Understanding by Design, UbD - based on work by McTighe and Wiggins

WooHoo! Elementary School First coordinated look at curriculum mapping Pre-K to Grade 5 Half a year of work on Mathematics instruction, including mapped math units Pre- K to Grade 5 on Atlas Half a year of work on Reading instruction, including mapped reading units Pre-K to Grade 5 on Atlas Elementary Team Leaders 75% of whom attended the AERO curriculum mapping workshop Elementary School First coordinated look at curriculum mapping Pre-K to Grade 5 Half a year of work on Mathematics instruction, including mapped math units Pre- K to Grade 5 on Atlas Half a year of work on Reading instruction, including mapped reading units Pre-K to Grade 5 on Atlas Elementary Team Leaders 75% of whom attended the AERO curriculum mapping workshop

Yeah! Middle and High School First opportunity to review existing unit plans with the aid of Atlas Department specific goals met ranging from the completion of one whole unit on Atlas to the completion of all content and skills in all course maps Subject Area Leaders 50% of whom attended an AERO curriculum workshop Middle and High School First opportunity to review existing unit plans with the aid of Atlas Department specific goals met ranging from the completion of one whole unit on Atlas to the completion of all content and skills in all course maps Subject Area Leaders 50% of whom attended an AERO curriculum workshop

Wow! School-wide A different perspective on the importance of curriculum mapping From form-filling, checklist-ticking curriculum work to individual and team ownership of curriculum mapping A recognition of the benefits of having a systematic approach to mapping the curriculum with Atlas School-wide A different perspective on the importance of curriculum mapping From form-filling, checklist-ticking curriculum work to individual and team ownership of curriculum mapping A recognition of the benefits of having a systematic approach to mapping the curriculum with Atlas

What is UbD? A tool to help “identify the overarching ideas and essential questions that provide important throughlines in the curriculum” A three-stage approach to curriculum mapping by which units are planned with the “end in mind” A tool to help “identify the overarching ideas and essential questions that provide important throughlines in the curriculum” A three-stage approach to curriculum mapping by which units are planned with the “end in mind”

The 3 Stage Plan Stage 1 – Desired Results Stage 2 – Evidence Stage 3 – The Learning Plan Stage 1 – Desired Results Stage 2 – Evidence Stage 3 – The Learning Plan

Stage 1 - Desired Results Established goals Enduring understandings Essential questions Content and skills Established goals Enduring understandings Essential questions Content and skills

Stage 1 To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… The targeted understandings enduring, based on transferable, big ideas at the heart of the discipline and in need of uncoverage?

Stage 1 To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… The targeted understandings framed by questions that spark meaningful connections, provoke genuine inquiry and deep thought, and encourage transfer?

Stage 1 To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… The essential questions provocative, arguable, and likely to generate inquiry around the central ideas?

Stage 1 To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… Appropriate goals (e.g. content standards, benchmarks, curriculum objectives) identified?

Stage 1 To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… To what extent does the design focus on the big ideas of targeted content? Consider: Are… Valid and unit-relevant knowledge and skills identified?

Stage 2 – Evidence (assessment) Performance tasks and rubrics Other evidence Self-assessment Performance tasks and rubrics Other evidence Self-assessment

Stage 2 To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… Students asked to exhibit their understanding through authentic performance tasks?

Stage 2 To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… Appropriate criterion-based scoring tools used to evaluate student products and performances?

Stage 2 To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… A variety of appropriate assessment formats used to provide additional evidence of learning?

Stage 2 To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… The assessments used as feedback for students and teachers, as well as for evaluation?

Stage 2 To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… To what extent do the assessments provide fair, valid, reliable and sufficient measures of the desired results? Consider: Are… Students encouraged to self-assess?

Stage 3 – The Learning Plan WHERETOWHERETO WHERETOWHERETO

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… Know where they’re going (the learning goals), why the material is important (reason for learning the content), and what is required of them (unit goal, performance requirements and evaluative criteria)? W

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… Be hooked – engaged in digging into the big ideas (e.g. through inquiry, research, problem solving, and experimentation)? H

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… Have adequate opportunities to explore and experience big ideas and receive instruction to equip them for the required performances? E

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… Have sufficient opportunities to rethink, rehearse, revise and refine their work based upon timely feedback? R

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Will the students… Have an opportunity to evaluate their work, reflect on their learning and set goals? E

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Is the learning plan… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Is the learning plan… Tailored and flexible to address the interests and learning styles of all students? T

Stage 3 To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Is the learning plan… To what extent is the learning plan effective and engaging? Consider: Is the learning plan… Organized and sequenced to maximize engagement and effectiveness? O

At the end of Stage 3… Overall Design Review Peer review Self reflection Team analysis Indicators of success Overall Design Review Peer review Self reflection Team analysis Indicators of success

Overall Design To what extent is the entire unit coherent, with the elements of all three stages aligned?

Timeframe Completion of Stage 1 – by the end of Work and progress on Stage 2 – start in 08-09, continue in Work and progress on Stage 3 – start in (?), continue through Overall design review – start in (?), continue until  ! Completion of Stage 1 – by the end of Work and progress on Stage 2 – start in 08-09, continue in Work and progress on Stage 3 – start in (?), continue through Overall design review – start in (?), continue until  !

Immediate Benefits Already more alignment from Pre-K to grade 12 More structured curricular guidelines in place for new teachers More conversations between subject areas about interdisciplinary work Deliberate reflection of practice resulting in more thoughtful decisions about instruction Already more alignment from Pre-K to grade 12 More structured curricular guidelines in place for new teachers More conversations between subject areas about interdisciplinary work Deliberate reflection of practice resulting in more thoughtful decisions about instruction

Long(er)-term Benefits Curriculum aligned to content-standards, which translates into a guaranteed curriculum for our students, Pre-K to 12 Ability to analyze the types of assessments given across grades and make decisions based on that data Ability to look for overlapping content and skills to more deliberately make connections between content areas or to cut content Curriculum aligned to content-standards, which translates into a guaranteed curriculum for our students, Pre-K to 12 Ability to analyze the types of assessments given across grades and make decisions based on that data Ability to look for overlapping content and skills to more deliberately make connections between content areas or to cut content

Next Steps Staff development provided by in- house trainers and external consultants In sections and in teams, work on our curriculum mapping process in stages Set toll-gates and checkpoints based on team and sectional goals Staff development provided by in- house trainers and external consultants In sections and in teams, work on our curriculum mapping process in stages Set toll-gates and checkpoints based on team and sectional goals

Q/A Are there any clarifying questions?