Key takeaways
- A Session Plan plans one lesson in detail. It zooms in on one row of your Learning Plan.
- The most common structure is BOPPPS: Bridge-in, Objectives, Pre-assessment, Participatory learning, Post-assessment, Summary.
- Most of the time goes to participatory learning, where trainees actually practise.
- Outcomes must be specific and observable, and the post-assessment checks them before trainees leave.
- Some institutions use the KSTVET format: introduction, session delivery, session review and follow-up.
If the Learning Plan is the map for the whole term, the Session Plan is the turn-by-turn directions for one lesson. It's the document you teach from, the one a supervisor reads when they observe your class, and the clearest evidence that your teaching is planned, active and checked. This guide explains exactly what goes into a session plan, the BOPPPS model stage by stage, and how to write a good one.
What is a Session Plan?
A Session Plan is a detailed plan for a single teaching session of a unit of competency. It takes one row of your Learning Plan (a session title and its learning outcome) and plans precisely how that session will run: how you'll open it, what you and the trainees will do minute by minute, the learning aids and safety requirements, how you'll check learning, and how you'll close.
How it fits
Curriculum + OS → Learning Plan (whole term) → Session Plan (one lesson) → Record of Work (what was actually taught). Each session plan should match a session in your learning plan.
The session plan header
Every session plan starts with identifying details, so the plan can be filed and matched with the learning plan and record of work:
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Course / programme | The programme name from the curriculum |
| Unit of competency and code | Exactly as in your learning plan |
| Module and level | The module (e.g. Module I) and KNQF level |
| Name of trainer and department | You and your department |
| Class and number of trainees | The class code and how many trainees |
| Session title | The session title from the learning plan |
| Date and duration | When the session runs and how long it is (e.g. 120 minutes) |
| Learning outcomes | "By the end of the session, the trainee will be able to:" i), ii), iii) |
| Learning aids / materials, references, safety | What you need, where the content comes from, and any safety requirements |
The BOPPPS model, stage by stage
BOPPPS is a lesson structure used widely in competency-based training because it keeps every session focused on outcomes, keeps trainees active, and checks learning before they leave. Here are the six stages, what each is for, and examples for a session on types of electrical circuits.
B — Bridge-in
Purpose: grab attention and connect the session to something trainees know or care about, so they see why it matters.
Ideas: a real problem, a short story from the workplace, a picture, a surprising question, a link to last session.
Example: "Why does one blown bulb switch off a whole string of old Christmas lights, but one blown bulb in your house doesn't turn off every other light?"
O — Objectives (learning outcomes)
Purpose: tell trainees exactly what they'll be able to do by the end.
How: two or three specific, observable outcomes with action verbs.
Example: By the end of the session, the trainee will be able to: i) identify series, parallel and series-parallel circuits; ii) connect a simple series and parallel circuit; iii) state one advantage of each type.
P — Pre-assessment
Purpose: find out what trainees already know so you can pitch the session correctly.
Ideas: three quick questions, a show of hands, sorting cards, a two-minute sketch.
Example: Trainees sketch a circuit with a battery, a switch and two bulbs. You look at who draws series and who draws parallel.
P — Participatory learning
Purpose: the main body of the session, where trainees actively learn and practise the skill. This takes most of the time.
How: plan it as a sequence of steps, each with a time, the trainer activity, the trainee activity and the learning aids.
| Time | Trainer activity | Trainee activity | Learning aids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 min | Explains and demonstrates a series circuit; highlights safety | Observe, ask questions, note key points | Demo board, bulbs, cells, chart |
| 25 min | Guides pairs; checks connections | Connect series and parallel circuits; observe bulb brightness | Breadboards, bulbs, cells, wires |
| 20 min | Poses "what happens if…" problems | Remove a bulb in each circuit, record and explain results | Worksheets |
| 15 min | Facilitates feedback | Groups present findings and compare circuit types | Flip chart |
P — Post-assessment
Purpose: check that each outcome was achieved, before trainees leave.
Ideas: each trainee identifies circuit types from diagrams; a short practical check; an exit question.
Example: Trainees label five circuit diagrams and connect one parallel circuit while you observe with a checklist.
S — Summary
Purpose: pull the session together, link it to the next one, and set any follow-up.
Example: Trainees state one difference between series and parallel circuits; you preview Ohm's law for next session and set a short assignment.
How to time a BOPPPS session
There is no fixed rule, but the principle is clear: keep the opening and closing tight, and give most of the time to participatory learning. A typical split:
| Stage | 60-minute session | 120-minute session |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge-in | 3–5 min | 5–10 min |
| Objectives | 2–3 min | 5 min |
| Pre-assessment | 5 min | 10 min |
| Participatory learning | 35–40 min | 70–80 min |
| Post-assessment | 5–8 min | 10–15 min |
| Summary | 3–5 min | 5–10 min |
The KSTVET session plan format
Some institutions use the KSTVET session plan format instead of BOPPPS. It plans the same lesson under different headings:
- Introduction: settling trainees, linking to previous learning and stating the outcomes.
