CPD ยท Teaching
Designing a lesson with measurable outcomes
Writing lesson plans where every outcome starts with an action verb and can be checked.
about this course
What you will be able to do
Writing lesson plans where every outcome starts with an action verb and can be checked.
- Write three outcomes, given a topic, each starting with an action verb and including a measure.
- Sequence activities, given the outcomes, so each activity links to one outcome.
- Design a short check, given an outcome, that a learner can pass or not yet pass.
- Review a peer's plan, given a checklist, with two strengths and one improvement.
Task, condition and standard
Task
Write measurable lesson outcomes, align each activity and check to an outcome, and design a short check a learner can pass or not yet pass
Condition
Given a topic, a checklist and peer plans, in a 3-hour planning workshop
Standard
Write three outcomes that each start with a Bloom verb, match every activity and check to one outcome, and give a peer two strengths and one improvement
These courses teach process, communication and recording. They give no clinical, legal, tax, financial or engineering sign-off. A named subject expert must review every line, and you must check your own professional body's current CPD rules, before you rely on a certificate.
sessions
8 modules
Module 1 Outcomes and Bloom verbs 30 min
- Start each outcome with an action verb you can observe (a Bloom verb comes from a standard list of thinking verbs).
- Replace know and understand with identify, list or calculate.
- Add a measure such as 4 of 5.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "outcomes and Bloom verbs": write three outcomes, given a topic, each starting with an action verb and including a measure.
Standard to meet. Write three lesson outcomes for a given topic, each starting with a measurable Bloom action verb, and replace vague verbs such as know or understand.
Module 2 Alignment: outcome, activity, check 35 min
- Each activity leads to one outcome.
- Each check matches an outcome.
- Spot an activity that leads nowhere.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "alignment: outcome, activity, check": sequence activities, given the outcomes, so each activity links to one outcome.
Standard to meet. Match each activity and each check to one outcome in a plan, and spot an activity that does not lead to its outcome.
Module 3 Designing a 5-item check 30 min
- Write 5 items for one outcome (a quick in-lesson check may use 3).
- One correct answer per item.
- Decide the pass line before teaching.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "designing a 5-item check": design a short check, given an outcome, that a learner can pass or not yet pass.
Standard to meet. Design a five-item check for one outcome that a learner can pass or not yet pass, with one correct answer per item.
Module 4 Timing and flow 25 min
- Give each activity a time.
- Order activities from easy to hard.
- Leave time for the check.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "timing and flow": review a peer's plan, given a checklist, with two strengths and one improvement.
Standard to meet. Plan the timing and flow of a lesson so that each activity fits the time available and leads on to the next.
Module 5 Practice: draft your lesson 30 min
- Draft a lesson with two to four outcomes.
- Add one activity and one check for each.
- Read it against your checklist.
Practise: Run one full practice round for "designing a lesson with measurable outcomes" on a case card or template: work through each outcome in turn (write three outcomes; sequence activities; design a short check; review a peer's plan).
Standard to meet. Draft a lesson of your own with two to four outcomes, one aligned activity for each, and a check for each outcome.
Module 6 Peer feedback and assessment 10 min
- Review a peer's plan with a checklist.
- Give two strengths and one improvement.
- Check your own plan too.
- If few learners meet the outcome, re-teach and re-check.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "peer feedback and assessment": review a peer's plan, given a checklist, with two strengths and one improvement. Use a new case this time (round 2).
Standard to meet. Review a peer's plan against a checklist, giving two strengths and one improvement, and show your own lesson meets the outcome standard.
Module 7 Second worked case 10 min
- Use the Year 7 science case card.
- Write three outcomes and one check each.
- Check the verbs.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "second worked case": review a peer's plan, given a checklist, with two strengths and one improvement. Use a new case this time (round 2).
Standard to meet. Write three outcomes with Bloom verbs for states of matter and one check item for each, then confirm each is measurable.
Module 8 Portfolio and reflection 10 min
- Keep your best lesson plan.
- Note the verbs you used.
- Plan one change for your next lesson.
Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "portfolio and reflection": review a peer's plan, given a checklist, with two strengths and one improvement. Use a new case this time (round 2).
Standard to meet. Reflect on your lesson plan and justify one change that would make an outcome easier to measure.
practice
Worked example and case cards
Worked example
Topic: fractions. Outcome: "Compare two fractions with unlike denominators, using the common-denominator method, getting 4 of 5 right." Activity: 3 worked pairs then 5 practice items. Check: a 5-question exit slip.
Weak outcome (do not copy)
"Understand fractions." Not measurable.
Case card
write 3 outcomes for a Year 8 topic of your choice and one aligned activity each.
Case card 2
A Year 7 science topic, "states of matter". Write 3 outcomes and one check each.
checks
10 check questions with model answers
Why use a Bloom verb?
