How to write a digital lesson plan: A guide for educators

You know that moment when inspiration strikes, and you’re ready to plan the greatest lesson ever taught—only to open your laptop and be instantly defeated by blank docs, clunky templates, and a dozen tabs?

We’ve all been there.

This guide is your antidote to planning paralysis: no filler, just a step-by-step breakdown of how to create a digital lesson plan that engages students and works beautifully across platforms.

Let’s go!

What is a digital lesson plan?

Let’s be honest: “digital lesson plan” sounds like the kind of phrase a consultant drops while clicking through a chaotic PowerPoint. But here’s what it really means:

🧠 A digital lesson plan is a structured blueprint for teaching content using online tools, platforms, and resources—designed for both engagement and adaptability.

Think of it like this: your classic paper lesson plan went on a self-improvement retreat, discovered Notion, and now lives in the cloud where it can be shared, duplicated, embedded, tracked, and occasionally judged by algorithms.

Why you (yes, you) need one

Still dragging around a USB drive labeled “lesson plans” like it’s 2009? Let’s fix that.

Here’s why digital lesson plans aren’t just a nice-to-have:

• They align with LMS (Learning Management Systems), which is where your students live now.
• They make collaboration easier – Co-teachers, subs, even admin can access the same source of truth.
• They support AI & automation – Tools like Graphy, Canva, and even ChatGPT can plug into your flow.
• They help you scale – Want to teach online or sell your plans? This is your first step.

According to Dr. Monica Burns, EdTech consultant and founder of ClassTechTips, digital plans that integrate with platforms like Google Classroom increased lesson completion by 32% in hybrid settings.

Plus, they save trees. And your sanity.

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Core ingredients of a high-quality digital lesson plan

This isn’t just about slapping some bullet points into Google Docs. Here’s what a solid digital plan includes:

Structuring your digital lesson plan like a pro

You don’t need a template from 1998. You need a flow that reflects modern teaching. Here’s one that works:

1. Title & date: Obvious, but please don’t skip this. Keep your future self sane.
2. Objectives: Make them measurable, realistic, and student-facing.
3. Materials: Links. All of them. No “check Google Drive” notes.
4. Activities:
   • Intro (5 min): Hook (quote, video, quick poll)
   • Core Activity (20 min): Project, reading, discussion
   • Wrap-up (5 min): Reflection or recap quiz
5. Assessment: 3-question Google Form or Flipgrid summary
6. Differentiation tips: Optional readings, extra support links
7. Reflection box (for you): What worked, what bombed, what to repeat

BONUS: Use collapsible toggles in Notion or Google Docs to keep things skimmable.

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The tools to plan your digital lessons

Let’s be real. The right tools make you look like a genius.

The mistakes we’re all making (Let’s stop)

1. Copy-pasting from Word docs with no formatting. Just… no.
2. Link soup: 15 resources with zero context = chaos.
3. Assuming tech works: Always have a low-tech backup.
4. One-size-fits-none: No support for ESL, dyslexic, or neurodiverse students? Not cool.
5. Overplanning: Don’t make it a screenplay. Nobody wants 16 pages.

According to Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy, plans that are flexible, modular, and reflective of student input outperform traditional formats in both engagement and outcomes.

Real-world example (Yes, you can copy this)

Subject: Environmental Science (Grade 10)

Topic: Plastic Pollution

Objective: Students will evaluate the impact of plastic waste and design a local action campaign.

Hook: 2-min video clip of ocean plastics (embedded YouTube)

Tools: Canva (poster), Padlet (brainstorming), Google Docs (reflection journal)

Activities:

• Watch video and comment via Padlet (5 mins)
• Breakout groups research one aspect of plastic impact
• Groups create a digital poster campaign using Canva
• Share back + class vote on the best idea

Assessment: Individual reflection (3 prompts in Google Doc)

Extension: Post designs to school Instagram

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Subject: Algebra I (STEM)

Topic: Solving Linear Equations

Objective: Students will solve one-variable linear equations and explain each step of their reasoning.

Hook: TikTok-style math fail video with exaggerated errors (humorous and relatable)

Tools: Desmos, Google Jamboard, Google Forms quiz

Activities:

• Review video clip and spot the errors (5 mins)
• Use Jamboard to collaboratively solve two example equations
• Students solve a set of equations on Desmos, showing steps
• Peer review: students swap and comment on solution logic

Assessment: Auto-graded quiz on Google Forms

Extension: Challenge problems using real-world budgeting scenarios

Subject: History (Humanities)

Topic: The French Revolution

Objective: Students will analyze causes of the French Revolution and debate whether revolution was inevitable.

Hook: Short dramatic video reenactment (with subtitles for accessibility)

Tools: Google Docs (for debate prep), Canva (timeline poster), Flipgrid (video responses)

Activities:

• Students read primary source quotes
• Small groups create a digital timeline of key events
• Students record short Flipgrid videos arguing one cause was most important

Assessment: Rubric-based evaluation of video responses

Extension: Collaborative “Revolution in Today’s World” comparison essay

Subject: Visual Arts

Topic: Introduction to Digital Collage

Objective: Students will create a digital collage that expresses a personal theme or emotion.

Hook: Slideshow of famous modern digital collages + music overlay

Tools: Canva, Padlet (inspiration board), Google Drive (submission folder)

Activities:

• Brainstorm personal theme and upload inspirations to Padlet
• Explore layering, transparency, and texture in Canva
• Create and submit a digital collage

Assessment: Peer feedback + self-reflection form

Extension: Online gallery exhibit with class curation roles

What the experts say

“A digital lesson plan isn’t just about digitizing content. It’s about rethinking the experience.”

Dr. Catlin Tucker, blended learning expert and author of Balance with Blended Learning

“Backward design is your friend. Start with outcomes, then fill in your tech and tasks.”

Jay McTighe, co-author of Understanding by Design

“Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles make digital lesson plans more inclusive.”

CAST.org, the founding body behind UDL

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FAQs

Q: How long should a digital lesson plan be?
A: One to two scrolls max. If it needs an index, it’s too long.

Q: Can I reuse plans year after year?
A: Absolutely—if you update tools, links, and outcomes for relevancy.

Q: What platform is best for selling lesson plans?
A: Try Graphy, TeachersPayTeachers, or even a Notion-based membership.

Q: Can AI help me create lesson plans?
A: Yes! Use ChatGPT to draft objectives, quiz questions, and activities. Just don’t let it replace your judgment.

Also read: Will AI Content Creation Erase Human Content Creation?

Final Thoughts: Plan Like Beyoncé, Deliver Like Shonda Rhimes

Look, teaching is already hard. Planning should be the fun part. With the right structure, tools, and tone, your digital lesson plan can do more than just sit in a folder. It can:

• Empower students to own their learning
• Save you hours in the long run
• Become the foundation for online courses or income streams

Teaching is a craft. But digital planning? That’s your choreography.

Now go build it. The internet is watching (and so are your students).