From Beth Lewis,
Your Guide to Elementary Education.
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Definition: Independent Practice is the sixth step in writing an effective lesson plan for the elementary classroom, after defining the Objective, Anticipatory Set, Direct Instruction, Guided Practice, and Closure.

Through Independent Practice, students have a chance to reinforce skills and synthesize their new knowledge by completing a task on their own and away from the teacher's guidance.

In writing the Independence Practice section of the Lesson Plan, consider the following questions:

• Based on observations during Guided Practice, what activities will my students be able to complete on their own?
• How can I provide a new and different context in which the students can practice their new skills?
• How can I offer Independent Practice on a repeating schedule so that the learning is not forgotten?
• How can I integrate the learning objectives from this particular lesson into future projects?

Independent Practice can take the form of a homework assignment or worksheet, but it is also important to think of other ways for students to reinforce and practice the given skills.

Get creative. Try to capture the students interest and capitalize on specific enthusiasms for the topic at hand.

Once you receive the work from Independent Practice, you should assess the results, see where learning may have failed, and use the information you gather to inform future teaching. Without this step, the whole lesson may be for naught.

Examples: Students will complete the Venn Diagram worksheet, categorizing the six listed characteristics of plants and animals.