Chess lesson plans for academy coaches
Teach64 includes 363 ready-to-teach chess sessions across Explorer and Challenger, with puzzle exercises, discussion questions, activities, homework and coach notes. Review the plan before class, then teach from the console.
Review before class. Teach from the console.
Preparing a lesson
- choose a topic
- find positions
- write questions
- plan an activity
- set homework
A coach prepares the material and decides how it fits the group. Those steps are included in each Teach64 session plan.
Using a session plan
- review
- open the console
- teach
- adapt
- assign homework
Review the plan before class, teach from the console and adapt the pacing to your students.
During classGuided practice and puzzle work are untimed, so coaches can adjust them to the group.
What each session plan includes
Use the lesson outline, graded positions and coach notes to prepare and teach each class.
01What to teach next
Sessions after the first list their prerequisites. The deepest session lists 11.
Check what the group should know before class.
02Which positions to use
Explorer: 1,640 graded positions: 557 Foundation, 646 Core and 437 Challenge.
Choose practice that suits the group.
03How the lesson is organized
Most sessions use eight parts. The 1,701 lesson parts cover the warm-up, introduction, explanation, discussion, guided practice, positions, activity and homework.
Follow a familiar outline across sessions.
04Questions for discussion
1,247 questions are included in Explorer sessions.
Use the prompts to lead discussion.
05Common mistakes
213 Explorer sessions include misconceptions and typical student mistakes.
Prepare for likely questions and responses.
06Ways to adapt the lesson
213 Explorer sessions include suggestions for simplifying the material.
Adjust the session when students need more support.
07Extensions for advanced students
213 Explorer sessions include extension notes.
Give students who are ready for more a next step.
08Homework
All 213 Explorer sessions include homework in three forms. 171 also include an optional challenge.
Assign follow-up practice after class.
09Learning objectives
1,005 stated outcomes describe what students should be able to do.
Keep the goal of each lesson clear.
the week
Use the teaching console during class
The Teach view keeps the lesson outline, board and coach notes together while you teach. The controls stay visible as you move through the session.
Prep is the document to review before class. Teach is the console for the room.
- Solutions stay hidden until you reveal them. Give students time to solve the position first.
- Timed parts have their own clock. The console shows the planned time for each timed part.
- Step through a solution line. Use the arrow keys to move through the sequence on the board.
- Copy positions and game lines. Copy a board as FEN or the full line as PGN for another teaching screen.
- Jump between positions. Move through the session and return to a position without losing your place.
- Open a lesson part directly. Select a part to go to it in the session plan.
Choose a teaching track for each group
Explorer contains 213 sessions; Challenger has its own 150-session sequence. Choose smaller steps for younger learners or faster foundations and earlier full games for older beginners.
Choose a track for the group, then use the graded Foundation, Core and Challenge positions to match practice to the students in the room.
5–8 minute blocks. Foundation and Core build readiness; Challenge is optional independent stretch. Mini-games first, then full games when ready. 213 Explorer sessions.
60-minute lessons with practical play. Warm-up, Foundation and Core, then optional independent Challenge stretch. Guided full games from C004; notation from C006. 150 sessions in their own sequence.
Choose a course for each group; use readiness as well as age.
Use age as a guide.Set the track for the group, then adjust for an individual student's level when needed.
Support during class. Practice after it.
Alongside the curriculum and teaching console, the Teach64 Coaching Assistant brings live tracking to Chess.com Classroom through a Chrome extension preview.
- Live board tracking Extension preview
- Follow the visible classroom board and review a timestamped timeline of positions. Sample lesson matching connects supported positions to Teach64 exercises.
- Class transcripts and coaching reports Extension preview
- With participant consent, the extension supports English and Urdu transcripts linked to board evidence, plus editable reports for the coach to review.
- Printable homework PDFs Available
- Download a worksheet for every Explorer and Challenger lesson from Homework PDFs in the academy workspace. Growth, Scale and Enterprise plans can use an academy logo.
- Personalized homework Coming soon
- Planned practice tailored to each student, so coaches can set homework around the skills that need more attention.
The extension is in testing and is not yet listed in the Chrome Web Store. Ask about the extension.
Coach responsibilities and current product limits
The curriculum provides the lesson plan. Coaches lead the class and adapt it to their students.
What coaches handle
- Lead the class. Coaches explain the lesson, guide discussion and respond to students.
- Set the pace. Guided practice and puzzle work have no fixed time.
- Use knowledge of the group. Coach notes describe common responses, not what a specific student will think.
Planned, not available yet
- Personalized homework tailored to each student.
- Printed coach and student books.
- Recording completed sessions or tracking student progress.
- Parent reports.