What is the purpose of a lesson plan's objectives and how should they be written?

• A. Objectives specify expected learning outcomes; they should be SMART and aligned with standards
• B. Objectives summarize test results
• C. Objectives list classroom rules only
• D. Objectives describe teacher preferences

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that lesson plan objectives define what students should be able to know or do by the end of the lesson and they guide both instruction and assessment. Good objectives state the expected learning outcomes and are written as SMART statements—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. They also align with the relevant standards, so what you teach connects to broader curricular expectations. When objectives are observable and action-oriented, you can choose appropriate activities and assessments to determine whether students have achieved the target, using concrete criteria or rubrics. This clarity helps students understand what success looks like and gives you a reliable way to measure progress. In contrast, goals that merely describe tests, classroom rules, or personal preferences don’t specify what students should learn or how that learning will be demonstrated, so they don’t effectively drive instruction or assessment.