Lesson Plan Ideas and the Comprehensive Curriculum

I have recently been wondering how teachers in other states handle their lesson planning. I teach in Louisiana, and we have been instructed to follow a Comprehensive Curriculum. This curriculum is developed by teachers in various districts around the state, and it dictates what we should teach. The concept is that if a student transfers from one district to another, then they will not fall behind. However, sometimes I find that it does not fully meet the needs of my students. If they do not grasp a particular topic, the Comprehensive Curriculum limits the amount of time that I can spend on reteaching, and enrichment activities. Basically, when it says to move to a different topic I have to follow. Granted the curriculum is based upon state G.L.E's and by the end of the year each of these Grade Level Expectations have to be met, but I do not want any of my kids to fall between the cracks because they failed to grasp fundamental concepts.
Though the curriculum allows me the freedom to adapt the lessons to my teaching style, I find that I am so rushed to cover the material that "hands on" activities, "grouping", and engaging lessons are over looked because of the initial time investment that they require. So in the pursuit of becoming a better teacher, I am asking my audience. (If anyone is actually reading...)

• What are some lesson ideas that you simply love?
  
• What are some great 5-10 minute activities that keep your students actively engaged in your lesson?
• How do you quickly group your students, inorder to get the most out of your class period?
• What steps are you taking to make sure that the G.L.E's are being met and properly assessed?
• What resources do you find yourself searching for most often?
• What can I add to Gallimore Learning to make teacher's lives easier?
  

If you would like to have your lesson plans posted to Gallimore Learning, please include them in your comment. I appreciate your time and effort, and I will give you full credit for your idea.
I plan on including a teacher submitted section in the up coming days, and you can be one of the first to be included.

Again, thank you. You are the reason behind the creation of this site. Your hard work and dedication are truly an honor to the profession.