Your introduction should include an outline of daily activities; but it is equally important to explain the purpose of these activities. Why do students need to practice critical reading in a writing class? How will their writing benefit from learning to analyze the rhetorical context surrounding a text? Without explanations, students wonder if their time would be better spent at home eating cheese puffs.

Methods for introducing class:

Write an outline on the board, "What we'll do today" to provide a clear focus and keep the class on track.
List activities on an overhead and uncover them as you address each one.
Have students summarize what you did last class and how it connects to the upcoming essay. Then, explain how the next lesson will build on that.

Outline of lesson plan with transitions and introduction