1. ‘the big ideas’ Understanding by Design

2. Goals  Gain an understanding of the UbD framework  Essential Questions  Knowledge  Skills  Make connections to Curriculum Connector work  Consider implications for curriculum revision Curriculum Coordinator Meeting

3. Understanding by Design Why teach/design curriculum for understanding?  Why should we do this work?  Why is this work important?

4. What is understanding? How do you know if someone understands?

5. Understanding by Design Understanding means: to make sense of what you know, to be able to know why it’s so, and to use it in various situations and contexts. Grant Wiggins

6. How do you know if someone understands? Curriculum Coordinator Meeting

7. Understanding by Design Assessment of Understanding You really understand it when you can:  explain, connect, systematize, predict it  show its meaning, importance  apply or adapt it to novel situations  see it as one plausible perspective among others, question its assumptions  see it as its author/speaker saw it  avoid and point out common misconceptions, biases, or simplistic views

8. Understanding by Design Is This a Good Plan?  Analyze the Pioneer Plan on page 1.  As a pair, discuss the following:  What are the strengths of the unit?  What are the problems?

9. Understanding by Design 3 Stages of “Backward” Design 1.Identify desired results. 2. Determine acceptable evidence. 3. Plan learning experiences & instruction. Page 2

10. Understanding by Design Why “backward”?  Stages are logical but go against habits  We’re used to jumping to lesson & activity ideas - before clarifying our performance goals for students  Thinking through the assessments upfront, ensures greater alignment of goals & means, and that teaching is focused on desired results

11. The “big ideas” of each stage: * Unpack the content standards and ‘content’, focus on big ideas * Derive the implied learning from Stages 1 & 2 Assessment Evidence LearningActivities Understandings Essential Questions s t a g e 2 s t a g e 3 Standard(s): s t a g e 1 PerformanceTask(s):Other Evidence: What are the big ideas? What’s the evidence? How will we get there? * Analyze multiple sources of evidence, aligned with Stage 1 Page 3

12. Understanding by Design Template as a Tool  Stage 1- Desired Results  Established Goals  Understandings  Essential Questions  Knowledge and Skills  Stage 2- Assessment Evidence  Performance Tasks and Other Evidence  Stage 3- Learning Plan  Learning Activities Page 3

13. Understanding by Design Not necessary to fill in the template “in order”  Many ‘doorways’ into successful design – you can start with...  Content standards  Performance goals  A key resource  A required assessment  A big idea, often misunderstood  An important skill or process  An existing unit or lesson to edit !

14. Understanding by Design Misconception Alert: the work is non-linear  It doesn’t matter where you start as long as the final design is coherent (all elements aligned)  Clarifying one element or Stage often forces changes to another element or Stage !

15. Understanding by Design Prairie Plan-What’s Missing?  Turn to page 4.  Knowing what you know about backwards mapping, what do you notice about the unit as it was planned?  What components were not addressed?  Compare with the revised UbD plan (pgs.5&7).  What stands out?  How does this plan support student learning/ understanding?

16. Understanding by Design Examining the Shift  Check out a completed unit plan (left side of folder).  What do you notice?  What stands out about the design? The content? The alignment?

17. Understanding by Design Consider Design Questions  Page 8.  Read through the design questions in each stage of the template.  How does this approach compare with the way your units are currently designed?

18. Understanding by Design 3 Stages of “Backward” Design 1.Identify desired results. 2. Determine acceptable evidence. 3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

19. Understanding by Design Stage 1 – Identify desired results. Key: Focus on Big ideas  Established Goals  Enduring Understandings: What specific insights about big ideas do we want students to leave with?  What essential questions will frame the teaching and learning, pointing toward key issues and ideas, and suggest meaningful and provocative inquiry into content?  Knowledge- What should students know?  Skills- what should students be able to do? U K Q S G Page 9

20. Understanding by Design The “big idea” of Stage 1: There is a clear focus in the unit on the big ideas Implications:  Organize content around key concepts  Show how the big ideas offer a purpose and rationale for the student  You will need to “unpack” Content standards in many cases to make the implied, big ideas clear

21. Understanding by Design Big Ideas in Literacy: Examples  Rational persuasion (vs. manipulation)  audience and purpose in writing  A story, as opposed to merely a list of events linked by “and then…”  reading between the lines  writing as revision  a non-rhyming poem vs. prose  fiction as a window into truth  A critical yet empathetic reader  A writer’s voice

22. Understanding by Design Some questions for identifying truly “big ideas”  Does it have many layers and nuances, not obvious to the naïve or inexperienced person?  Can it yield great depth and breadth of insight into the subject? Can it be used throughout K-12?  Do you have to dig deep to really understand its subtle meanings and implications even if anyone can have a surface grasp of it?  Is it (therefore) prone to misunderstanding as well as disagreement?  Are you likely to change your mind about its meaning and importance over a lifetime?  Does it reflect the core ideas as judged by experts?

23. You’ve got to go below the surface...

24. to uncover the really ‘big ideas.’

25. Understanding by Design Big Ideas in Curriculum Work  Teachers must understand and identify the big ideas.  Big ideas pervade all aspects of unit design.  Correct identification of big ideas leads to proper alignment of unit plan.

