Writing Meaningful Learning
Objectives
Eisenhower High School
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
3:15-4:15 PM
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Agenda
1. Welcome – Teresa Lance
2. Road mapping of PD opportunities for 2012-
2013 – Teresa Lance
3. Writing Meaningful Learning Objectives –
Mac Moore
4. Evaluation – Teresa Lance
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This Afternoon’s Objective
Following implicit instruction in what makes a meaningful learning objective and demonstrations of how to write them, participants will
1. work in groups to analyze and, if necessary, improve an objective from today’s lesson;
2. share their work with the larger group.
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What is a meaningful learning objective?
Meaningful learning objectives contain specific, observable, and measurable learning outcomes.
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Four Components:
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here “standard” means measurable action)
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Checklist for Meaningful Learning
Objectives
1. Does it contain the four basic parts (condition, audience, behavior, standard) stated in precise, observable, measurable terms?
2. Is the objective aligned to state standards and/or Common Core standards?
3. Does it tell what the learner will be able to do at the end of the lesson?
4. Is it realistically obtainable during the activity?
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Sample SS Objective
Summarize changed perceptions of Africa
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample SS Objective
Students will summarize their changed perceptions of Africa.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample SS Objective
After reading a variety of passages and constructing maps, students will summarize their changed perceptions of Africa.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
9

Sample SS Objective
After reading a variety of passages and constructing maps, students will summarize their changed perceptions of Africa through an oral presentation to the class .
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Checklist for Meaningful Learning
Objectives
After reading a variety of passages and constructing maps, students will summarize their changed perceptions of Africa through an oral presentation to the class .
1. Does it contain the four basic parts (condition, audience, behavior, standard) stated in precise, observable, measurable terms?
2. Is the objective aligned to state standards and/or
Common Core standards?
3. Does it tell what the learner will be able to do at the end of the lesson?
4. Is it realistically obtainable during the activity?
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Sample Math Objective
Students will measure and calculate the surface area of rectangular prisms found around the house.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample Math Objective
Having taught the appropriate formulas and established their practical use , students will measure and calculate the surface area of rectangular prisms found around the house.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
13

Checklist for Meaningful Learning
Objectives
Having taught the appropriate formulas and established their practical use , students will measure and calculate the surface area of rectangular prisms found around the house .
1. Does it contain the four basic parts (condition, audience, behavior, standard) stated in precise, observable, measurable terms?
2. Is the objective aligned to state standards and/or
Common Core standards?
3. Does it tell what the learner will be able to do at the end of the lesson?
4. Is it realistically obtainable during the activity?
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Sample Science Objective
Analyze how humans interact with the water, carbon , and energy cycles.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample Science Objective
Students will analyze how humans interact with the water, carbon, and energy cycles.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample Science Objective
Students will analyze how humans interact with the water, carbon, and energy cycles by adding the effects of teacher created scenarios to their drawings.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample Science Objective
Using drawings they have already created, students will analyze how humans interact with the water, carbon, and energy cycles by adding the effects of teacher created scenarios to their drawings.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Checklist for Meaningful Learning
Objectives
Using drawings they have already created, students will analyze how humans interact with the water, carbon, and energy cycles by adding the effects of teacher created scenarios to their drawings.
1. Does it contain the four basic parts (condition, audience, behavior, standard) stated in precise, observable, measurable terms?
2. Is the objective aligned to state standards and/or
Common Core standards?
3. Does it tell what the learner will be able to do at the end of the lesson?
4. Is it realistically obtainable during the activity?
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Sample ELA Objective
Demonstrate understanding of words from context clues.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample ELA Objective
Students will demonstrate understanding of words from context clues
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample ELA Objective
Following a review of types of context clues and signal words, students will demonstrate understanding of words from context clues
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Sample ELA Objective
Following a review of types of context clues and signal words, students will complete context clue tasks in order demonstrate understanding of words from context clues.
1. conditions (the set-up for success),
2. audience (students),
3. behavior (the action verb – the most important element),
4. standard (here
“standard” means measurable action)
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Checklist for Meaningful Learning
Objectives
Following a review of types of context clues and signal words, students will complete context clue tasks in order demonstrate understanding of words from context clues.
1. Does it contain the four basic parts (condition, audience, behavior, standard) stated in precise, observable, measurable terms?
2. Is the objective aligned to state standards and/or
Common Core standards?
3. Does it tell what the learner will be able to do at the end of the lesson?
4. Is it realistically obtainable during the activity?
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Give It a Try: Objective
Following implicit instruction in what makes a meaningful learning objective and demonstrations of how to write them, participants will
1. work in groups to analyze and, if necessary, improve an objective from today’s lesson;
2. share their work with the larger group.
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Give It a Try: Directions
1. Work in groups, no larger than four.
2. Pick one objective from a lesson plan taught today.
3. Analyze it to see if it has all four parts, if not, work together to add them.
4. Check it against the Checklist for Meaningful
Objectives.
5. Record your final product on a sheet of chart paper, underlining the original objective.
6. Share out with the larger group 1) what your group started with and 2) how you changed it and why.
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Give It a Try: Sample
After reading a variety of passages and constructing maps, students will summarize their changed perceptions of
Africa through an oral presentation to the class.
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Give It a Try: Share Out
BRIEFLY
1. Share the original objective.
2. Share your final product and the thinking that went into it.
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Closure
1. How has your thinking about objective writing changed?
2. Any “Aha!” moments?
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Need Additional Assistance or
Reassurance?
Contact your instructional coaches:
• Chuck Force
• Carrie Hogue
• Mac Moore
• Diana Roth
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Evaluation
1. Please complete your evaluation.
2. Make sure you have the CPDU form.
Next Professional Development:
Date: Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Time: 3:15-4:15 PM
Topic: Rigor and Relevance
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