Jump to first page 1 n What can a chemistry expert demonstrate or tell you about PV=NRT? n What can a biology expert demonstrate or tell you about Mutations? What are objectives for lesson plans? It’s defining what you want student to learn

Jump to first page 2 Knowledge “nuggets” n Knowledge: Comprehending facts u Student can parrot something the teacher said u Could name parts of a plant u Could solve fill-in-the-blank equations for Boyle’s Gas Law. n Knowledge, students only familiar with an idea-- enough to get them by in a cocktail party conversation. n Verbs in lesson objectives that indicate knowledge is required: know that, name, list, label, define, state, identify.

Jump to first page 3 Some examples of objectives written at level of knowledge nuggets: n Students will know that exothermic chemical reactions release energy. n Students will know that mutation is one mechanism that allows natural selection to continue. n Students will know that scientific models are subject to change over time.

Jump to first page 4 is the ability to think and act flexibly with what one knows. It is a performance as opposed to rote recall or plugging in answers (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998). Understanding

Jump to first page 5 One way to demonstrate understanding?: Explanation n sophisticated and justified accounts of events, actions, and ideas u Why is that so? u What explains such events? u How can we prove it? u To what is this connected? u How does this work? u What is implied?

Jump to first page 6 Examples of objectives written as explanation n A student can explain why ice, water and steam are all the same chemical substance. n A student explains how the phases of the moon occur. n A student supports his theory of how pulleys work by constructing a set of them that will reduce his effort to lift 20 pounds by half.

Jump to first page 7 Another way to demonstrate understanding?: Interpretation n Interpretations and translations that provide meaning. u What does it (a graph, a theory, a scientific argument) mean? u What does it illustrate or illuminate? u How does it relate to me?

Jump to first page 8 Examples n A student can interpret the meaning behind a graph of predator and prey relationships. n A student can understand the arguments of and offer rebuttals to a classmate who believes that light can go around corners.

Jump to first page 9 Another way to demonstrate understanding?: Application n The ability to use knowledge effectively in new situations and diverse contexts. u How and where can we use this knowledge, skill, or process? u How should my thinking and action be modified to meet the demands of this particular situation?

Jump to first page 10 Examples of objectives written as application n A student can diagnose what is wrong with his classmate’s plant growth experiment and offer suggestions for improvement. n A student can use their knowledge of plate tectonics on earth and predict what might be happening in the interior of other planets. n A student recognizes when a science problem about gears requires the use of proportional reasoning that they learned about in math class.

Jump to first page 11 Other types of objectives n You can and should have objectives for: u productive social interaction in the science classroom (listening to group members, sharing equipment with others, respect for others) u safety (knowing what to do in case of a chemical spill, how to use safety equipment) u Values such as stewardship of natural resources, or appreciation of multiple points of view in controversial science issues.

Jump to first page 12 What to think about in writing objectives for lesson plans: u Explain how or why… u Justify statements with evidence… u Make a prediction based on data or a model…. u Support an idea or claim… u Infer based on data… u Illustrate how… u Modify a model or idea… u Synthesize concepts to make summary statement… u Interpret… u Apply an idea or principle… u Analyze outcomes… u Critique an assumption… u Identify assumptions… u Diagnose how something works… u Provide evidence that… u Reorganize… u Create a design for… 1. Focus primarily on intellectual activity that targets understanding

Jump to first page 13 Continued Objectives are things the students will understand or do, not what the teacher will do. 3. Some objectives must necessarily target knowledge nuggets (“students will know that...”) and basic skills, but the most important ones target understanding.

Jump to first page Don’t list “empty” activities-- those that don’t specify intellectual processes “Discuss” “Examine” “Read” “Talk about” “Consider” “Build” <--- These are not ends in themselves, rather, it is through “discussion” or “examination” that learning objectives of real worth are accomplished.

Jump to first page 15 Continued… 5. Typically you will have two to four objectives for most class periods. 6. It is possible to have the same objectives over several class periods. 7. Objectives should not overlap with one another and do not combine two objectives into one statement.

Jump to first page 16 Continued All objectives should be assessable by some means. 9. Objectives, not activity-mania, should drive how you assess and how you teach. Objectives AssessmentLearning Activities