- Session delivery: the step-by-step trainer and trainee activities, with times and learning aids.
- Session review: checking that the outcomes were met and summarising.
- Follow-up: assignments, further practice and links to the next session.
If you can write a good BOPPPS plan, you can write a good KSTVET plan: the thinking is the same. Use the format your institution asks for.
Writing good session outcomes
Session outcomes are the part most often written badly. A good outcome is specific, observable and achievable within the session.
| Weak outcome | Why it's weak | Better outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Understand circuits | "Understand" can't be observed | Identify series, parallel and series-parallel circuits from diagrams |
| Know Ohm's law | Doesn't say what trainees will do with it | Calculate current, voltage or resistance using Ohm's law |
| Learn about PPE | Too broad, no standard | Select and correctly wear the PPE required for a soldering task |
| Apply basic electronics | That's the whole unit, not one session | Connect and test a simple LED circuit with a current-limiting resistor |
Useful action verbs: identify, list, describe, explain, select, connect, measure, calculate, assemble, test, demonstrate, operate, inspect, repair, record, compare.
How to write a Session Plan, step by step
- Pick the session from your Learning Plan
Note its week, session number, title and learning outcome.
- Write two or three session outcomes
Specific and observable, a slice of the curriculum outcome that fits the time.
- Decide how you'll check them
Plan the post-assessment first, so the session builds towards it.
- Plan the participatory learning
A sequence of timed steps where trainees do most of the work. Add learning aids and safety notes.
- Plan the bridge-in and pre-assessment
A hook that matters to trainees, and a quick way to find their starting point.
- Plan the summary and follow-up
Key points, a link to the next session and any assignment.
- Check the timing adds up
The stages should total your session length.
- After teaching, reflect
Note what worked, what didn't, and update your Learning Plan's reflections and your Record of Work.
Common mistakes to avoid
- A "lecture" disguised as participatory learning. If trainees' activity is only "listen and take notes", the session isn't participatory.
- No real pre- or post-assessment. "Ask questions" is not a plan. Write the actual questions or task.
- Too many outcomes for the time available.
- Timings that don't add up to the session length.
- No link to the Learning Plan: the session title and outcome should match a row in it.
- Safety left out of practical sessions.
Generating Session Plans with CBET Planner
Writing a full BOPPPS plan for every session of every unit is one of the biggest time costs in CBET. CBET Planner generates them from your Learning Plan:
- Upload your Learning Plan
CBET Planner reads its sessions, so session plans match the plan exactly.
- Pick BOPPPS or KSTVET
And the week and session, or choose Mass Generation for the whole plan.
- Pay with M-Pesa
KES 10 per session plan, or KES 9 each with Mass Generation.
- Download and adjust
Editable Word or PDF, ready to teach from.
Next: how to keep an honest record of what you actually taught. Continue with Part 5: What is a Record of Work?
Frequently asked questions
What is a session plan?
A session plan is a detailed plan for one lesson (one session) of a unit. It states the session's learning outcomes and sets out step by step how the session will run: how it opens, what the trainer and trainees do, the time for each part, the learning aids needed, how learning is checked, and how it closes.
What does BOPPPS stand for?
BOPPPS stands for Bridge-in, Objectives (or outcomes), Pre-assessment, Participatory learning, Post-assessment and Summary. It is a six-stage structure for planning a lesson so that it is focused, active and checked.
How long should each BOPPPS stage be?
Most of the time should go to participatory learning. For a 120-minute session a typical split is about 5 to 10 minutes for the bridge-in, 5 minutes for objectives, 10 minutes for pre-assessment, 70 to 80 minutes for participatory learning, 10 to 15 minutes for post-assessment and 5 to 10 minutes for the summary. Adjust to the session.
How many learning outcomes should a session have?
Usually two or three specific, observable outcomes. A single session cannot cover a whole curriculum learning outcome; it delivers one slice of it, so the session's outcomes should be small enough to achieve and check within the time.
What is the difference between the BOPPPS and KSTVET session plan formats?
BOPPPS organises the session into Bridge-in, Objectives, Pre-assessment, Participatory learning, Post-assessment and Summary. The KSTVET format organises it into an introduction, session delivery, session review and follow-up. Both plan the same lesson; use the format your institution requires.
Can I generate session plans from my learning plan?
Yes. In CBET Planner you upload your learning plan, choose the week and session, pick BOPPPS or KSTVET, and generate the session plan for KES 10, or generate every session in the plan at once with Mass Generation for KES 9 per session.