UBD Backward Planning Understanding by Design The Backward

UBD Backward Planning Understanding by Design The Backward Planning Model Plan Backwards! Based on the work of Grant Wiggins and Jay Mc. Tighe

UBD Backward Planning Why are we doing this? n Since the transition to Common Core and Essential Standards, the district has received requests for unit planning sessions. n Our ultimate goal is to have district unit plans, but this is a process that may take 3 -5 years. n This is Day One of that process.

UBD Backward Planning What IS Ub. D? n Integrating curriculum, instruction, and assessment within a unit of study in any discipline n A unit design template for beginning with the end in mind n A way to enhance meaningful understanding and transfer of learning

UBD Backward Planning Key points to remember… n In order to begin, we must start at the end: – Clarify results and evidence of them before designing lessons. Ub. D is a way of thinking more carefully about design; it is NOT a program n Thinking like an assessor (not only an activity designer) is key to effective design n Student work is only “coverage” or “nice activity” unless focused on questions and big ideas, related to the Standards n

UBD Backward Planning Key points to remember… n Too many students lack transferrable knowledge – Instruction has become an activity in repeating the teacher n Most test questions are recall – Where’s the deeper thinking? n The “Course” is NOT – The textbook: that’s a resource – The activities: these are steps – The content: this is to be mastered n There is a BIG difference between just knowing and really understanding…

UBD Backward Planning “Results are what counts. You have to measure. ” Unit Planning should answer: 1. What big ideas and skills should students leave knowing? 2. What counts as evidence that they really learned this? 3. What learning experiences in the classroom will get them there? Grant Wiggins Discuss: Where do you recognize evidence of Backward Planning in your classroom?

UBD Backward Planning Let’s hear from Mr. Wiggins… n Grant Wiggins’ Overview - video

UBD Backward Planning Three Stages of Backward Design 1. Identify Desired Results What is it that I want the students to understand know and be able to do? How will I know that they know 2. Determine Acceptable Evidence what I want them to know? 3. Plan Learning Experiences What do I need to do in the classroom to prepare them for the assessment?

UBD Backward Planning I want students to understand… The US Constitution (this is content!) The three branches of US government I want students to understand THAT… The US Constitution was a solution based on compromise to real and pressing problems and disagreements in government They were a brilliant balance and limit of powers.

UBD Backward Planning What can content mastery do? n It gives us the means to an end! n The end is… – Providing students with real-world, problem solving tools – Equipping them to individually recognize, plan for, and solve any problem that involves the content – Making them life-long learners

UBD Backward Planning Give me an example… n Content Mastery: Fractions n You want students to learn fractions to recognize, frame, and solve any problem that involves fractional relationships independently. n SO, design the unit BACKWARDS from real problems and problem-solving situations that you want students to be able to solve on their own.

UBD Backward Planning Give me one more example… n Content Mastery: Grammar n You want students to learn grammar to speak and write in any situation for maximum effect independently. n SO, design the unit BACKWARDS from communication challenges and problems that you want students to be able to solve on their own.

UBD Backward Planning The point… n Ub. D fosters transfer of learning to create independent problem-solvers. n We equip them with understandings, skills, and knowledge that are essential to real-life situations. n But…how…?

UBD Backward Planning Let’s Look at the Templates n Basic Template Without Guiding Questions/Statements n Basic Template With Guiding Questions/Statements n MCS Ub. D Planning Template - With PDSA and 5 Questions Embedded

UBD Backward Planning Stage 1 - Desired Results Established Goals: G Understandings: U Essential Questions: Q Students will understand that… Students will know… K Students will be able to… S Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks: T Other Evidence: OE Stage 3 - Learning Plan Learning Activities: L

UBD Backward Planning Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results n What Established Goals Common Core or Essential Standard do students need to learn? n What’s the point? n How does this fit into the content standards? n What is the bigger purpose? n Answer: Consider BIG IDEAS

UBD Backward Planning Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results Established Goals What are BIG IDEAS? (Think CONCEPTS) – Core idea at the “heart” of the discipline – Enduring: has lasting, universal value – Transferable to other topics/disciplines – Connective of facts and skills – Requires “un-converage” or “unpacking”

UBD Backward Planning Concepts as Big Ideas Change Justice Exploration Abundance Charity Environment Freedom Interaction Communication Migration Patterns Power Symbols Diversity Culture Conflict Cycles Fairness Balance Perspective Friendship What else can you think of?

