what I've been looking for! Thank you!

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  123. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!

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  124. This template is excellent--thank you so much!!!

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  126. SOO helpful!! Thank you so much! =) Looks great, and helps keep me organized!!

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  127. THANK You-this is just what I need to get started on a plan!

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  128. Thank you so much! I'm going back to the classroom after five years and this is exactly what I need! Second grade here I come! :)

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  129. Thanks so much. As a teacher amongst other things I can't afford to be as organizationally challenged as I have been! Thank you very much for sharing
    God bless you

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  130. Thanks so much! This is exactly what I wanted for this year. :) Xx
    Caroline

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  131. Thank you for this!! I homeschool my kindergartener and I think this will really help me get re-organized in the last few months of school!

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