Objectives in a lesson plan clearly define what is taught. Teachers identify objectives while keeping in mind state or school educational standards. Teachers must also be aware of the competencies of the age of the students they are teaching. Objectives are the learning outcomes and must be specific. For example, if you wish to teach students how to add whole numbers, then a learning objective would be "students will be able to add whole numbers adding up to 100 correctly 75 percent of the time." The more specific objectives are, the better because teachers can then base activities around the objective and the learning outcomes become easier to measure.
Instruction is the teaching of the learning objectives. After identifying objectives, teachers choose and design instruction activities to complete the objectives. For example, if a learning objective is "students will know how to add whole numbers up to 10," an appropriate activity may be to give each child 10 sugar cubes that will then be manipulated to demonstrate the different sums. The instruction portion of a lesson plans needs to be very detailed so teachers outline each step.
The materials portion of a lesson plan outlines the items needed to complete the lesson plan. Teachers identify the items they will provide and anything the students may need to supply like lined notebook paper and a pen. School resources required are also noted in the materials section which is especially helpful when requesting special materials like an A/V projector. Should the teacher identify that a material is needed that cannot be provided either by the school or the teacher, the activity will need to be replaced. The materials section serves as a checklist for teachers before beginning the lesson.
Assessment is important to determine and ensure that the learning objectives are being met. The final outcome of a lesson plan is determined through assessment. Assessment can be completed through quizzes, homework assignments, tests, group assignments and oral discussion. Once assessment is complete, teachers must take time to review and reflect on the results. If the learning objectives have not been met satisfactorily, the teacher may need to revisit the topic.