Understanding by Design Model for Curriculum Development or BACKWARD BY DESIGN in a Nutshell!)

Backward by Design means just that………… Start with the end in mind!

Heres the UBD order in planning: Look at your state standards and indicators- how can they be clumped together to make real connections for students? From those clumps, what are the over- riding themes or concepts that you want students to know and remember long-term? What questions would you ask to lead students to those long-term understandings?

What kinds of assessments would accurately assess what students know and can do? Will these assessments assist the teacher in driving his/her instruction? Should the assessments be different based on needs and abilities of students? What varied instructional strategies will the teacher choose to insure that students will be successful? What student activities will insure student success?

Heres the district format in planning order: Standards and Indicators Enduring Understandings Essential Questions Instructional Objectives Student Assessments Teaching Strategies Student Learning Activities

EUs - Enduring Understandings What are the Big IDEAS for your unit of study? What concepts do you want the students to know five years from now regarding the standards and content?

Essential (EQs) Questions (or Focus Questions) lead the students to the enduring understandings EQs are usually the how and why questions (higher Blooms levels) that lead to enduring understandings EQs encourage students to THINK. EQs are often debatable. Why or why not? EQs change with each unit and concept.

Standards and Indicators State standards and indicators should be clumped together to help you determine your themes, big ideas, and essential questions. You have to really know them to be able to do this!

Instructional Objectives The student will be able to know and do…..

Student Assessments I will KNOW that my students understand the EUs and standards because they can do……… How will you know that they know? What will it look like? Assessments can be a written test, a demo, a project, a performance, oral responses, etc. There are formative (along the way) and summative (cumulative) assessments.

Instructional Teaching Strategies What varied strategies and structures will the teacher choose to ensure that students understand the concept…. few examples: modeling, demos, use of manipulatives, visuals, games, interactive questioning, explanations, charts, conferencing Whole group, small group, pairs, etc

Instructional Student Activities What activities will the students do in order to practice and learn the standards so they can have a deep and enduring understanding of these higher themes and concepts? What will the teacher do to support the learning? Vygotskys Learning Cycle: I do, you watch… I do, you do…. You do, I watch….. You do.

Subject/GradeLength of UnitBig Idea Unit TopicEnduring Understanding Focus/Essential Questions Instructional Objectives Standards/Indicators Key Vocabulary: Pre-Assessment Evidence/ Ideas for Building Background Knowledge Culminating/Summative Assessment Evidence Formative Assessment Evidence Math and Science or ELA/Social Studies skills /Prior knowledge needed Instructional Activities Bank DifferentiationRubrics : attach Resources and materials Unit Organizer for Union County Schools

Examples of EUs: Theme or Concept – Health and Nutrition EUs: A balanced diet is important for physical and mental health. Dietary requirements differ for individuals based on weight, age, activity level, and overall health.

Ex. Theme or Concept - History EU: History is a story and who tells the story affects how it is presented.

Theme or Concept – Reading for Meaning EU: Reading involves making sense of the text, not just decoding words. EU: Sometimes authors convey ideas indirectly, and the reader must infer their meaning.

Theme or Concept - Structure EU: All governments have defined structures and functions which interrelate to provide a governing system for citizens. EU: The structure of an organism may inhibit or enhance its ability to make survival adaptations.

Example of EQs Art - How does art reflect culture? Language Arts - Why do we write? Geography - How does place influence how we live?

So, why is it Backwards? To begin with the end in mind, you would: study the standards and indicators first in order to know what the themes and enduring understandings should be. know what your focus is (instructional objective) to create essential questions. know what your assessments should look like before planning the student activities. know what you are going to do to model, demo, support student learning.

Whats the Enduring Understanding here? The Backward by Design model helps your students THINK!