The UbD Learning Cycle Where are we headed?

Guidelines for Quality Instructional Design How can teachers deliberately design lessons and activities that will help develop greater student understanding?

The W.H.E.R.E. Model 1. Where are we headed? 2. Hook the students 3. Explore and equip 4. Reflect and rethink 5. Exhibit and evaluate Note: WHERE represents a way of testing lessons/units rather than a recipe for building them! Note: WHERE represents a way of testing lessons/units rather than a recipe for building them!

Design Elements WHERE represents the design elements needed to create effective lessons or units WHERE represents the design elements needed to create effective lessons or units –Much like a story needs a plot, characters, and a setting

WHERE: Where are we Headed? Showing the students where we are going Showing the students where we are going –In traditional teaching, only rarely does the student know where a lesson is going –Or, what will be required of them! Establishing direction, purpose, rationale, performance requirements, and standards Establishing direction, purpose, rationale, performance requirements, and standards

WHERE: Hook the student Provoking interest, challenging and immersing the student. Provoking interest, challenging and immersing the student. Lessons/activities can be designed to be interesting without sacrificing rigor Lessons/activities can be designed to be interesting without sacrificing rigor –Schoolwork is often needlessly boring Samples: Thought provoking questions, puzzles, relating real-world problems, presenting far-out theories, weird facts, etc. Samples: Thought provoking questions, puzzles, relating real-world problems, presenting far-out theories, weird facts, etc. –i.e., Did you know that according to the laws of aerodynamics the bumblebee should not be able to fly?

Research Says… Students are most successful when they are engaged EngagingEffective Engaging and Effective

WHERE: Explore and Equip Uncovering depth and breadth concerning the topic Uncovering depth and breadth concerning the topic Present and clarify key concepts Present and clarify key concepts Call for students to dig deeper Call for students to dig deeper Investigate differing points of view Investigate differing points of view Examine needed facts, relevant theories, develop skills, directly experience. Examine needed facts, relevant theories, develop skills, directly experience. Teacher uses good questioning techniques here Teacher uses good questioning techniques here

WHERE: Reflect and Rethink Revisiting important ideas Revisiting important ideas Explain an idea Explain an idea Apply a concept in a new arena Apply a concept in a new arena Examine the concept from another perspective Examine the concept from another perspective

WHERE: Exhibit and Evaluate Exhibit and evaluate understandings through authentic products and performances. Exhibit and evaluate understandings through authentic products and performances. Students show evidence of understanding through performance, the making of products, solving technical problems, etc. Students show evidence of understanding through performance, the making of products, solving technical problems, etc.