Objectives are statements that describe the end-points or desired outcomes of the curriculum, a unit, a lesson plan, or learning activity. They specify and describe curriculum outcomes in more specific terms than goals or aims do. Objectives are also the instructions or directions about what educators want the students to be able to do as a result of instruction. Considered essential to goal setting and planning curricula, objectives aid students, teachers, and parents by specifying the direction of the curriculum and goals. Typically written by school districts, schools, and individuals, objectives also help ensure that educational processes are aligned and that instructional activities are directed toward the defined outcomes or learning.

There are several criteria for ensuring the appropriateness of objectives. Objectives must be developmentally appropriate ...