The document outlines a three stage process for designing curriculum and instruction called backward design. Stage 1 involves identifying desired learning outcomes and establishing goals. Stage 2 determines how student understanding will be assessed through evidence. Stage 3 plans learning experiences and instruction necessary to achieve the goals and demonstrate the desired evidence of understanding.

1. 1. Identify
1. Identify
desired
results
desired
results
2. Determine
acceptable
evidence
3. Plan learning
experiences
and
instruction

2. Stage 1. Identify Desired Results.
In Stage 1 we consider the goals. What big ideas are worthy of
understanding and implied in the established goals (e.g., content
standards, curriculum objectives)?
What “enduring” understandings are desired?
What provocative questions are worth pursuing to guide student inquiry
into these big ideas?
What specific knowledge and skills are targeted in the goals and needed
for effective performance?

3. Stage 2.Determine Acceptable Evidence.
In the second stage we consider evidence of learning.
How will we know that students have achieved the desired results
and met content standards?
How will we know that students really understand the identified big
ideas?
What will we accept as evidence of proficiency?
The backward design orientation suggests that we think about our
design in terms of the collected assessment evidence needed to
document and validate that the desired results of Stage 1 have been
achieved.

4. Stage 3.Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction.
With identified results and appropriate evidence of understanding in
mind, it is now time to finalize a plan for the learning activities.
What will need to be taught and coached, and how should it best be
taught, in light of the performance goals?
What sequence of activity best suits the desired results?
In planning the learning activities, we consider the WHERETO elements
(describe later) as guidelines.
Those guidelines can be summed up in a question: How will we make
learning both engaging and effective, given the goals and needed
evidence?

6. FFaacceett 22 -- IINNTTEERRPPRREETTAATTIIOONN
FFaacceett 33 -- AAPPPPLLIICCAATTIIOONN
FFaacceett 55 –– EEMMPPAATTHHYY
FFaacceett 66 –– SSEELLFF-- KKNNOOWWLLEEDDGGEE
FFaacceett 11 -- EEXXPPLLAANNAATTIIOONN
FFaacceett 44 -- PPEERRSSPPEECCTTIIVVEE

7. FFaacceett 11 -- EEXXPPLLAANNAATTIIOONN
Sophisticated and apt explanations and
theories that provide knowledgeable and
justified accounts of events, actions, and
ideas:
Why is that so?
What explains such events?
What accounts for such action?
How can we prove it?
To what is this connected?
How does this work?

8. FFaacceett 22 -- IINNTTEERRPPRREETTAATTIIOONN
Narratives, translations, metaphors, images,
and artistry that provide meaning:
What does it mean?
Why does it matter?
What of it?
What does it illustrate or illuminate in human
experience?
How does it relate to me? What makes sense?

9. FFaacceett 33 -- AAPPPPLLIICCAATTIIOONN
Ability to use knowledge effectively in new
situations and diverse contexts:
How and where can we use this knowledge, skill, or
process?
How should my thinking action be modified to
meet the demands of this particular situation?

10. FFaacceett 44 -- PPEERRSSPPEECCTTIIVVEE
Critical and insightful points of view:
From which vantage point?
What is justified or warranted?
Is there adequate evidence?
Is it reasonable?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the idea?
Is it possible?
What are its limits?
So what?
What is a novel way to look at this?

11. FFaacceett 55 –– EEMMPPAATTHHYY
The ability to get “inside” another person’s
feelings and world view:
How does it seem to you?
What do they see that I don’t?
What do I need to experience if I am to understand?
What was the author, artist, or performer feeling,
seeing, and trying to make me feel and see?

12. FFaacceett 66 –– SSEELLFF-- KKNNOOWWLLEEDDGGEE
The wisdom to know one’s ignorance and how
one’s patterns of thought and action as well as
prejudice understanding:
How does who I am shape my views?
What are the limits of my understanding?
What are my blind spots?
What am I prone to misunderstand because of
prejudice, habit, or style?
How do I learn best? What strategies work for me?

13. What is the key idea in ____________________________________?
What are the examples of __________________________________?
What are the characteristics and parts of ______________________?
What caused _________? What are the effects of _______________?
How might we prove, confirm, justify _________________________?
How is ___________, connected to __________________________?
What might happen if _____________________________________?
What are common misconceptions about _____________________?
How is this come about? Why is this so?

14. What is the meaning of ___________________________________?
What are the implications of _______________________________?
What does ______________reveal about _____________________?
How is ______________like _____________(analogy or metaphor)?
How does _______________________________ relate to me or us?
So what? Why does it matter?

