TEKS Lesson Plan Template for Texas Teachers (Free)

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A Texas lesson plan starts from one TEKS student expectation, cited the way the Texas Administrative Code numbers it. Download our free template, then use the decoded citation and the grade 4 example below.

How to read and cite a TEKS

Every TEKS lives in Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code, one chapter per subject. Inside each grade's section, numbered knowledge and skills statements hold lettered student expectations. The expectation is what you plan and assess.

How to read a TEKS citation: 19 TAC §111.6(b)(3)(A)

Part	What it means
The citation, piece by piece
19 TAC	Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code, the education rules
Chapter 111	Mathematics TEKS
§111.6	Grade 4 mathematics, adopted 2012
(b)	The knowledge and skills section
(3)	Knowledge and skills statement: number and operations, fractions
(A)	Student expectation: represent a fraction a/b as a sum of fractions 1/b

The citation, piece by piece

19 TAC
Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code, the education rules
Chapter 111
Mathematics TEKS
§111.6
Grade 4 mathematics, adopted 2012
(b)
The knowledge and skills section
(3)
Knowledge and skills statement: number and operations, fractions
(A)
Student expectation: represent a fraction a/b as a sum of fractions 1/b

Teachers often shorten it to 4.3A. Use the full citation where your district asks for it.

One rule trips up planners: in the TEKS, examples after "including" must be taught, while examples after "such as" are only suggestions. That is why 4.3A says "including when a > b": fractions greater than 1 are part of the standard.

TEKS chapters by subject

Chapter	Subject
Title 19, Texas Administrative Code
Chapter 110	English language arts and reading
Chapter 111	Mathematics
Chapter 112	Science
Chapter 113	Social studies
Chapter 114	Languages other than English
Chapter 115 and 116	Health and physical education
Chapter 117	Fine arts
Chapter 120	Other TEKS, including the new ELPS
Chapter 126	Technology applications
Chapter 127	Career and technical education
Chapter 128	Spanish language arts and reading, and ESL

Title 19, Texas Administrative Code

Chapter 110
English language arts and reading
Chapter 111
Mathematics
Chapter 112
Science
Chapter 113
Social studies
Chapter 114
Languages other than English
Chapter 115 and 116
Health and physical education
Chapter 117
Fine arts
Chapter 120
Other TEKS, including the new ELPS
Chapter 126
Technology applications
Chapter 127
Career and technical education
Chapter 128
Spanish language arts and reading, and ESL

What Texas law says about lesson plans

Texas Education Code §11.164 limits paperwork. A district can require a unit or weekly lesson plan that outlines what you will teach "in a brief and general manner", and a plan built into adopted instructional materials can meet that requirement. Districts set their own formats on top, so check your campus template. The Texas AFT summarizes what can and cannot be required.

ELPS have moved. The English Language Proficiency Standards were in 19 TAC §74.4. That section was repealed on August 1, 2026, and the ELPS now sit in §120.20 for kindergarten to grade 3 and §120.21 for grades 4 to 12, with five proficiency levels instead of four. Update any template that still cites §74.4.

A filled-in TEKS lesson plan example

Here is the template filled in for one grade 4 math lesson on 4.3A.

Example: Grade 4 math, fractions as sums of unit fractions (50 minutes)

Field	In this lesson
TEKS and goals
Chapter and section	19 TAC §111.6, Grade 4 Mathematics
Knowledge and skills	(b)(3) Number and operations: represent and generate fractions to solve problems
Student expectation	(A) Represent a fraction a/b as a sum of fractions 1/b, including when a > b
ELPS	Students explain their fraction model aloud to a partner with sentence stems
Objective	Students will write any fraction as a sum of unit fractions and show it with a model.
Success criteria	I can write 5/4 as 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 and draw it.
Lesson sequence
0 to 8 min	Warm-up: shade 3/4 of a bar. Ask how many fourths are shaded.
8 to 20 min	Model 3/4 = 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 with fraction strips, then 5/4, which is more than one whole.
20 to 35 min	Pairs decompose six fractions with strips and record the sums. Sentence stem: "___ is the same as..."
35 to 45 min	On their own, students write and draw four fractions, including two greater than 1.
45 to 50 min	Exit ticket: write 7/3 as a sum of unit fractions and draw it.

TEKS and goals

Chapter and section
19 TAC §111.6, Grade 4 Mathematics
Knowledge and skills
(b)(3) Number and operations: represent and generate fractions to solve problems
Student expectation
(A) Represent a fraction a/b as a sum of fractions 1/b, including when a > b
ELPS
Students explain their fraction model aloud to a partner with sentence stems
Objective
Students will write any fraction as a sum of unit fractions and show it with a model.
Success criteria
I can write 5/4 as 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 and draw it.

Lesson sequence

0 to 8 min
Warm-up: shade 3/4 of a bar. Ask how many fourths are shaded.
8 to 20 min
Model 3/4 = 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 with fraction strips, then 5/4, which is more than one whole.
20 to 35 min
Pairs decompose six fractions with strips and record the sums. Sentence stem: "___ is the same as..."
35 to 45 min
On their own, students write and draw four fractions, including two greater than 1.
45 to 50 min
Exit ticket: write 7/3 as a sum of unit fractions and draw it.

Make TEKS-aligned lessons in Chalkie

Chalkie aligns lessons and worksheets to the TEKS on Pro. Pick Texas, your grade and the student expectation, and it builds a slide deck with images, checks for understanding and a matching worksheet. See it for TEKS-aligned lessons.

Four slides from a 4th grade measurement lesson made in Chalkie A 4th grade measurement lesson made in Chalkie.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Texas lesson plan have to include?

State law lets a district require a unit or weekly lesson plan that outlines content in a brief and general manner. Districts add their own formats, and most ask for the TEKS student expectation.

How do you write TEKS in a lesson plan?

Give the chapter and section, the knowledge and skills statement, and the student expectation with its text, for example 19 TAC §111.6(b)(3)(A), or 4.3A for short.

Do I have to include ELPS in my lesson plans?

The ELPS rule requires language-accommodated instruction, not a lesson plan box. Many districts still ask for ELPS on plans. Since August 1, 2026, the ELPS are in 19 TAC §120.20 and §120.21.

What does TEKS stand for?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills: the state standards for what students should know and be able to do in each subject and grade.

Is Bluebonnet Learning required in Texas?

No. Bluebonnet Learning is Texas's state-developed instructional material, and districts choose whether to adopt it. Where a district has adopted materials with lesson plans, those plans can meet the weekly lesson plan requirement.