The lesson plan objective is a statement that clearly communicates what the students will learn through the course of the lesson. Learning how to write an effective lesson objective can dramatically change the way in which you write lesson plans, as well as impact the amount of student learning. In the end, the student assessment is what should drive your lesson plan objective.
Writing a Lesson Objective Based on Student Assessment
When writing a lesson plan, you should already have a general idea of what you need to teach based on the curriculum or other requirements. Although helpful, this information is not what should be used to write an objective and subsequent lesson plan. You first need to think about the student assessment, and decide what it is that you wish to see the student accomplish at the end of the lesson.
For example, do you wish the student to be able to state the names of all of the states and capitals? Do you wish the students to be able to write a complete sentence? Decide how you will be assessing students, and that will tell you what your objective needs to be. Once you know what you want the students to be able to do, only then can you write your objective.
How to Write a Lesson Plan Objective
When writing an objective, it is imperative that you use words that denote a specific action on the part of the students. If the objective is not measurable, it is not written properly. The lesson objective needs to be based on the student assessment and is therefore quantifiable, a fact that needs to be reflected in the wording of the objective.
Words to Avoid When Writing a Lesson Objective:
- Know
- Understand
Words to Use When Writing a Lesson Objective:
- State
- List
- Create
- Make
- Any specific action verb that is quantifiable
It is important to remember that the lesson plan objective is based on the student assessment. Only with a specific end goal in mind can a lesson plan be effective. The student assessment is not meant to trick the students, but is a measure of how much the students learned during the lesson. If you do not teach students what you want them to be able to specifically do, then the assessment is not appropriate. A well taught lesson should have every student pass the test at the end, and if this does not happen, it is a reflection on the teacher more so than the student.
Read more information about writing effective lesson plans including information on how to write effective assessments.
Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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