1.2: Writing Instructional Objectives for National Standards

We begin with sample items drawn from the national standards of the major content and CEC areas, break them down to behavioral terms, and transfer them into long-term and, finally, short-term instructional objectives. This conversation process can be easily applied to the standards of any particular state. We now demonstrate this process for each of the major content areas, as well as the CEC areas of daily living skills and employability training.

Mathematics

Many of the examples used here are paraphrased or taken directly from the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000). This important document, originally released in 1989 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), has been adopted in most states.

The following example is taken from the Measurement Standard for Grades 3-5, a verbatim portion of the actual standard.

National Standard

Each and every student should: use models, benchmarks, and equivalent forms to judge the size of fractions. (p. 148)

First, we modify this standard to include an evidenced understanding of appropriate models, benchmarks, and equivalent forms for determining equivalence.

Modified National Standard

The student will evidence an understanding of appropriate models, benchmarks, and equivalent forms to determine the size of fractions.

We use the term evidence to indicate that the student must show that he/she has met predetermined criteria for fulfilling the standard through observable behaviors. This term is used again in the long-term objective for continuity and to ensure student performance in determining measurements through the discovery of means and tools for measuring complex objects.

Long-term Objective

The student will evidence an understanding of determining the relative size of fractions through the discovery of means and tools for representing fractions.

As you see, this long-term objective includes the original standard while providing for a diversity of means for its fulfillment through short-term instructional objectives. The following objective illustrates how a high level of specificity can still include the components of the original standard.

Short-term Instructional Objective

Given a set of Cuisenaire rods, the student will compare two proper fractions and then state which is greater by orally citing at least one reason for his choice. This objective contains conditions (“Given a set of Cuisenaire rods”) behavior (“state,” “citing”) and minimal standards (“at least one reason”).

Remember, this short-term instructional objective is but one component within the long-term objective that is directed toward the achievement of the national standard.

Science

As with any other discipline taught in Grades K-12, adherence to the respective state standards or Next Generation Science Standards is imperative for any teacher of science. Let us demonstrate how broad national and state science standards can be stated in specific terms appropriate for long-term and short-term objectives.

Here is a progression using an actual standard as prescribed in the 5-8 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013).

National Standard

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.

The complexity and wording of this standard may be confusing and even intimidating to some teachers. However, these translations are easily possible when you follow our steps of conversion. Here is an example of how to deconstruct such standards into logical and understandable guidelines for instruction.

Modified National Standard

The student will demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships among environmental and genetic factors that influence the growth of organisms.

The verb demonstrates is a precursor of observable pupil performance in the forthcoming objectives. Then, the term interrelationships serves as a connector that brings the disjointed components of the original standard into an understandable whole while still providing for a plethora of long-term objectives, such as the following.

Long-term Objective

The student will demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships between the growth of fish that inhabit small ponds with those that live in large ponds.

In adherence to the modified standard, this objective uses the verb demonstrate and then specifies and refines some of the previously mentioned relationships. As shown in the following short-term instructional objective, you can use a variety of specific activities for meeting the goal dictated by the national standard and refined by this long-term objective.

Short-term Instructional Objective

Following a class discussion, the student will orally cite three similarities and three differences between the genetic and environmental factors of fish from large ponds compared to those from small ponds.

Continuing the pattern of increasing specificity, this short-term instructional objective is detailed in its partial fulfillment of the original standard. It contains the conditions (“Following a class discussion”), behavior (“cite”), and minimal standards (“three similarities and three differences”).

Social Studies

In 1994, the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) released ten broad strands that became the basis for the subsequently published national standards. Building upon this seminal document, the NCSS released a comprehensive update entitled College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History (NCSS, 2017), further explaining that social studies is not a single discipline, but rather a multidimensional collection that encompasses virtually all of the social science disciplines. Understandably, such a broad sweep can be intimidating to teachers who may be puzzled as how to transfer these overarching standards to long-term and short-term instructional objectives in a comprehensible and measurable progression.

The following example is taken verbatim from the Geography Standard of the National Council for the Social Studies (2017) College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History for grades 9-12. First, we will modify this example and then translate it into long-term and short-term instructional objectives.

National Standard

D2.Geo.1.9-12.

Use geospatial and related technologies to create maps to display and explain the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics.

The inclusion of the term spatial makes this national standard somewhat manageable, and it still provides for a multiplicity of long-term and ensuing short-term instructional objectives. However, modification is needed to sharpen its focus.

Modified National Standard

The student will demonstrate the ability to analyze spatial information regarding the Earth’s peoples, places, and environments.

Less confusing than the original standard, this modification focuses on student action. Moreover, it allows for a great latitude of long-term and sequential short-term instructional objectives.

Long-term Objective

The student will demonstrate an understanding of how the population density and relative climate of various regions of the continental United States influence agricultural crop production.

As a partial extension of the original standard, this long-term objective calls for student understanding of how two different phenomena, population density and climate, in various regions throughout the United States impact crop production. Much more specific than either the original or the modified standards, this objective still gives the teacher a great deal of freedom in the construction of short-term instructional objectives for its fulfillment. The following is one such example.

Short-term Instructional Objective

After viewing a film describing crop production in Africa, the student will select a single crop and cite at least two oral reasons why that particular crop would not thrive in her home state.

Detailed and specific, this objective describes the conditions (“After viewing a film”), the behavior (“cite”), and the minimal standards (“at least two oral reasons”).

English-Language Arts

The following example is taken word- for- word from Standard One of The Standards for the English Language Arts (National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association, 1996).

National Standard

Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world. (p. 27)

This standard provides the teacher with unlimited options but virtually no margins of content coverage. The following modified standard adds focus and direction by including possible media sources, mentioned in the discussion following the standard (pp. 27-28), without altering or diluting the original.

Modified National Standard

The student will read novels, newspapers, magazines, and Web-based resources and engage in the study and creation of visual texts to develop her understanding of text per se, herself, and cultures of the United States and the world.

By suggesting general printed sources and recommending the study and creation of visual texts, the modified standard serves as a conduit for the sharpened focus on the long-term objective.

Long-term Objective

The student will read novels about children from a variety of religions in the United States.

Through his involvement in assigned readings, the student is directed toward the examination of a variety of printed sources, as mentioned in the original standard and specified in the modified standard. Understandably, the latitude of the original standard would not be covered in a single long-term objective. The following short-term instructional objective puts it into lesson plan terms.

Short-term Instructional Objective

After reading two trade books about children from different religious backgrounds, the student, in a conversation with her teacher, will cite at least two similarities and two differences between the two religions, within two attempts.

This objective contains the conditions (“After reading two trade books…, in a conversation with her teacher”), the behavior (“cite”), and the minimal standards (“at least two similarities and two differences, within two attempts.”)

Quite specific, the language transfers the original standard into a direct but open and measurable outcome. This objective fulfills the intent of the original standard’s dictate of the student’s building “an understanding of texts” and “religions of the United States,” through its focus and the use of various sources.