26. Understanding by Design Still More on Big Ideas…  Manifest themselves in different forms.  Concept- Genre  Theme- Saving for a rainy day  Issue or Debate- Nature vs. nurture  Problems or Challenges- Maximize shipping volume  Processes- Problem solving  Theories- The Atkins Diet  Paradoxes- Fighting for Peace  Assumptions or Perspectives- Terrorist vs. freedom fighter

27. Understanding by Design “Big Ideas”- typically revealed via  Core concepts  Focusing themes  On-going debates/issues  Insightful perspectives  Illuminating paradox/problem  Organizing theory  Overarching principle  Underlying assumption  (Key questions)  (Insightful inferences from facts) Q

28. Understanding by Design Essential Questions  Concept Attainment  Define the characteristics on an essential question.

29. Understanding by Design Essential Questions  What questions –  are arguable - and important to argue about?  are at the heart of the subject?  recur - and should recur - in professional work, adult life, as well as in classroom inquiry?  raise more questions – provoking and sustaining engaged inquiry?  often raise important conceptual or philosophical issues?  can provide organizing purpose for meaningful & connected learning? Q

30. Understanding by Design Sample Essential Questions:  Who are my true friends - and how do I know for sure?  How “rational” is the market?  Does a good read differ from a ‘great book’? Why are some books fads, and others classics?  To what extent is geography destiny?  Should an axiom be obvious?  How different is a scientific theory from a plausible belief?  What is the government’s proper role? Q

31. Understanding by Design Essential Questions  Have no simple “right” answer; they are meant to be argued.- Does art reflect culture or help shape it?  Are designed to provoke and sustaining student inquiry- Is the Internet dangerous for kids?  Often address the most historically important issues, problems and debates.- Nature or nurture?  Raise other important questions.- Do only the strong survive-what do we mean by strong?  Recur.-What makes a great book?  Stimulate rethinking- What IS a friend? Page 12

32. Understanding by Design Essential Questions  More examples to further your understanding (page 13).  Two types:  overarching/broad  topical-specific to a particular unit of study

33. Understanding by Design Knowledge and Skills  Knowledge-what we want students to know.  Skills-what we want students to be able to do. Page 16

34. Understanding by Design 3 Stages of “Backward” Design 1. Identify desired results. 2. Determine acceptable evidence. 3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

35. Understanding by Design Stage Two- Evidence  Consider the assessment evidence needed to determine the extent to which students have achieved the desired results  Goal- obtain valid, reliable, credible, and useful evidence  Performance Tasks and Rubrics  Other Evidence  Self-Assessment

36. Understanding by Design The big idea for Stage 2 The evidence should be credible & helpful. Implications: the assessments should –  Be grounded in real-world applications, supplemented as needed by more traditional school evidence  Provide useful feedback to the learner, be transparent, and minimize secrecy  Be valid, reliable - aligned with the desired results of Stage 1 (and fair) Page 17

37. Understanding by Design Just because the student “knows it” … Evidence of understanding is a greater challenge than evidence that the student knows a correct or valid answer  Understanding is inferred, not seen  It can only be inferred if we see evidence that the student knows why (it works), so what? (why it matters), how (to apply it) – not just knowing that specific inference

38. Understanding by Design Key understandings about assessment  The only way to assess for understanding is via contextualized performance - “applying” in the broadest sense our knowledge and skill, wisely and effectively  Performance is more than the sum of the drills: using only conventional quizzes and tests is insufficient and as misleading as relying only on sideline drills to judge athletic performance ability

39. Thinking like an … Assessor vs.  What would be sufficient & revealing evidence of understanding?  What performance tasks must anchor the unit and focus the instructional work?  How will I be able to distinguish between those who really understand and those who don’t (though they may seem to)?  Against what criteria will I distinguish work?  What misunderstandings are likely? How will I check for those? Activity Designer  What would be interesting & engaging activities on this topic?  What resources and materials are available on this topic?  What will students be doing in and out of class? What assignments will be given?  How will I give students a grade (and justify it to their parents) ?  Did the activities work? Why or why not? Page 17

40. Curricular Priorities and Assessment Methods worth being familiar with important to know and do Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings Assessment Methods Traditional quizzes and tests Paper and pencil Selected-response Constructed response Performance task and projects Complex Open-ended Authentic Page 18

41. A Balanced Assessment Model Normal checks for understanding Observation and dialogue Test/quiz Academic prompt Performance task/project Continuum of Assessment Methods Page 18

42. Understanding by Design 3 Stages of “Backward” Design 1.Identify desired results. 2. Determine acceptable evidence. 3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

43. Stage 3 big idea: EFFECTIVEEFFECTIVE and E N G A G IN G Page 19

44. Understanding by Design Think of your obligations via W. H. E. R. E. T. O.  “ Where are we headed?” (the student’s Q!)  How will the student be ‘hooked’?  What opportunities will there be to be equipped, and to experience and explore key ideas?  What will provide opportunities to rethink, rehearse, refine, and revise?  How will students evaluate their work?  How will the work be tailored to individual needs, interests, styles?  How will the work be organized for maximal engagement and effectiveness? W H E E R L T O Page 19

45. Questions? Curriculum Coordinator Meeting

46. Understanding by Design Resources  http://jaymctighe.com/wordpress/wp- content/uploads/2011/04/UbD-Websites- 3.3.12.pdf http://jaymctighe.com/wordpress/wp- content/uploads/2011/04/UbD-Websites- 3.3.12.pdf 46