The key difference between chapter and lesson is that chapter is a sub-heading of a book while a lesson is a topic under the sub-heading. Chapters are broad and there may be many lessons within a single chapter. But lessons are detailed, specific concepts and one lesson is based on a single objective. Sometimes, we can also define a lesson as a period of learning and teaching.
Key Takeaways
- A chapter is a broader concept than a lesson, as it is a sub-division of a book and may contain many individual topics.
- A lesson is a detailed and specific concept, consisting of one main objective, and can be a sub-section of a chapter or a period of teaching and learning.
- Lessons can be planned or accidental, whereas chapters are usually numbered or titled and included in the table of contents of a book.
What is a Chapter?
The word ‘chapter’ can be identified as a word derived from old French ‘Chapitre’ and ‘Capitulum in Latin. It is considered as one of the main divisions of a piece of writing of relative lengths such as books of law, poetry or prose. A chapter is, therefore, a segment of a book. These segments are often subdivided into sections. Most books with great length have chapters, such as non-fiction books and even school books like textbooks. Many such books almost always contain chapters for ease of reference and navigation, and these chapters are sometimes grouped into several parts as main subdivisions of the book.
Generally, chapters are numbered or titled or both. If numbered, it is generally in Arabic numerals starting with ‘1’on the first page of the chapter. Sometimes these chapters are listed in the table of contents in a book but not always. It was a common practice in older novels to summarize the content of the chapters in the table of contents or at the beginning of the chapter itself.
What is a Lesson?
The word ‘lesson’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Lectio’, which stands for ‘action of reading’. Because of this meaning, it was often used for texts, and at present, any section of a book that is allocated for studies is referred to as a lesson. A lesson is also a systematic period of time where learning is supposed to take place. During this time, students learn new skills and gain new knowledge about various topics. It consists of one or more students and a teacher. They are usually gathered in a class to conduct the lesson. There are various steps in learning anything, and it is a gradual process.
We can also define a lesson as a part into which a course is broken down, a section of a book or an exercise given to a student to study or anything that is for learning. A lesson is an insight into something unfamiliar. Lessons that are taught can be either planned, like teaching or accidental, like a good or a bad experience. Lessons that are planned should be interesting. For that task, ‘edutainment’ can be followed, which involves entertaining mediums as a teaching technique and combining entertainment and education. A planned lesson should have a proper lesson plan, which typically involves the following components.
The aims
The objectives
The number of attendees and the student-teacher ratio
The previous knowledge of the learners
The motivation of the
The time required for each section of teaching and learning
The resources required and available
Catering for the different needs of the individuals
How the lesson is to be evaluated
What is the Difference Between Chapter and Lesson?
The key difference between chapter and lesson is that a chapter is a subheading of a book while a lesson is a topic under that subheading or a period of teaching and learning. Therefore, a chapter is a broader concept than a lesson, which is detailed and specific.
Summary – Chapter vs Lesson
A chapter is a sub-division of a book, and it is considered a central part of a book. In one chapter, there may be many individual topics; therefore, it is a broader concept. Usually, chapters are numbered or titled and are included in the table of contents. A lesson consists of one main objective; therefore, it is a detailed and specific concept. A lesson can be identified as a sub-section concerning a chapter. Otherwise, it can also be identified as a period of teaching and learning. Lessons can be planned or accidental. If planned, it should be interesting and based on a lesson plan. This is the summary of the difference between chapter and lesson.
