What is the first logical step in creating a physical education lesson plan?

• A. Determine objective
• B. Gather materials
• C. Plan for evaluations
• D. Design instruction

Answer: (A)

Setting a clear objective is the starting point because it defines what students should be able to know or do by the end of the lesson. That target guides every other planning decision, from which activities you choose and what equipment you need to how you will assess success and shape your instruction. Without a stated objective, it’s easy to pull in activities or materials that don’t connect to a specific outcome, making it hard to measure progress or ensure the lesson stays focused. For example, if the objective is for students to demonstrate proper jumping and landing technique with correct form, you’d pick activities that practice those skills, create a simple observation rubric to evaluate form, and arrange the space with mats or markers for safe practice. Once the objective is set, you then design the instruction to move toward that outcome, select and gather materials that support it, and plan evaluations that prove the objective was met.