How to Create a Digital Lesson Plan Book (for Free!)

Let's be real here for a second. Lesson planning kinda sucks. Not the creativity, inspiring students, finding cool activities on Pinterest part. The other part - the logistical ACTUAL writing part. Organizing lesson plans, handouts, resources, power points, videos, and everything that goes into a quality lesson. Not to mention having the time to create lessons that are high quality but not a serious time eater.

If you're like me, you've tried 10,000 different lesson planning formats. From the little squares plan book they used in the 80's to lesson plan binders, from painted clipboards to organized folders, from grids of Post-It notes to color-coded napkins with lesson ideas scribbled on them next to the coffee stain.

Here's what you'll need:

A Google Apps Account

• Google Drive
• Google Sites
• Google Forms

Google links all of its apps to your account, allowing things to work seamlessly, automatically, simultaneously, and other - ly's that I can't think of but that are pretty awesome. So what I'll do is go through and show you the different things I've included and a quick intro to how I made them. This looks much more complicated than it is. 

The digital lesson plan book works like a digital resource bank for everything you need for your lesson planning. But it looks/feels like a website - the flow of it is what makes it so great. The digital book is designed with Google Sites. A very user friendly and free website building app from Google.

Check out the link to the sample Digital Lesson Plan Book (DLPB) Sample Digital Lesson Plan Book

My page includes a section for each core subject which houses all of my lesson plans, lesson resources, and handouts/powerpoints/videos, etc. The calendar is a Google Sheets calendar that I created and embedded in my planbook. So when my co-teachers access it, they can find that day and see what we're doing in class. I'll show you some different things you can add to spice up your digital lesson plan book.

Before you make your site, create a system of folders that works for you in Google Drive. You'll save yourself some organizational headaches later. 

Mine is organized by core subjects - then the 4 quarters of the year - then units that are in each quarter. Pick whatever organizational system works best for you. You can change it to suit your needs if you realize you need something better.

Create a site in order to get started.

Create pages that mirror your organization of your folders.

You can create a page by clicking the "New Page" button on the top right side. Name your page, and select your template. If it's a page for links, select web page. But there are other templates based on what your page will be, such as File Cabinet for a page you want to use to hold documents and files.

Select a location for your pages. Your home page should be your top level page. Sort your lesson plan book into how you want it organized. You can see on the right pic, mine is organized by subjects, with a page for each quarter under every subject. Above you can see my Site Map - all of your pages on your website and how they're organized. Create something that works for your organizational styles.

Create some tool bars that will give you quick access to your resources. 

This'll give you quick access to your various resources so you don't have to go through long folder paths to get to what you need.

Use the Manage Sites page to change a theme, pick a name for your DLPB, and change some overall details and settings for your DLPB.

Create pages for your different subjects.

My pages don't have the Iggy Azalea fanciness, but don't let me stop you from spicing them up a bit. I just keep links to the sub folders for each of my subject. (Go to insert and click "Sub page listing" to add a box of pages that are under the one you're currently on). 

"Folders are friends, not food." Sort your content into folders to keep things nice and organized.

Here, I created a path of folders Math - Quarter 1 - Unit 1 and Unit 2 (what you see above). When I insert the Quarter 1 folder, the webpage shows me the two folders inside of it. Use the insert menu shown below to embed/add just about anything to your Google Site page. 

This you'll do in Google Drive. When you link folders to your Google Drive and Google Site, when you add/make changes/delete in Google Drive, your Google Site will be AUTOMATICALLY updated. Hurray for no work!

Store your files in a Google Drive Folder and they'll appear on your Digital Lesson Plan Book like what you see below. This is great for organizing and quickly finding resources for different lessons. This is my folder for a Unit on Non-Fiction (still being filled). It has lesson plans, powerpoints, and various handouts. As I add it in my Google Drive, they'll automatically show up in my Digital Lesson Plan Book

Extras! Because extras rock- and you rock. 

Include your daily planning calendar in your Digital Lesson Plan Book's home page. Create a Planning Calendar via Google Sheets (you can use a template with a pre-made calendar). If you insert it into your Digital Lesson Plan Book, it'll automatically appear whenever you access your lesson plan book. When you update/change your calendar in Google Sheets, it'll automatically update in your DLPB.

Create a links page to common links that you use for your school district. This gives you quick access to external pages and sources you use frequently. 

Guided Reading Launch Page

Now this idea I stole from another tech blogger and added it to my DLPB. Each college logo is actually the link for a group. When I click on their icon, it takes me to a page with that Guided Reading group's lesson plans, activities, and resources for that level. You could do this for ANY kind of center menu or guided instruction. Makes differentiated instruction a breeze!

Add a Guided Reading Anecdotal Notes form to your Guided Reading Launch Page. Now THIS is something of my own invention, and I must say, it's slightly brilliant. A Google Form I use to take anecdotal notes from my guided reading groups is embedded RIGHT ONTO my Guided Reading Launch page. I'll add notes about a child and a submit them, then submit again for a new child (or again for that child). Literally everything I need for guided reading from start to finish is on one page, ready to go, at the click of a button.

Use the share button to share your DLPB with other teachers. Your book will not be accessible to the public unless you publish it and enable it to be viewed by the public. 

Click to check out the sample Digital Lesson Plan Book

Add your own additions, ideas, suggestions, questions and feedback in the comment boxes below!