AASL Launches Lesson Plan Database

AASL just announced the launch of its Standards for the 21st-Century Learner Lesson Plan Database, designed to be:

a public, online database providing school librarians a fast and user-friendly way to create and share quality lesson plans with their peers.

Building on the template provided in Standards for the 21st-Century Learner In Action, the Lesson Plan Database is an interactive resource and tool to support school librarians and other educators in teaching the essential learning skills defined in the AASL learning standards. The database serves as a catalyst for collaboration, as school librarians and teachers work together to create projects that weave content and skills into engaging learning activities.

Registered users may submit lesson plans to the database, as well as search the database by learning standards and indicators, content topic, grade-level, resources used, type of lesson or schedule, keyword and much more. Registered users can also bookmark lesson plans in a portfolio for future use, rate and comment on lesson plans in the community, print plans to PDF, and share lesson plans across social networking platforms.  In addition, the database automatically aligns the skills, dispositions in action, responsibilities, and self-assessment strategies represented in the lesson plan to their corresponding English Language Arts Common Core Standard as set forth by the AASL crosswalk. When available, the database will be updated to include the same capability with the Common Core Math Standards.

Submissions to the Lesson Plan Database are vetted by AASL reviewers to ensure lesson plans published are of the highest quality.  The lesson plan rubric and checklist used by moderators are available to site users prior to submitting a lesson plan.  With this system, AASL hopes that the database serves not only as a useful tool full of exciting best practices, but as professional development to those new to developing lesson plans.  Not only can peers rate and comment on published plans, but site moderators can provide feedback on plans prior to being published.

Among the latest lesson plans:

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