A learning objective states what learners should be able to do. Success criteria describe the evidence of doing it well. Use a what, how, why statement to explain the intended learning, the approach and its purpose, then choose an assessment that can reveal that learning.
This guide offers original examples for educators, not an official B.Ed or exam-board format. Download the editable objective-to-assessment mapping sheet. Adapt it to your curriculum, learners and institutional requirements.
Learning objective, activity and success criteria are different
| Element | Maths example |
|---|---|
| Learning objective | Solve a two-step linear equation and justify the operations. |
| Activity | Work through an example, discuss a step and attempt a short test. |
| Success criteria | Apply equivalent operations to both sides, show the steps and verify the result. |
| Assessment evidence | An independent solution and explanation for a fresh equation. |
“Complete ten questions” tells students what to do, but not what those questions should help them learn. “Get most questions right” is also incomplete unless you identify the knowledge or reasoning involved. Keep criteria specific enough that a learner can use them to check the work, without turning the criteria into a worked answer to copy.
Maths lesson objective in what, how, why format
What: solve two-step linear equations. How: use inverse operations on both sides, explain the steps and check by substitution. Why: find an unknown while preserving equality. A student-facing version is: “We will solve equations by keeping both sides equal, so we can find and verify unknown values.”
For a maths test on this objective, use 3x + 5 = 26. The expected steps are 3x = 21 and x = 7; substitution gives 26. Ask why subtracting 5 and dividing by 3 preserve the equality. Do not make “finish the test quickly” the success criterion unless fluency under time constraints is itself the intended and appropriate objective.
Rewrite vague objectives into observable learning
| Vague statement | Observable objective | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Understand fractions | Compare two fractions referring to the same-sized whole and justify the comparison. | Explain why 3/4 is greater than 2/3 using equivalent fractions or a valid representation. |
| Know speed | Calculate average speed and distinguish it from constant speed. | For 18 km in 1.5 hours, calculate 12 km/h and explain why speed may have varied. |
| Improve reading | Support a reasonable inference with a relevant detail from a passage. | Identify the detail and explain how it supports, rather than proves, the inference. |
| Learn graphs | Read a labelled graph and compare two values using the stated units. | Identify both values and explain the difference without claiming an unsupported cause. |
Carnegie Mellon’s assessment-alignment guidance connects intended learning with practice and assessment. The table here is an original set of examples of that principle, not a claim that a particular verb guarantees a particular level of thinking.
Write success criteria that reveal reasoning
- Name the important features of the response: method, explanation, evidence, notation or units.
- Separate essential reasoning from presentation preferences that are not part of the objective.
- Check that students have practised the skill before assessing it independently.
- Prepare accepted alternative approaches, not just one model solution.
- Use the criteria to give a next action, not only a total score.
For fraction comparison, success might mean using a common-sized whole, making a mathematically valid comparison and explaining the conclusion. A neat drawing is not automatically a correct representation. Conversely, an untidy but valid explanation should not lose credit for a criterion you never specified.
What, how, why examples beyond maths
| Context | What | How | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading inference | Make a supported inference. | Connect a relevant detail to a plausible interpretation. | Distinguish an evidence-based interpretation from a guess. |
| Science investigation | Plan a fair comparison. | Change one factor and state the measurement and controlled conditions. | Make the comparison easier to interpret. |
| Data handling | Compare recorded counts. | Read labels, identify values and calculate a difference. | Describe what the data shows without inventing an explanation. |
The “why” should express a genuine purpose, not a promise of exam marks. The “how” may name an approach, but the assessment should still reveal whether the student can use it. An enjoyable group discussion does not establish that every learner can explain the idea independently.
Check for three common mismatches
First, an objective about explaining reasoning paired only with a recalled definition. Add an explanation task. Second, an objective about interpreting a diagram tested through unnecessarily difficult reading. Reduce irrelevant language demands while preserving the skill. Third, independent assessment after practice that never removed the hints. Add a supported-to-independent transition before judging performance.
Use the mapping sheet before and after class
Before class, write one objective, its success criteria, the planned practice and one independent check. Solve or review the check and decide what different responses might mean. After class, record the evidence, the teaching adjustment and a fresh follow-up task. If the question was ambiguous, fix the question before judging the learner.
Start with the complete lesson-plan template, choose a check from the exit-ticket examples, and consult the teaching-method guide when selecting practice. The assessment guide helps you decide how the evidence will be used.
Can AI write the objective and assessment?
It can suggest a draft, but an educator must check curriculum fit, prerequisites, correctness and whether the question measures the stated objective. Do not upload personal student information to get a more specific answer. For digital question preparation, see the reviewed AI-question workflow; the planning decisions remain yours.