1. What students should know, understand, and be able to do
Developing Your K-U-D
What students should know, understand, and be able to do

2. Step 1: Look at the Standards or Anchors (reading, math, science)
Analyze the standards to determine exactly what students should know, understand and be able to do as defined by the standards.

3. Why Start with the Standards?
They provide clarity regarding what students must learn.
They help to ensure that the learning expectations are consistent from classroom to classroom.
With a clear understanding of what the standards require, we can make sure that our assessments are aligned.
Having a clear understanding of the standards helps us make sure that our instructional activities will lead students to the desired learning.

4. Here’s an example from the Pennsylvania writing standards
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening
1.4 Types of Writing
1.4.5 A Write multi-paragraph stories.
1.4.5 B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces
1.4.5 C Write persuasive pieces with a clearly stated position or opinion and supporting detail, citing sources when needed.
1.5. Quality of Writing
1.5.5 A. Write with a sharp, distinct focus identifying topic, task and audience.
1.5.5 B. Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.5 C. Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.5 DWrite with an understanding of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.5 E. Revise writing to improve organization and word choice; check the logic, order of ideas and precision of vocabulary.
1.5.5 F. Edit writing using the conventions of language.

5. Step 2: Determine the Know
Know involves facts, formulas, and vocabulary.
It is the information students should be able to recall after the unit is over.
The Know is written in phrases

6. Let’s look at the “know” with our example from the writing standards
A strategy for organizing narrative, informational, and persuasive writing
Strategies for writing effective leads and conclusions
Words for creating effective transitions between sentences and paragraphs

7. Step 3: Determine the Understand
Understand involves the big ideas that we want students to gain during the unit.
Understand is written as ideas or complete thoughts in sentence form.
To determine the understand ask yourself, “Why is this important to learn about? Are there underlying beliefs and values here that are important?”

8. Here’s the “understand” with our example from the writing standards
When writing to tell about a personal experience, share information, or convince someone of something, there is a predicable structure that a writer can follow.

9. Step 3: Determine the Do
The do column involves skills – math, thinking strategies, writing etc.
The Do starts with a verb.
This tells something the students will do, an action.

10. Let’s look at the “do” with our example from the writing standards
Write a five-paragraph narrative essay about a personal experience
Write a five-paragraph informational essay
Compare and contrast informational and narrative writing
Write a five-paragraph persuasive essay in response to a written prompt
Construct support for a point of view different from one’s own

11. A final K-U-D might look something like this:

12. Putting it All Together
Notice the Knows: They are words or phrase
Notice the Dos: They start with a verb
Notice the understand: It tells why the students are learning this

13. Here’s another example from health on the digestive System
PA Academic Standards for Health, Safety, and Physical Education
10.1 Concepts of Health
B Identify and know the location and function of the major body organs and systems
C Analyze nutritional concepts that impact health
B Analyze the interdependence existing among body systems
Know, Understand, Do
Know
The nutrients our bodies need for good health
Foods that supply nutrients
Organs of the digestive system
Function of each organ of the digestive system
Understand
The digestive system extracts from food the nutrients that our bodies require to grow and function in good health
The digestive system works in conjunction with other body systems to supply nutrients to our body cells. Do
Classify food according to the nutrients they supply
Identify and label the organs of the digestive system
Explain the function of each organ during the process of digestion
Sequence the process of digestion
Explain how the digestive system is interdependent with other systems.

14. Remember…
The three columns are independent – you do not write an understand and do for each know.
You may write the K - U -D in any order that works for you. You may also find that you move back and forth among the columns as you construct your K-U-D.