Lesson planner · classroom toolsLearning Objectives Writer
Choose a thinking level and a verb, type what students will learn, and get the objective in five ready-to-use forms: SWBAT, WALT, I can, a lesson opener and ABCD.
Works in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Don't enter students' personal details.
How to write a learning objective
A good learning objective says what students will be able to do by the end of the lesson, using a measurable verb. "Students will be able to compare two fractions using benchmark fractions" can be checked; "students will understand fractions" can't.
- Start from the standard or curriculum statement.
- Choose the thinking level the lesson really asks for, using Bloom's taxonomy.
- Pick an observable verb: identify, explain, solve, compare, justify, design. Avoid "know", "understand" and "learn about".
- Add the content and, if useful, a condition ("using a number line") and a criterion ("with 4 of 5 correct").
The ABCD model
ABCD objectives name the Audience (students), Behavior (the verb and content), Condition (the tools or situation) and Degree (how well). Example: "Given a map of the Nile, students will label three uses of the river with no errors."
Learning objective examples
- Remember: Students will be able to name the eight parts of speech.
- Understand: Students will be able to summarize the main events of a chapter in three sentences.
- Apply: Students will be able to solve two-step word problems involving money.
- Analyze: Students will be able to compare and contrast two characters' motivations using evidence from the text.
- Evaluate: Students will be able to justify which energy source is best for our town.
- Create: Students will be able to design a fair test to find which paper towel is most absorbent.
Frequently asked questions
What is SWBAT?
Short for "Students Will Be Able To", a common way to start a learning objective in US schools.
What makes a learning objective measurable?
An observable verb (such as list, solve or justify) and, ideally, a condition and level of success, so you can tell whether each student met it.
What is the difference between a learning objective and a learning outcome?
They are often used interchangeably. Objectives usually describe the intended learning of a lesson; outcomes describe what students can show at the end of a unit or course.
What is WALT?
"We Are Learning To", a child-friendly way of sharing the objective, common in UK primary schools.