This document discusses the backwards design approach to curriculum planning known as Understanding by Design (UbD). It explains that UbD focuses on first clarifying the desired learning outcomes and evidence of understanding before designing lessons. Key aspects of UbD include identifying big ideas, essential questions, and knowledge and skills students should understand. The document provides examples of big ideas and essential questions and explains the three stages of the UbD framework - identifying desired results, determining acceptable evidence, and planning learning experiences.

1. EDESL 771 PreK-12 ESL Curriculum and Materials
through the Content Areas
“"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand
new ending."-- Carl Bard
Backwards Design-Knowing Where to Take Your Learners
:Laura
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2. Curriculum as a Road
INPUT
Linguistic Demands of Texts
across the Content Areas
OUTPUT
Linguistic Demands of Tasks Instruction
across the Content Areas
chooses the
destination and
maps the course
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3. Knowledge vs. Understanding
Knowledge Understanding
The facts The meaning of the facts
A body of related facts Fallible, in-process theories
Verifiable claims A matter of degree or
Right or wrong sophistication
I know something to be true I understand why it is, what
makes it knowledge
I respond on cue with what I I judge when to and when not to
know use what I know
Quantifiable, memorized, Abstracting, relating, interpreting
reproducible
Knowledge which is mainly second-hand…tends to become merely verbal. [To] the degree in which
plan
what is communicated cannot be organized into the existing experience of the learner, it becomes mere
words: that is, lacking in meaning. Then it operates to call out mechanical reactions. (John Dewey,
1916)
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4. Making Hard Choices
rities
onten t Prio
Clari fying C
Big Ideas
and Core
Tasks
Important to
know and do
Worth being
familiar with
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5. What is “Understanding by Design”?
• “Backward Design” focus: Clarify results and evidence
of these results before designing lessons.
• Teaching for understanding is the goal of teaching and
compatible with standards-based curricula.
• UbD is a way of thinking more carefully about design,
not a program.
• Thinking like an assessor, not only an activity
designer, is key to effective design.
• Overcoming the “twin sins” of “aimless activity” and
“superficial coverage”.
• The work is only “coverage” or “nice activity” unless
focused on questions and big ideas, related to the
Standards.
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6. The Three Stages of Backwards Design
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7. UbD Part 1: Identify the Desired Results-The Big Ideas
Some Big Ideas by Type
Concepts Economics- Its not the money you have, but how
you allocate it.
Themes Good triumphs over evil.
Debates Winning is dependent upon offense vs defense.
Perspective Life is shaped by your attitude; my cup half full or • What is it that you want your
half empty. learners to understand at the
Paradox Freedom involves responsibility. end of your unit?
Theory Form follows function; you are what you eat.
• What are the “Big” ideas/
Principle Less is more. enduring understandings that
Assumption Non-fiction text always depicts truth. you want your students to arrive
at, and essential questions to
Some Big Ideas by Content guide student learning through
the unit?
Concept Big Idea
nutrition You are what you eat
westward expansion Hardship forged a nation
persuasive writing Powerful media can influence beliefs and
behaviors
fairness Statistics can be manipulated to obscure the
(mathematical) truth
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8. Questions to Check if it’s a Big Idea
Ask Yourself…
oDoes it have many layers not obvious to
the inexperienced learner?
oDoes one have to dig deep to truly
understand its meaning or implications?
oIs it prone to disagreement?
oMight you change your mind about it over
time?
oDoes it reflect the core ideas as judged by
experts?
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9. Using Essential Questions to Guide Students towards
Big Ideas
Essential Not Essential
• What traits and • How many legs does a spider
characteristics determine a have?
classification?
• Where do artists get their • Did nature influence Monet?
ideas?
• What determines value? • How many dimes in a dollar?
• What distinguishes a fluent • What is the meaning of the
foreigner from a native Greek term technology from its
speaker? Greek root “techne”?
• How does where we live • Why were settlements
influence how we live? developed around lakes and 9

10. The UbD Template as Planning Support
UbD Template for Content-Based ESL Unit
Stage 1–Desired Results
Content: Big Idea/Understandings:
Essential Questions:
Knowledge:
Language: L/S/R/W Skills/Function:
Grammar:
Target vocabulary:
Stage 2--Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
Stage 3—Learning Plan
Materials:
Activities in Class:
Extension activities:
Stage 4—Learning Forward—Reflection on Student Learning and on the Unit
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