Chunking lesson structure: How Atomi designs short, sharp lessons that drive engagement

In recent years, the way students digest and retain information has changed dramatically. They’re scrolling, tapping, watching and absorbing content at record speed—and their attention spans have shifted to match.

Recent data shows that 91% of teenagers aged 14 to 18 spend more than three hours a day on their phones. TikTok’s average video length? Just 42.7 seconds — with the sweet spot for peak engagement sitting somewhere between 21 and 34 seconds. So, it’s no wonder long, uninterrupted lessons often lose students' focus.

But here’s the thing: We’re not trying to compete with social media. We’re here to teach effectively in a world where students expect learning to be fast, focused and flexible.

So, how can we meet students where they’re at without sacrificing depth in our lessons?

At Atomi, we utilise chunking: a powerful strategy that breaks down big topics into small, manageable pieces. It’s backed by cognitive science and is a game-changer for modern classrooms.

In this guide, we’ll explore:

• What chunking is and why it works
• How we apply it to create structured, engaging Atomi lessons
• Practical tips for using chunking in your own classroom

What is chunking?

Chunking is the practice of breaking your content into smaller, bite-sized segments to reduce cognitive load. It’s an explicit teaching strategy that maximises students’ capacity to process multiple pieces of information over time. 

Rather than tackling a topic all at once, chunking breaks it into clear parts focused on just one idea or skill. Students learn one chunk and then move on to the next logical chunk with confidence.

The approach is rooted in cognitive psychology. Our working memory is limited— famously summarised by Miller’s 7 ± 2 theory, which suggests that the average person can hold about seven (plus or minus two) items in their minds at any one time. More recent research, however, places that limit closer to four. 

Chunking helps us stay within those limits, reducing overload and making it easier for students to absorb and apply what they’re learning.

Why is chunking an effective way to build lesson plans? 

Aligns with modern attention spans

Today’s students are used to quick content—think Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok videos. Their brains are wired to scan and absorb small bits of info. Chunking mirrors this habit, making it easier for students (especially in younger year levels) to stay engaged.

Boosts comprehension and memory

Research consistently shows that breaking information into meaningful chunks helps students understand it better and remember it for longer. Chunking also reduces cognitive load and makes it easier to move new learning from short-term memory into long-term memory. 

Builds momentum and motivation

Each chunk acts as a mini-milestone. As students complete a section, they can tick it off mentally, which keeps them motivated and gives them a clear sense of progress throughout the lesson. 

Supports different learning speeds

Not every learner moves at the same pace. Some students will breeze through the chunks. Others might need more time to pause, practise or review. Chunking makes it easy to adapt by catering to both without losing the flow of your lesson.

How we design short, sharp lessons at Atomi 

At Atomi, chunking is a core part of how we design every lesson. As Darcy Campbell, Curriculum Lead at Atomi, puts it:

We are made to engage with learners today.  We draw on well-established, up-to-date research into explicit teaching and the role of technology to create lessons that break content into short, sharp segments.

Start small, end strong

Each Atomi lesson is between five and 15 minutes long and is split into smaller sections, each focused on one concept or skill. We start simple and then build up to more complex ideas, helping students feel confident as they move through each chunk.

“We’re mindful of students’ ‘TikTok brains,’” says Sarah-Eleni Zaferis, Teacher and School Enablement Leader at Atomi. “They’re used to quick bursts of information. But that doesn’t mean we dilute the content—it just means we present it in a way that lets them build mastery step by step.”

Checkpoints and recaps to boost understanding

Throughout each lesson, we add short quizzes, summaries, open-ended questions or moments for reflection. These checkpoints ensure students pause, process what they’ve learned and check their understanding before moving on. This is crucial to moving information into students’ long-term memories.

Use a consistent structure across subjects and year levels

Every Atomi lesson follows a clear structure: introduction, key teaching points, worked examples, a checkpoint and a conclusion. This consistency means students know what to expect from each chunk of information, so they can spend less time working out the format and more time learning.

Adjust the difficulty based on students' needs

We design lessons that scale in difficulty, with easier chunks of information at the beginning of the lesson that progress to more difficult chunks towards the end of the lesson. This way, students can start at a position that suits them.  

“Research shows that lessons with ‘low floors and high ceilings’ are a helpful tool for teaching students of all abilities,” Darcy explains. “Basically, by breaking our lessons up into chunks that start easy and get more difficult, all students can take something away from the content without getting over- or under-loaded.”

5 practical tips for using chunking in lesson planning

You don’t need to reinvent your entire teaching approach to apply chunking. A few small tweaks can make your lesson plans more digestible, focused and engaging for every learner. Here are five ways to bring chunking into the classroom.

Tip 1. Break your lesson into clear steps

Rather than one long session with multiple objectives, split your lesson into smaller parts (around 5–10 minutes each). Start with your main goal, then map out the steps needed to get there.

This approach makes it easier to adjust pacing as needed—you can combine or slow down chunks depending on how students are tracking.

Tip 2. Mix up activity formats

Each chunk doesn’t have to look the same. Start with a short explainer, move into a video or demo, and wrap up with a quick reflection or group discussion. The best chunks let students apply what they’ve just learned.

Keep each chunk short—three slides max if you’re presenting or two to five minutes for a video (up to 10 for older students).

Tip 3. Add checkpoints to test understanding

Quick checks for learning help make sure students are ready for the next chunk. It could be a poll, a thumbs-up/down or a simple multiple-choice question. These micro-moments give you a fast way to see who’s following along.

“Short questions after each chunk keep students switched on, let them measure their own progress and ensure content is moving into their long-term memory,” says Darcy.

Tip 4. Increase complexity as you go

You can still gradually build complexity within a chunked lesson. Start with the basics, then slowly increase the level of challenge to maintain momentum and stretch capable learners.

“If your class is breezing through, combine chunks to build momentum,” Darcy suggests. “But if they’re struggling, slow it down and re-chunk as needed.”

Tip 5. Link each chunk back to your main objective

Chunking shouldn’t feel like standalone pieces. Every part should logically build towards the bigger picture. Start each lesson by identifying that goal, and remind students how each chunk connects back. This helps students see the bigger picture and stay motivated as they move through the steps.

Atomi tip: Try a bridging phrase like: “This next part will show us how to do X, which helps us answer the main question Y,” or “So how does this lead to Y? By doing X.”

Chunking matters

Chunking isn’t just about managing attention spans—it’s a science-backed tool for explicit instruction that makes learning easier, more focused and more effective. By delivering content in small, manageable chunks, we give students room to understand each concept before moving on.

It’s not about ‘dumbing down’ content; it’s about letting students build their capacity step by step, so they can handle more complex material in the long run.

At Atomi, we bring this strategy to life in every lesson. From bite-sized segments and interactive checkpoints to clear visual design and tailored pacing, our platform is built to help students engage with content in ways that work for them—while giving teachers the tools to track progress and tailor support where it’s needed most.

And even as tools like ChatGPT change how students access information, the foundations of good teaching haven’t changed. Research consistently shows that well-structured lessons, grounded in cognitive science, are the best way to build deep, lasting understanding.

Want to dive deeper? Download our complete guide to Cognitive Load Theory to explore the research behind chunking, see how we use it at Atomi, and grab practical strategies to try in your own classroom.