This page will guide you through writing ELA objectives.

Refer to the content and language objectives at the bottom of the page.

ASK YOURSELF: What do you want your students to learn as a result of the lesson?

The IEP Goal Bank is also helpful for writing objectives.
Education Oasis stems
See also writing Content and Language Objectives on my RETELL page.
Also, check out Hundreds of Free Lesson Plans!

Writing ELA Objectives in 3 easy steps: create a stem, add a verb, and determine the outcome.

Step 1: CREATE A STEM

After completing the lesson, students will be able to…
After completing this unit, the students will…
By completing the activities, students will…
During this lesson, the students will…

Make the stems kid-friendly! 🙂

Step 2: ADD A VERB

After completing the lesson, students will be able to predict…
After completing this unit, the students will be able to distinguish…
By completing the activities, students will construct…
During this lesson, the students will defend their position.

Step 3: DETERMINE ACTUAL PRODUCT, PROCESS, OUTCOME

OBJECTIVE SAMPLES ~ Notice how the objectives become more challenging as we move through Bloom’s Taxonomy. Try to teach towards the upper end of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

The student will. . .

KNOWLEDGE:

Draw scenes from chapter ______. Under each scene, describe what is happening.
Use a story map to show the events in chapter ________.
Draw a cartoon strip of the chapter’s beginning, middle, and end.
List the story’s main events.
Make a timeline of events.
Make a facts chart.
List the pieces of information you remember.
Make an acrostic.
Recite a poem.
Make a chart showing…

COMPREHENSION:

Draw a picture that summarizes the chapter. Then, write a sentence that tells about the image.
Summarize the chapter in your own words in one paragraph.
Summarize the chapter in your own words in two paragraphs.
Cut out or draw pictures to show an event in the story.
Illustrate the main idea.
Make a cartoon strip showing the sequence of events.
Write and perform a play based on the story.
Make a coloring book based on the story.
Retell the story.
Describe your favorite part in detail.
Prepare a flowchart of the sequence of events.
Write a summary.

APPLICATION:

Be a new character in the story. Tell how the story’s ending would change.
With a partner, change the ending of the story. One person will be a new character, and the other will be a character from the book.
In a group, act out the ending of the story.
Construct a model to demonstrate how something works.
Create a diorama to depict a significant event.
Compose a book about…
Make a scrapbook about…
Create a papier-mâché map that displays information about…
Create a puzzle game inspired by ideas from the book.
Make a clay model of…
Paint a mural of …
Design a market strategy for a product.
Design an ethnic costume.

ANALYSIS:

Take an event in the text. Make a text-to-world connection.
Take an event from the story and make a text-to-text connection.
Take an event from the story and make a text-to-self connection.
Design a questionnaire to gather information.
Create a flowchart to illustrate the critical stages.
Write a commercial for the book.
Review the illustrations in terms of form, color, and texture.
Create a graph to visualize the selected information.
Construct a jigsaw puzzle.
Analyze a family tree showing relationships.
Write a biography about a person being studied.

SYNTHESIS:

Design a list of 10 solutions to help a character solve a problem.
Write a dialogue between you and one of the characters in the book. Then, help the character solve a problem.
Meet with a partner and role-play how to solve one of the character’s problems.
Invent a machine to do specific tasks from the text.
Design a building.
Create a new product, name it, and plan a marketing campaign.
Write about your feelings concerning…
Write a TV show, a puppet show, a pantomime, or a song about …
Design a book or magazine cover about…
Devise a way to…
Create a language code…
Compose a rhythm or put new words in a melody.

EVALUATE:

Choose a character and fill out a T-chart. Then, express your opinion of the character using 3 pieces of evidence from the book.
Choose a character and fill out a T-chart to express your opinion of the character. Then, come up with one good detail and discuss it with a partner.
Choose a character from the book. Express your opinion of this character using 5 pieces of evidence from the book in a T-chart form. Use the T chart, and then write a paragraph.
Prepare a list of criteria to judge the book. Indicate priority and ratings.
Conduct a debate about an area of special interest.
Make a booklet about five qualities a character in the book possesses.
Form a panel to discuss a topic. Discuss criteria.
Write a letter to the relevant authority advising on the necessary changes.
Prepare arguments to present your view about. . .