15. How is _________________________ applied in the larger world?
How might ___________________ help us to _________________?
How could we use _______________ to overcome _____________?
How when can we use this (knowledge or process)?

16. What are different points of view about ______________________?
How might this look from _______________________’s perspective?
How is ________________ similar t or different from ____________?
What are other possible reactions to _________________________?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of ____________________?
What are the limits of _____________________________________?
What is the evidence for ___________________________________?
Is the evidence reliable? sufficient?

17. What would it be like to walk in _____________________’s shoes?
How might _______________ feel about _____________________?
How might we reach an understanding about __________________?
What was _____________________ trying to make us feel and see?

18. How do I know ___________________________________________?
What are the limits of my knowledge about ___________________?
What are my “blind spots” about ____________________________?
How can I best show ______________________________________?
How are my views about ___________ shaped by ______________
(experiences, habits prejudices, style)?
What are my strengths and weaknesses in ____________________?

19. SSaammpplleess bbyy SSuubbjjeecctt

20. Explain Interpret Apply Perspective Empathy Self-
Knowledge
“Who are your
true friends?
Who are your
fair-weather
friends?”
Interpret
“Spring” in
Frog and
Toad are
Friends. What
does this
episode
reveal about
friendship.
Empathy
Place an order
for a “true
friend” from an
imaginary
mail-order
friendship
Perspective
Apply
Explain
Interpret
Write an essay or journal entry on why some
kids always get picked on and what it feels like to
Place an order for a “true friend” from an
imaginary mail-order friendship store.
How do others view me as a friend?
Interpret “Spring” in Frog and Toad are
Friends. What does this episode reveal
“Who are your store.
true friends? Who are
How do others
view me as a
friend?
Write an
essay or
journal entry
on why some
kids always
get picked
on and what
it feels like to
be those
your fair-weather friends?”
kids.
Respond to
writing
prompts: “Do I
know who my
true friends
are?”
Self-Knowledge
Respond to writing prompts: “Do I know who my
true friends are?”
be those kids.
about friendship.

21. Explain Interpret Apply Perspective Empathy Self-
Knowledge
Develop a
troubleshoot-ing
guide for
an electric
circuit system.
Assume the
role of an
electrical
subcontractor:
interpret and
analyze the
Perspective
Apply
Interpret
Explain
AC or DC? Argue the merits of
each type of current for various
Assume writing
drawings for
the role of an electrical
building a
subcontractor: house.
interpret and analyze
the writing drawings for building a
Build a
working set of
switches for a
model railroad
layout.
AC or DC?
Argue the
merits of each
type of current
for various
users.
Create an
imaginary
diary entry:
“A day in the
life of an
electron.”
Empathy
Create an imaginary diary
entry: “A day in the life of an
Build a working set of switches
for a model railroad layout.
Develop a troubleshooting guide for
users.
an electric circuit system.
electron.”
house.

22. Explain Interpret Apply Perspective Empathy Self-
Knowledge
Study a
common
phenomenon
(e.g., weather
data). Reveal
subtle and
Perspective
Interpret
Explain
Apply
Read Flatland and a set of letters between
mathematicians explaining why they fear
publishing their findings; write a reflective
essay on the difficulty of explaining new
Examine the differences when
using various measures (e.g.,
mean, median) for calculating
Study Do Develop a common a trend a analysis new statistic phenomenon
for
(evaluating e.g., weather the data). value Reveal of a of baseball
a finite
subtle
and easily overlooked patterns in
easily
overlooked
patterns in the
data.
Do a trend
analysis of a
finite data set.
Empathy
Develop a
new statistic
for evaluating
the value of a
baseball
player in key
situations.
Examine the
differences
when using
various
measures (e.g.,
mean, median)
for calculating
grades.
Read Flatland
and a set of
letters
between
mathematician
s explaining
why they fear
publishing their
findings; write
a reflective
essay on the
difficulty of
explaining new
ideas, even
abstract ones.
Develop a
mathematical
resume with a
brief
description of
your
intellectual
strengths and
weaknesses.
Self-Knowledge
Develop a mathematical resume
with a brief description of your
intellectual strengths and
data set.
player in key situations.
weaknesses.
the data.
grades.
ideas, even abstract ones.

