UBD Backward Planning

Understanding by Design - Understanding by Design -

The Backward Planning ModelThe Backward Planning Model

Based on the work of Grant Wiggins and Jay McTigheBased on the work of Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Plan Backwards!

UBD Backward Planning

Nice to KnowImportant to Know

Essential to Know

Standards-B

ased

Standards-B

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UBD Backward Planning

The process of planning effective instruction for your students is like renovating your dream house!!

It involves:

Envisioning

A Design phase

Preparation for construction

Demolition and construction

The finished product

Wiggins likens state standards to the building codes that a home renovator must work within. The goal of a renovation is not to meet the codes! It’s to build your dream house – within the codes.

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 within this course?

UBD Backward Planning

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

a. What enduring understandings are desired?

b. What essential questions will guide this unit and focus teaching/learning?

c. What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?

UBD Backward Planning

Vocabulary

Terminology

Definitions

Key factual information

Formulas

Critical details

Important events and people

Sequence and timelines

What we want students to Know (Facts)

UBD Backward Planning

Big Idea (The UNDERSTANDING)The pioneers faced many hardships in the settlement of the West.

Many pioneers, especially children, died from disease.

Much hard work was required to settle new land – clearing fields, constructing shelter.

The pioneers had to grow, or hunt, for their food. Often, they went hungry.

Settlers faced attacks by Native American tribes on whose land they traveled or settled.

What we want students to be able to REMEMBER (Understandings):

UBD Backward Planning

Basic skills – decoding, computation

Communication skills – listening, speaking, writing

Thinking skills – compare, infer, analyze, interpret

Research, inquiry, investigation skills

Study skills – notetaking, fill out charts

Interpersonal, group skills

What we want students to be able to DO: (Skills)

UBD Backward Planning

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

a. What enduring understandings are desired?

b. What essential questions will guide this unit and focus teaching/learning?

c. What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?

UBD Backward Planning

Arguable - and important to argue about

At the heart of the subject

Recurring - in professional work, adult life, as well as in classroom inquiry

Raising more questions for learners – provoking and sustaining engaged inquiry

Centered around important conceptual or philosophical issues

A tool for organizing purpose; for making student learning meaningful and connected

Essential Questions should be…

UBD Backward Planning

Essential Question:

What causes a species to become extinct?

Topical Essential Question:

What caused dinosaurs to become extinct?

Guiding Question:

What is an omnivore?

What was the largest species of dinosaur?

UBD Backward Planning

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

d. Through what performance tasks(s) will students demonstrate understanding, knowledge, and skill?

e. Through what prompts/academic problems or test/quiz items will students demonstrate understanding, as well as more discrete knowledge, and skill?

f. Through what unprompted evidence (e.g., observations, work samples, etc.) will students demonstrate understanding, knowledge, and skill?

g. How will students reflect upon, and self-assess their learning?

UBD Backward Planning

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

h. What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students to develop and demonstrate the desired understandings?

How will the design –

W = Help students know where the unit is going?

H = Hook all students and hold their interest?

E = Equip the students, explore the issues, and experience the key ideas?

R = Provide built-in opportunities to rethink and revise their understandings and work?

E = Allow students to evaluate their work

UBD Backward Planning

• Big ideas and Essential Questions

• Performance requirements

• Evaluative criteria

• Hooks

• Variety of strategies / Variety of resources

• Facilitates students' active construction of meaning (rather than simply telling)

• Incorporates the six facets of understanding

• Uses questioning, probing, and feedback

• Teaches basic knowledge and skills (in the context of big ideas and explores essential questions)

• Uses information from formative assessments

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UBD Backward Planning

• Describe the goals and performance requirements

• Explain what they are doing and why

• Hooked and remain engaged

• Describe the criteria by which their work will be evaluated

• Demonstrate learning

• Generate relevant questions

• Able to explain and justify their work and their answers

• Self- or peer-assessment

• Use the criteria or rubrics

• Set relevant goals

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UBD Backward Planning

• Big ideas and essential questions are posted and remain central to the work of the students

• Norms and culture of the classroom support learning

• High expectations for all

• ALL students and their ideas are treated with dignity and respect

• Rubrics are provided

• Samples or models of student work are made visible.

• Learning experiences are differentiated as needed

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