MORE OBJECTIVE SAMPLES…

Language Arts Objective Examples

After completing the lesson, the students will be able to:

record understanding/knowledge by creating pictures . . .
use the vocabulary of _____ (shapes, colors, etc.) to describe _____ (flowers, etc.).
explain the meaning of the word(s): _____.
generate ideas and plans for writing using _____ (brainstorming, clustering, etc.).
develop a draft . . .
edit a draft for a specific purpose such as _____ (word choice, etc.).
discuss the differences and similarities between the two main characters from _____ and _____.
identify the definition of _____ (fables, fairy tales, etc.).
understand and identify the traditional elements in _____ (fables, fairy tales, etc.).
define the literary term _____.
retell in their own words _____.
summarize the plot of _____.
make inferences from the text . . .
demonstrate understanding by writing three facts about . . .
listen critically to interpret and evaluate . . .
represent textual information by _____ (drawing, painting, etc.)
recognize and list the literary devices found in _____.
state an opinion about _____, using examples from the text to support the opinion.
compare and contrast the experience of _____ (a character in a text) to their own life using a Venn diagram.
list the primary plot details in _____ (a text, short story, novel, or drama).
compare and contrast three different versions of _____ (Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, etc.) using a Venn diagram.
write a narrative version of _____ with appropriate plot characteristics of the genre.
compare excerpts of _____ (a novel) to first-hand accounts of _____ (the Civil War, WWI, etc.).
describe _____ (Victorian, Elizabethan, etc.) attitudes toward _____ (a social concern, a vice, a virtue, an event, etc.).
analyze _____ (a character’s) desire to _____.
list elements of _____ (a writer’s) style in _____ (a text).
identify and trace the development of _____ literature from _____ to _____.
define basic literary terms and apply them to _____ (a specific text or work).
produce an effective essay that details _____.
produce an effective persuasive essay that takes a stand for/against _____.
use the work of _____ as inspiration for a representative piece about _____.
draw parallels between _____ (a text) and _____ (a text).
explore the nature and implications of _____ (a vice, a virtue, a societal concern, a characteristic, etc.).
recite a poem (or an excerpt of text) with fluency.
use specific examples in _____ (a text) to illustrate an aspect of human behavior.
compose a _____ (haiku, verse, rhyme, poem, etc.).
describe the traditional rules and conventions of _____ (haiku, the personal essay, etc.).
demonstrate mastery in the study of _____ through cooperative learning and research . . .

MORE OBJECTIVES…

Reading Comprehension

Using prereading strategies, the student will use a Post-it note to predict the story’s theme. The student will explain whether their prediction was confirmed at the end of class, with supporting details from the text.
During the lesson, the student will generate a list of questions about the story as they read.
After completing the lesson, the student will be able to make generalizations and draw conclusions about the events in the story, citing three specific examples.
After reading the text, the student will be able to answer questions about the story’s meaning.
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to summarize the passages.
By completing the activities, the student will be able to discuss interpretations of the story.
After reading the text, the student will cite passages to support questions and ideas.
The student will use context to determine word meanings and write these meanings on Post-it notes.
During this lesson, students will read with a purpose and take notes to monitor their comprehension.
During this lesson, students will practice various reading strategies and explain how two of them are used.
By the end of this unit, the students will apply critical reading strategies to identify main ideas in short passages with 70% mastery.

Critical Thinking

During this lesson, the student will generate ideas with a clear focus in response to questions.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to support their ideas with relevant evidence.
The students will respond to other students’ ideas, questions, and arguments.
During this lesson, students will engage in a debate, questioning each other’s perspectives.
By the end of this lesson, the students will present ideas logically and persuasively in writing.

Listening and Speaking

During this lesson, the student will demonstrate comprehension of stories as they are read aloud by participating in every pupil response activity.
By the end of this lesson, the students will listen actively and carefully to others and retell others’ opinions and ideas.
During this lesson, students will respond to their peers’ questions while actively participating in a group discussion.

Writing Content and Language Objectives

A Great Resource!

*** PDF of Content and Language Objective Verbs ***

Great examples and step-by-step directions!

Writing Content and Language Objectives