1. What is a learning unit and how is it different from a traditional lesson plan or a unit plan?

Answer: The traditional lesson plan describes the objectives, procedures, materials, and evaluation for a particular class on a particular day. The unit plan describes a broader roadmap of the scope and sequence of the curriculum. The Learning Unit of the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model rests between the two. It provides a well-defined, embellished directive for a particular unit of study.

A Learning Unit provides a short or a long-term conceptual model depending on the content. For example, a first grade teacher may use the model to plan a yearlong thematic learning unit on graphing, with monthly objective connected by broad goals. A fifth grade teacher may use the model to teach a single novel. The advantage of the learning unit is to give teachers the opportunity to advance plan, to think holistically about the content and its delivery. It makes lesson planning more efficient and effective.