23. Explain Interpret Apply Perspective Empathy Self-
Knowledge
Describe why
a particular
rhetorical
technique is
effective in a
speech.
“What’s wrong
with Holden?”
Make sense of
the main
character in
Catcher in the
Perspective
Apply
Interpret
Explain
Work is a Rye.
soup kitchen, and write an
essay on the experiences of the
homeless after reading Charles
What makes a
great book?
Make an
audiotape
review of a
favorite book
for the school
library.
Read and
discuss The
Real STORY
OF THE Three
Little Pigs by A.
Empathy
Wolf.
Work is a
soup kitchen,
and write an
essay on the
experiences
of the
homeless
after reading
Charles
Dickens.
Attach s self-assessment
to
each paper
you write
reflecting on
your writing
process.
Self-Knowledge
Attach s self-assessment to each
paper you write reflecting on your
What “What’s makes wrong a with great Holden?” book? Make
Make
an sense audiotape of the review main character of a favorite
in
book for the school library.
Read and discuss The Real STORY
OF THE Three Little Pigs by A.
Describe why a particular rhetorical
technique is effective in a speech.
writing Wolf.
process.
Catcher in the Rye.
Dickens.

24. Explain Interpret Apply Perspective Empathy Self-
Knowledge
Explain the
role of silence
in music
Represent
fear and hope
in a visual
collage or
dance.
Write and
perform a
one-act play
on a school
issue.
Critique three
different
versions of the
same Shake-speare
Empathy
Apply
Perspective
Interpret
Explain
Imagine you are Juliet from play
Romeo and
Juliet, Critique Write Explain and and three the consider perform different role of a versions (focus on a key
your one-silence scene)
act terrible, of play in the music
same
on final
a
act. Shakespeare What are you play thinking (focus on and a key feeling.
scene)
Imagine you
are Juliet
from Romeo
and Juliet,
and consider
your terrible,
final act.
What are
you thinking
and feeling.
Keep log of
the drama
class
exercises that
demand the
most from you
emotionally.
Self-Knowledge
Keep log of the drama class
Represent fear and hope in a visual
exercises that demand the most from
school issue.
collage or dance.
you emotionally.

25. Explain Interpret Apply Perspective Empathy Self-
Knowledge
Link everyday
actions and
facts to the
laws of
physics,
concentrating
on easily
misunderstoo
d aspects
(e.g., mass
compared to
weight).
Take readings
of pond water
to determine
whether the
algae problem
is serious.
Perform a
chemical
analysis of
local stream
water to
monitor EPA
compliance ,
and present
findings.
Conduct
thought
experiments
(e.g., Einstien’s-
What would the
world be like if I
were traveling
on a beam of
Apply
Empathy
Explain
Interpret
Perspective
Read and discuss pre-modern or discredited
scientific writings to identify plausible or “logical”
theories (given the information available at the
Perform a chemical analysis of local stream
water to monitor EPA compliance , and
Link everyday actions and facts to the laws of
physics, concentrating on easily misunderstood
aspects (e.g., mass compared to weight).
Take readings of pond water determine
whether the algae problem is serious.
Conduct thought experiments (e.g., Einstien’s-
What would world be like light?
if I were traveling on
Read and
discuss pre-modern
or
discredited
scientific
writings to
identify
plausible or
“logical”
theories
(given the
information
available at
the time).
Propose
solutions to an
ineffective
cooperative
learning
activity based
on what didn’t
work in your
group.
Self-Knowledge
Propose solutions to an ineffective
cooperative learning activity based on what
didn’t present work a beam in findings.
of your light?
group.
time).

26. U.S. History
Performance
verb
Examples of possible performances
Understanding
performance
generalization Performance
verb
history history uunniitt oonn tthhee 11996600’’ss
Explain how U.S involvement in the Vietnam War caused some people to
Explain how U.S involvement in the Vietnam War caused some people to
lose faith in their government.
lose faith in their government.
Argue for or against the view that the antiwar movement was sparked
Argue for or against the view that the antiwar movement was sparked
by the Civil Rights movement.
by the Civil Rights movement.
Apply your understanding of the era in a role-play recreation of the
Apply your understanding of the era in a role-play recreation of the
Kerner Commission report on violence
Kerner Commission report on violence

27. Consider the following verbs when planning possible
ways in which students may demonstrate their
understanding.

28. explain
demonstrate
derive
describe
design
exhibit
express
induce
instruct
justify
model
predict
prove
show
synthesize
teach
interpret
analogies (create)
critique
document
evaluate
illustrate
judge
make meaning of
make sense of
metaphors (provide)
read between the lines
represent
tell a story of
translate
apply
adapt
build
create
de-bug
decide
design
exhibit
invent
perform
produce
propose
solve
test
use

29. perspective
analyze
argue
compare
contrast
criticize
infer
empathy
assume role of
believe
be like
be open to
consider
imagine
relate
role-play
self-knowledge
be aware of
realize
recognize
reflect
self-assess