Model answer: It names an observable action you can measure. (Covered in module 1: Outcomes and Bloom verbs. To pass that module: Write three lesson outcomes for a given topic, each starting with a measurable Bloom action verb, and replace vague verbs such as know or understand.)
Is "know" measurable?
Model answer: No; use identify, list, calculate. (Covered in module 1: Outcomes and Bloom verbs. To pass that module: Write three lesson outcomes for a given topic, each starting with a measurable Bloom action verb, and replace vague verbs such as know or understand.)
What does aligned mean?
Model answer: Each activity and each check matches an outcome. (Covered in module 2: Alignment: outcome, activity, check. To pass that module: Match each activity and each check to one outcome in a plan, and spot an activity that does not lead to its outcome.)
How many items to check one outcome?
Model answer: Enough to show a pattern; 3 to 5 is a good start. (Covered in module 3: Designing a 5-item check. To pass that module: Design a five-item check for one outcome that a learner can pass or not yet pass, with one correct answer per item.)
Rewrite "learn about volcanoes" as an outcome.
Model answer: "Describe three causes of eruptions in 3 sentences using terms from the word list." (Covered in module 1: Outcomes and Bloom verbs. To pass that module: Write three lesson outcomes for a given topic, each starting with a measurable Bloom action verb, and replace vague verbs such as know or understand.)
Why only one verb per outcome?
Model answer: Keeps measurement clear. (Covered in module 1: Outcomes and Bloom verbs. To pass that module: Write three lesson outcomes for a given topic, each starting with a measurable Bloom action verb, and replace vague verbs such as know or understand.)
What is misalignment?
Model answer: An activity that does not lead to the outcome. (Covered in module 2: Alignment: outcome, activity, check. To pass that module: Match each activity and each check to one outcome in a plan, and spot an activity that does not lead to its outcome.)
How many outcomes per lesson?
Model answer: Usually 2 to 4. (Covered in module 5: Practice: draft your lesson. To pass that module: Draft a lesson of your own with two to four outcomes, one aligned activity for each, and a check for each outcome.)
What to do if few learners meet the outcome?
Model answer: Re-teach and re-check. (Covered in module 6: Peer feedback and assessment. To pass that module: Review a peer's plan against a checklist, giving two strengths and one improvement, and show your own lesson meets the outcome standard.)
How can you tell whether an outcome is measurable?
Model answer: Check that its verb names an action you can see and that a measure, such as 4 of 5, shows when it is met. (Covered in module 1: Outcomes and Bloom verbs. To pass that module: Write three lesson outcomes for a given topic, each starting with a measurable Bloom action verb, and replace vague verbs such as know or understand.)
glossary
Words used in this course
outcome, alignment, Bloom verb, exit check, re-teach.
marking
How the practice and assessment are marked
| Level | Meaning | Marks of 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Secure | Meets the standard in the outcome every time, no prompts | 4 |
| Meeting | Meets the standard with one small slip, corrected when prompted | 3 |
| Developing | Meets part of the standard; needs a re-attempt | 2 |
| Not yet | Standard not met | 1 |
Pass = average 3 or more, and no outcome at 1. You may re-attempt after feedback. The subject expert sets any stricter pass mark.
where next
Ladder L1 to L7, slide by slide with notes
This course sits at L3 Foundation. Credits stack; aligned with, not accredited by, any framework.
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Teacher
- Teaching assistant
- Trainee teacher
- Tutor
- Curriculum designer
assessment and certificate
How you are checked
Each outcome is checked against its standard with a checklist or a short test. A digital CPD record shows the hours. Keep evidence in My page. Aligned with common CPD practice; not accredited. Learners check their own body's rules.
ten locations and global
Your place
Use your own body's forms, units and currency. Local professional bodies set the rules for CPD hours; check them first.
India (Bengaluru)
Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Personal data: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Credit and levels: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.
Netherlands (Eindhoven area)
Language: Dutch, English. Personal data: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Credit and levels: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.
UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
Language: Arabic, English. Personal data: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Credit and levels: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Personal data: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Credit and levels: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.
Canada (Toronto)
Language: English, French. Personal data: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Credit and levels: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.
United States
Language: English, Spanish. Personal data: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Credit and levels: state and community-college credit systems.
Singapore
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Personal data: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Credit and levels: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.
Australia
Language: English. Personal data: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Credit and levels: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.
Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)
Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Personal data: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Credit and levels: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.
Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)
Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Personal data: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Credit and levels: the national qualifications framework of that country.
Cayman Islands (Caribbean)
Language: English. Personal data: the Data Protection Act. Credit and levels: the local education and training framework.
Mexico
Language: Spanish, English. Personal data: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Credit and levels: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.
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Draft
Draft CPD course. It opens only after final checks. No fee is shown.