Write a Lesson Plan

Use the list below to jump to sections in this article to learn more about adding content and writing lesson plans. 

• Writing a Plan
• Add Learning Standards
• Use Checklists
• Navigate Lesson Plan toolbars

Writing your Lesson Plan

Select on an entry in the lesson plan area to make it active. Then simply type in the white space. Saving occurs automatically but you can select the Save button as well.

Add Learning Standards 
When you select on a course box, the standards for that course appear in the curriculum pane on the right side of the screen.  To add a standard to your lesson, find it in the curriculum pane and double click it.  This will put the standard inside the blue/grey course box.  

This allows you to track which standards you have covered so far, and get additional information from the history tab.

*NOTE: If you add the wrong standard by mistake or change your mind about a standard, you can just right click on that standard and select Remove from Lesson.

Use Checklists
If your district has activated check lists, you will see the option to use them in the blue-grey course box, just below where you add your standards.  Click where it says Click here to select checklist items for this lesson. This will display the checklists that YOUR DISTRICT has created for you.  They will look different from the checklists in this example.

After you check the items that apply to your lesson, click on Close at the bottom right of the checklist window.  This will close the window, and display only those items you selected.

Lesson Plan Toolbars

The Forethought lesson planner uses two toolbars: the Primary and Entry toolbars. 

Primary Toolbar Contents

Each button on the Primary Toolbar is explained below. 

		Change Today's Schedule - Allows you to re-add course entries, add notes for the substitute, add a new special entry, or delete today's plans. Use Delete Today's Plans to remove content and a schedule for all entries on a calendar day. There is NO undelete!
		Save - Saves the current day or week of lessons depending on viewing mode. The Save button is "greyed" out if nothing has been added to your plans. Once any editing has been done to an entry, the Save button will turn blue allowing a click to save your changes. Note: To avoid loss of changes, the button will be automatically selected approximately 60 seconds after becoming active. If you click another day or attempt to close your browser, plans will automatically save or you will be prompted to save depending on your web browser.
		Print - This option will allow you to export or print your plans in a variety of formats for word processing, spreadsheets, or PDF. Either a single day or a week can be exported. The Checklist Report is printable from this button too.
		Spell Check - This option will check your current entry for spelling errors. This is typically not required in most modern browsers as incorrect words will highlight in red.
		Undo/Redo - These buttons will remove or replace the last editing action inside the active entry.
		Link - This button adds a weblink to the page. This is only needed in browsers that do not automatically hyperlink html links.
		Table - This button will launch a whole new interface that will allow you to insert a table. When working with a table, a new toolbar will appear to give you necessary options to manipulate the table design.

	Insert a Line - This button will insert a full-width line in your entry to provide a visual divider.
	Insert Image - Use this option to bring up a menu that will allow you to upload and insert an image into your entry.
	Text Font and Size - These two drop down lists will allow you to adjust the font type and the font size of the selected or future text.
	Bold - This will bold the selected text or enable bold for future typing. Italics - This will italicize the selected text or set italics for future typing. Underline - This will underline the selected text or set future typing for underlining.  Strikethrough - Use this option to add a strikethrough to text.
	Text Alignment Menu - Provides a drop-down list of text alignment options to left, center, or right align.
	Numbered List - This option will insert a numbered list for selected text or start one for future typing.  Bulleted List - This option will create a bulleted list for selected text or start one for future typing.
	Indent/Outdent - These options will create indentations or outdentations in the selected entry.
	Colors - Use this button to view a color wheel.  Select a color on the wheel to change selected text or new text to that specific color.
	Subscript/Superscript - Use these options to type text as either subscript or superscript.
	Previous/Next - These arrows will allow you to move forward or backwards one day or one week.
	View Planner Options - Click the week view icon in the toolbar to access your five-day plans, Plans by Day, or Plan by Course. See below for more information.
	Show Learning Standards Pane - Opens a panel on the right side to select the learning standards for the lesson.

Entry Toolbar Contents

	Print Entry Options - Click this option to Print Entry, Print Entry to PDF, or Print Entry Week to PDF
	Add this Lesson to My Activities - Adds the lesson to your Activities folder
	Send Lesson To - Opens a calendar to let you send the lesson to another date
	More Lesson Options - Options include moving options up or down, Change Entry's Title & Details; Set as Default Text for Entry; and Remove from Day's Plans.