30. Stage 1 Stage 2
If the ddeessiirreedd rreessuulltt iiss oorr
lleeaarrnneerrss ttoo ……
TThheenn,, yyoouu nneeeedd eevviiddeennccee ooff
tthhee ssttuuddeenntt’’ss aabbiilliittyy ttoo ……
SSoo,, tthhee aasssseessssmmeennttss nneeeedd
ttoo iinncclluuddee ssoommee tthhiinnggss
lliikkee……
UUnnddeerrssttaanndd tthhaatt::
•Valid assessment matches
the achievement targets
with the evidence.
•Effective assessment
promotes learning, as well
as measures it.
•EExxppllaaiinn ……
any of the desired
understandings.
•IInntteerrpprreett……
the meaning of results
from different assessment
measures
•Plan a presentation for
beginning teachers to
explain the rationale for
using a balance of
assessment formats when
gathering evidence of
learning.

31. Stage 1 Stage 2
If the ddeessiirreedd rreessuulltt iiss oorr
lleeaarrnneerrss ttoo ……
TThheenn,, yyoouu nneeeedd eevviiddeennccee
ooff tthhee ssttuuddeenntt’’ss aabbiilliittyy ttoo
……
SSoo,, tthhee aasssseessssmmeennttss nneeeedd
ttoo iinncclluuddee ssoommee tthhiinnggss
lliikkee……
UUnnddeerrssttaanndd tthhaatt::
•Assessment of
understanding require
students to apply and
explain, not simply recall.
•Clear criteria and
“anchors” enhance scoring
reliability.
AAnndd tthhoouugghhttffuullllyy ccoonnssiiddeerr
tthhee qquueessttiioonnss……
•What is valid assessment?
•Are we appropriately
assessing everything we
value?
•AAppppllyy bbyy ……
designing a valid
assessment for specific
achievement targets.
SSeeee ffrroomm tthhee ppooiinnttss ooff
vviieeww ooff ……
different users of
assessment information.
•Develop a summary
statement to synthesize
the results from different
assessments. Then, suggest
specific improvement
actions suggested by the
results.
•Design an authentic
performance assessment
task and rubric to judge the
degree of understanding of
a Big Idea or process.

32. Stage 1 Stage 2
If the ddeessiirreedd rreessuulltt iiss oorr
lleeaarrnneerrss ttoo ……
TThheenn,, yyoouu nneeeedd eevviiddeennccee
ooff tthhee ssttuuddeenntt’’ss aabbiilliittyy ttoo
……
SSoo,, tthhee aasssseessssmmeennttss nneeeedd
ttoo iinncclluuddee ssoommee tthhiinnggss
lliikkee……
AAnndd tthhoouugghhttffuullllyy ccoonnssiiddeerr
tthhee qquueessttiioonnss……
•What evidence will show
that students really
understand?
•How can we make our
judgments more reliable?
•EEmmppaatthhiizzee wwiitthh ……
a student being assessed.
•OOvveerrccoommee tthhee nnaaïïvvee oorr
bbiiaasseedd iiddeeaa tthhaatt……
everything that is assessed
must be graded.
•RReefflleecctt oonn ……
your own experiences,
attitudes, and biases
regarding assessment.
•Express the view of a
policy maker (e.g.,
legislator, board member)
regarding the use of
standardized tests to
evaluate school
performance.
•Write a simulated journal
entry as a student who
understands the material
but is not a good traditional
test taker.

33. Stage 1 Stage 2
If the ddeessiirreedd rreessuulltt iiss oorr
lleeaarrnneerrss ttoo ……
TThheenn,, yyoouu nneeeedd eevviiddeennccee
ooff tthhee ssttuuddeenntt’’ss aabbiilliittyy ttoo
……
SSoo,, tthhee aasssseessssmmeennttss nneeeedd
ttoo iinncclluuddee ssoommee tthhiinnggss
lliikkee……
•Identify any biases that
you have regarding various
types of assessment (e.g.,
multiple choice, essay,
projects, standardized
tests), and reflect on if and
how these have influenced
your work.

34. Use the six facets of understanding to generate
possible ways in which students might reveal
understanding.

35. Explanation
EElleeccttrriiccii
ttyy
Self-Knowledge
Interpretation
Empathy
Application
•Design an electrical
circuit to accomplish a
specific task.
•Troubleshoot a faulty
electrical circuit.
Perspective
•Interpret a schematic
diagram and predict
the outcome
•Describe an electron’s
experience as it passes
through a simple
current.
•Give a pre-test and a post-test
to assess common
misconceptions (e.g., force-concept
inventory) and have
students reflect on their
deepening understanding.
•Why does the United
States use AC instead of
DC current? (historical
perspective)
•What are the strengths
of each type?
•Explain to the class
how a battery causes a
light bulb to glow.