Learning Goals and Lesson Essential Questions

Learning-Focused Lessons

Learning Goals and Lesson Essential Questions are two interdependent strategies that define the instructional focus and shape the learning experience. Together, they ensure that instruction is standards-driven, rigorous, and transparent—anchoring every part of the lesson in clearly defined purpose and intentional thinking.

Learning Goals turn academic standards into clear statements about what students should know and be able to do. They guide lesson planning, help set appropriate levels of challenge, and support students as they build knowledge and skills step-by-step.

Lesson Essential Questions are open-ended questions that connect learning to big ideas and encourage deeper thinking. Aligned with Learning Goals, they help students engage with the content and make meaningful connections.

Together, these strategies provide a clear purpose for instruction, guide teaching choices, and help students understand and take ownership of their learning.





With this Learning Goals and Lesson Essential Questions professional learning, you will be able to…

•Identify and integrate appropriate academic standards for a lesson.
•Unpack standards to generate clear, rigorous Learning Goals.
•Sequence Learning Goals based on cognitive demand.
•Develop Lesson Essential Questions that align with Learning Goals and promote deep thinking.
•Use Learning Goals and Lesson Essential Questions as tools for communication and formative assessment.
•Display and refer to Lesson Essential Questions to focus student learning.
•Evaluate Learning Goals and Essential Questions using established rubrics .

Buy the Learning Goals and Lesson Essential Questions Book:

  • Learning Goals and Lesson Essential Questions - Learning - Focused

Defining and communicating clear Learning Goals is fundamental to planning and delivering quality instruction and assessment. With clear Learning Goals you can design a clear pathway to learning, communicate those goals effectively to your students, and plan meaningful formative assessments.

You will learn a logical, step-by-step process for analyzing standards to define exactly what students should know and be able to do as a result of instruction. Additionally, you will learn how to develop and use standards-driven Lesson Essential Questions to engage your students in higher order thinking while providing them with clear learning targets. Finally, you will explore ways to maximize student learning throughout a lesson using Lesson Essential Questions as Advance Organizers, as anchors to the Learning Goals, and as assessment tools to determine if Learning Goals have been met.

$40.00
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Regular ground shipping, which arrives in 7-10 business days, is free. However, if you need faster shipping for an additional charge, call 866-955-3276 to place your order.
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Learning-Focused will accept returns of products within 30 days of receipt of shipment for a refund. Learning-Focused will accept returns of products within 45 days of receipt of shipment for an exchange or store credit. To qualify for return or exchange, products must be unused. Call 866-95-LEARN to arrange the return for a refund or exchange. Products purchased that are made to order (Coaches Binders, Monitoring Binders, Redelivery Notes) will not be accepted for exchange or refund. Defective products will be exchanged for the same product only.