UBD Backward Planning Use Big Ideas to form Understandings and Essential Questions Understandings üWhat insights will students take away about the meanings of the content via Big Ideas? üUnderstandings summarize the desired insights we want the students to realize about the Big Ideas üUnderstandings connect the dots; they tell us what our knowledge means and make sense of facts and skills. Essential Questions üImportant questions that will reoccur throughout our lives üHelps students make sense of Big Ideas through questioning and then making decisions. üEngages and motivates.

UBD Backward Planning Understandings Examples Non-examples üAn effective story engages the reader by setting up tensions about what will happen next üWhen water disappears, it turns into water vapor and can reappear as liquid if the water is cooled üDemocracy requires a courageous, not just a free press. üAudience and purpose üWater covers threefourths of the earth’s surface üA free press is guaranteed by the 1 st Amendment.

UBD Backward Planning Essential Questions… – Push us to the heart of things – Cause genuine and relevant inquiry into big ideas and core content – Provoke deep thought, lively discussion, sustained inquiry, new understanding, and more questions – Require students to consider alternatives, weigh evidence, support ideas, and justify answers – Stimulate vital, ongoing rethinking of big ideas, assumptions, prior lessons – Spark meaningful connections with prior learning and personal experiences – Naturally recur, creating opportunities for transfer to other situations and subjects

UBD Backward Planning Essential Questions Examples Non-examples üHow would life be different if we couldn’t measure time? üHow many minutes are in an hour? A day? üIn what ways does art reflect, as well as shape, culture? üBetween what years did the Italian Renaissance occur? üWhat is foreshadowing? Can üHow do effective writers you find an example? hook and hold their readers?

UBD Backward Planning Big Ideas Literature Culture Human condition Understanding Great literature from various cultures explores enduring themes and reveals recurrent aspects of the human condition Transfer& Independent thinkers Essential Question How can stories from other places and times be about me?

UBD Backward Planning Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results Knowledge and Skills n In order for students to perform well on the assessments and competently answer the Essential questions… n What should they KNOW? n What should they BE ABLE TO DO?

UBD Backward Planning Knowledge and Skills Knowledge includes… üVocabulary/terminology üDefinitions üKey factual information üCritical details üImportant events and people üSequence/timeline üThese questions HAVE a correct answer! Skills include… üBasic skills üCommunication skills üResearch/inquiry/ investigation skills üThinking skills (problem - solving, decision making) üStudy skills üInterpersonal or group collaboration skills

UBD Backward Planning Knowledge and Skills Examples… üPioneer vocabulary terms üCavalieri’s Principle üGeneral health problems caused by poor nutrition Examples… üRecognize and use pioneer vocabulary in context üUse Cavalieri’s Principle to compare volumes üPlan balanced diets for themselves and others

UBD Backward Planning n Let’s recap: We clarified how to frame desired results, but how can we assess the students’ understanding of them? n We must think like an assessor… üWhat evidence can show that students have achieved the desired results? üWhat assessment tasks and other evidence will anchor our curricular units and thus guide instruction? üWhat should we look for to determine the extent of student understanding? n On to Stage 2!

UBD Backward Planning The Three Stages of Backward Design 1. Identify Desired Results What is it that I want the students to understand know and be able to do? How will I know that they know 2. Determine Acceptable Evidence what I want them to know? 3. Plan Learning Experiences What do I need to do in the classroom to prepare them for the assessment?

Stage 2! UBD Backward Planning Stage 1 - Desired Results Established Goals: G Understandings: U Essential Questions: Q Students will understand that… Students will know… K Students will be able to… S Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks: T Other Evidence: OE Stage 3 - Learning Plan Learning Activities: L

UBD Backward Planning Stage 2 - Determine Acceptable Evidence n This is where Ub. D departs from conventional unit design and planning. n Before we plan the activities and lessons, we must plan the assessment. n What then logically follows is an orderly progression of activities, specifically designed to meet their target.

UBD Backward Planning Stage 2 - Determine Acceptable Evidence n Assessments are too often created without carefully considering the evidence needed or only as a means for generating grades. n Instead, consider this: How do we know that the learner… – met the goal through performance? – “got” the understandings? – deeply considered the essential questions?

