A candle making lesson plan is essential to teach others about the art of candle making. Whether you're helping a small group of people learn basic skills or teaching a larger class, a lesson plan will keep you on track and ensure that all of the information you want to share will be covered.
What is a Lesson Plan?
A lesson plan outlines every aspect of a course, whether you'll be teaching an ongoing course made up of several lessons, or a single class focused on one specific project. Formal lesson plans used in schools start with an objective, then outline the steps to reach it. This is usually followed by a question and answer period and a final conclusion.
While a candle making plan doesn't need to be quite so detailed, an outline is absolutely necessary to keep yourself and your students on track during the class.
Start by Brainstorming
The first thing you'll need to decide on is what type of candle making project you'll be teaching. Here are some simple ideas to start with:
- Container candles
- Gel candles
- Dipped taper candles
- Votives and tea lights
- Molded candles
- Making candle centerpieces
Before you create a lesson plan, sit down with paper and a pen (or an open computer document) and brainstorm the things that you'll want to cover. Some basic topics should include:
- Introduction
- Supplies and equipment needed
- Safety information
- Specific techniques to complete each project
- Tips and practical advice
- Suggested retailers to purchase supplies for home use
- Storage of supplies, equipment, and finished candles
Once you have an overview of the things you want to cover, you can put everything in order and create your candle making lesson plan.
Beginning the Lesson
The first thing you'll want to do is introduce yourself, especially if you'll be teaching people you aren't familiar with. Even if it's a group of friends, however, an outline of your experience will help everyone get comfortable and confident in your abilities.
The Candle Making Lesson Plan
Whether you're demonstrating how to make a candle and then allowing the others to try it, or everyone is completing the project at the same time, outline each step in detail. This is so that you'll be comfortable that you won't miss anything, and you'll have the basis for printed materials for others to take home with them.
On your own copy of the lesson plan, record how much time you'll be spending on each step. Allow for a bit of extra time with each step for students to ask questions or troubleshoot any problems they may be having.
As you go along, make note of all safety hazards and other tips that will ensure safe candle making. Remember, the people you are teaching will eventually go home and try these projects on their own, so you want to make sure they're aware of any potential dangers.
The Right Amount of Information
One important aspect of creating a lesson plan for candle making is to keep your audience in mind. Beginners like to have a lot of basic information and simple steps so that they can follow along without getting confused. Experienced candle makers who are looking for new techniques will already have the basics covered, so you can get into more detail.
Try not to pack too much into your lesson plan. It's better to finish the lesson a little bit early than to overwhelm your audience with too much information. You can always provide extra take-home sheets with further suggestions if you feel you need to.
Be Flexible and Learn From Students
As you continue to teach more candle making lessons, your lesson plans will likely change. Certain steps may take longer for people to master than you anticipated, for example. Keep your lesson plans as flexible as possible, allowing for changes where necessary.
