Templates and Practical Tools

Using This Chapter

This chapter provides ready-to-use templates, checklists, and planning tools. Copy, adapt, and use them for your own instructional design.

---

Template 1: Gagné's Nine Events Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives:

1. By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to...

Notes for Adaptation:

Differentiation Considerations:

---

Template 2: Quick-Design Checklist

Use this checklist when designing any lesson or module:

Preparation Phase (Events 1-3)

• Have I designed an opening that captures attention and establishes relevance?
• Are my learning objectives clear, measurable, and communicated to learners?
• Have I planned an activity to activate relevant prior knowledge?

Acquisition Phase (Events 4-5)

• Is content chunked into manageable segments (10-15 min max)?
• Have I planned processing activities between content chunks?
• Am I using multiple modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic)?
• Have I prepared scaffolds: worked examples, graphic organizers, job aids?
• Are common misconceptions addressed proactively?

Performance Phase (Events 6-8)

• Does practice match the learning objectives?
• Is practice progressive (guided → independent)?
• Have I planned for immediate, specific feedback?
• Does assessment align directly to stated objectives?
• Can learners demonstrate competence without supports?

Transfer Phase (Event 9)

• Have I planned for application in new contexts?
• Are there resources for post-instruction support (job aids, references)?
• Have I built in opportunities for spaced retrieval?
• Is there a plan for real-world application?

---

Template 3: Event-by-Event Design Prompts

Use these questions to guide your design for each event:

Event 1: Gain Attention

• What makes this topic relevant to these learners right now?
• What question, problem, or scenario would create curiosity?
• What surprising fact or compelling story connects to this content?
• How will I signal that what follows is important?

Event 2: Inform Objectives

• What will learners be able to DO after this instruction?
• How will they know they've succeeded?
• Can I state objectives in learner-friendly language?
• How do these objectives connect to their real-world needs?

Event 3: Stimulate Recall

• What do learners already know that connects to this content?
• What prior learning is prerequisite for understanding this?
• How can I help learners surface and organize their existing knowledge?
• What misconceptions might I need to address?

Event 4: Present Content

• How can I break this content into digestible chunks?
• What's the most important information to emphasize?
• What examples, demonstrations, or visuals will clarify?
• How will I check understanding between chunks?

Event 5: Provide Guidance

• What scaffolds will help learners process this information?
• What worked examples can I provide?
• What analogies connect new content to familiar concepts?
• What job aids will support encoding and later application?

Event 6: Elicit Performance

• What practice activities match my objectives?
• How will practice progress from guided to independent?
• Is practice varied enough to promote flexible understanding?
• Are there enough opportunities for all learners to practice?

Event 7: Provide Feedback

• How will feedback be delivered quickly and specifically?
• What common errors should I prepare feedback for?
• How can peer feedback be structured effectively?
• Is feedback corrective (guiding) or just evaluative (judging)?

Event 8: Assess Performance

• Does my assessment directly measure my stated objectives?
• Is assessment at the appropriate cognitive level?
• Can learners demonstrate competence without supports?
• What data will this assessment provide about my instruction?

Event 9: Enhance Transfer

• How will learners apply this in different contexts?
• What resources will support on-the-job application?
• How will learning be reinforced over time?
• What follow-up will check for actual transfer?

---

Template 4: Nine Events Quick-Reference Card

The Nine Events at a Glance

Cognitive Processes Supported

---

Template 5: Feedback Script Generator

Use this structure to prepare feedback for common scenarios:

For Correct Performance: "[Specific observation of what was correct]. This works because [reason connecting to concept]."

Example: "Your opening question immediately created curiosity. This works because it gives learners a reason to pay attention to the content that follows."

For Incorrect Performance: "[Non-judgmental observation of the error]. When [situation], [what to do instead] because [reason]."

Example: "Your practice activity asked learners to list the steps. When the objective is application, have learners perform the procedure, not describe it, because performance strengthens different neural pathways than recognition."

For Partial Performance: "[Acknowledge what was correct]. To strengthen this, [specific improvement] because [reason]."

Example: "Your worked example shows the steps clearly. To strengthen this, add think-aloud commentary explaining why you're making each decision, because expert reasoning is invisible to novices."

---

Template 6: Assessment Alignment Checker

Use this matrix to verify alignment between objectives, instruction, and assessment:

Alignment Check Questions:

• Is the cognitive level consistent? (If objective is "analyze," do instruction and assessment require analysis?)
• Are the conditions similar? (If learners will apply with resources, do they practice and assess with resources?)
• Is the content the same? (Am I testing what I taught, not something adjacent?)

---

Template 7: Time Allocation Guide

For a 45-50 Minute Session:

For a 90-Minute Session:

For eLearning (Self-Paced):

---

Template 8: Scaffolding Fade Plan

Use this template to plan progressive removal of supports:

Scaffold Types to Consider:

• Worked examples (complete → partial → none)
• Checklists (detailed → abbreviated → none)
• Hints/prompts (available → on request → none)
• Collaboration (partner work → independent)
• Time (extended → standard → time pressure)

---

Template 9: Transfer Planning Worksheet

---

Template 10: Lesson Evaluation Checklist

After delivering instruction, evaluate each event:

Event 1: Gain Attention

• Did the opening capture learners' attention?
• Did learners seem to understand why this matters?
• Was there observable engagement from the start?

Event 2: Inform Objectives

• Were objectives clearly communicated?
• Did learners understand what success looks like?
• Were objectives referenced throughout?

Event 3: Stimulate Recall

• Was relevant prior knowledge activated?
• Were gaps or misconceptions revealed?
• Did this set up the new content effectively?

Event 4: Present Content

• Was content appropriately chunked?
• Were key points clearly signaled?
• Did multiple modalities support understanding?

Event 5: Provide Guidance

• Did scaffolds help learners process information?
• Were worked examples effective?
• Did learners use the supports provided?

Event 6: Elicit Performance

• Did practice match objectives?
• Did all learners get opportunity to practice?
• Was practice progressive in difficulty?

Event 7: Provide Feedback

• Was feedback timely and specific?
• Did feedback guide improvement?
• Did learners have opportunity to try again?

Event 8: Assess Performance

• Did assessment align to objectives?
• Did assessment require performance without supports?
• What does assessment data tell me about my instruction?

Event 9: Enhance Transfer

• Were transfer activities meaningful?
• Are learners prepared to apply learning?
• Is there a plan for follow-up?

---

Using These Tools

These templates are starting points, not rigid forms. Adapt them to your context:

• Combine events when appropriate (1-3 often flow together)
• Iterate the 4-5-6-7 cycle multiple times for complex content
• Adjust time allocations based on content complexity and learner needs
• Add context-specific elements relevant to your subject and audience

The goal is not to fill in every box but to ensure that every cognitive process has been supported—that you haven't skipped something essential.