UBD Backward Planning Stage 2 - Determine Acceptable Evidence n Understanding develops as a result of ongoing inquiry. n Think of effective assessment like a scrapbook of mementos and pictures, rather than a single snapshot. n Gather lots of informal evidence along the way in a variety of formats! n Use the continuum on the next slide as a guide.

UBD Backward Planning Continuum of assessment Think of anchoring your unit with a performance task. But use the Other Evidence along the way. (i. e. Don’t throw out all your old quizzes!) Other evidence

UBD Backward Planning What should a Performance ask students to do? n n n Task Contextualize it to a real-world situation. Require students to use judgment and innovation. Call for exploration of the subject like a professional in the field. Replicate challenging situations in which people are truly “tested” in life and work. Compel students to use a repertoire of knowledge and skill to negotiate a task Allow opportunities to rehearse, practice, consult resources, get feedback, and refine performance.

UBD Backward Planning How can I create an authentic Performance Task that fosters understanding? n. G - Goal (What task do I want the students to achieve? ) n R - Role (What’s the student’s role in the task? ) n A - Audience (Who is the student’s target audience? ) n S - Situation (What’s the context? The challenge? ) n P - Performance (What will students create/develop? ) n S - Standards (On what criteria will they be judged? ) Remember: Make the tasks real world problems to solve!

UBD Backward Planning Performance Tasks Examples üYou are a scientist charged with designing an experiment to determine which brand of detergent best removes stains üPlan and budget for a four-day tour in Virginia to help visitors understand the state’s impact on history and development of our nation. üDesign a flower garden for a company with a logo that has side-by-side circular, rectangular, and triangular shapes. Non-examples üCreate a volcano with baking soda and vinegar üA final exam in history with 50 multiple choice and short answer questions. üMake a poster collage of 100 items for the hundredth day of school

UBD Backward Planning Any assessment you design should… n Have clearly articulated criteria n Be valid and reliable n Provide sufficient measure of the desired result n Encourage students to self-assess their own learning

UBD Backward Planning Sample Performance Tasks n n Literacy Design Collaborative Tasks The Reading and Writing Project Tasks n Social Studies Samples n Sample Math Tasks (6 -12) n

UBD Backward Planning n So, we have clarified desired results and discussed appropriate assessments. n It’s time to plan the learning activities! n As we move through Stage 3, remember that it’s not about what WE want to accomplish; it’s about what the learner will need to… – achieve the desired results from Stage 1 and – perform well on the tasks in Stage 2. n On to Stage 3!

UBD Backward Planning Three Stages of Backward Design 1. Identify Desired Results What is it that I want the students to understand know and be able to do? How will I know that they know 2. Determine Acceptable Evidence what I want them to know? 3. Plan Learning Experiences What do I need to do in the classroom to prepare them for the assessment?

Stage 3! UBD Backward Planning Stage 1 - Desired Results Established Goals: G Understandings: U Students will understand that… Students will know… K Essential Questions: Q Students will be able to… S Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks: T Other Evidence: Stage 3 - Learning Plan Learning Activities: L OE

UBD Backward Planning Use WHERETO in instructional planning W- Ensure the students know WHERE the unit is headed and WHY n H- HOOK students in the beginning; HOLD their attention throughout n E- EQUIP students with necessary experiences, tools, knowledge, and n know-how to meet performance goals n R- Provide students with numerous opportunities to RETHINK their big ideas, REFLECT on progress, and REVISE their work n E- Build in opportunities for students to EVALUATE progress and selfassess n T- Be TAILORED to reflect individual talents, interests, styles, and needs n O- Be ORGANIZED to optimize deep understanding, not superficial coverage

UBD Backward Planning Note on WHERETO n This is NOT a recipe, formula, or prescribed sequence n It is, like the Six Facets, a way of judging, assessing, and testing lessons and units. n How should the WHERETO elements be combined and ordered? It’s up to the designer!

UBD Backward Planning Yes, Ub. D units are time consuming and challenging to create… n If we want our students to wrestle with timeless, universal questions, gain a deeper understanding of the world, and then transfer that rich experience to engage in authentic, problem-solving activities, shouldn’t we be thoughtful about the design process?

UBD Backward Planning The answer is YES. n If you would like to learn more, please consult Understanding by Design, by Grant Wiggins and Jay Mc. Tighe. n All slides in this Power. Point have been adapted from their work. n Good luck in your design process and remember, when you begin, always keep the end in mind!