This document provides an overview of Understanding by Design (UbD), also known as Backward Design. UbD is a framework for designing curriculum and teaching units that begins with the end goal in mind - what the student should know and be able to do. The framework consists of three stages: 1) Identifying desired results through standards and essential questions; 2) Determining acceptable evidence of learning through performance tasks and other assessments; and 3) Planning learning experiences and instruction. Key aspects of UbD include aligning goals, assessments and activities, using essential questions to engage students, and allowing flexibility in instructional strategies to meet goals.

1. Understanding by Design
a.k.a. Backward Design
An introduction
by Ingrid Veilleux,
adapted by Laura King

2. Visual Metaphors for Units

3. Three Big Questions…
1. What is your goal? What is your big
idea?
2. How will you know they have learned it?
3. What activities will lead you to your goal?

4. STAGE 1-DESIRED RESULTS
Standards,
GEs
Understandings,
Essential Questions
Knowledge Skills

5. Why Essential Questions?
Essential questions have 2 purposes:
– To uncover the content
– To go beyond the content (overarching
questions)
No differentiation.

6. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
These questions are hooks to
engage learners.
These questions communicate the
purpose to the learners.

7. Habits of Mind…
• Begin with the end in mind
• Align goals, assessment, and activities
• Plan key questions for every unit
• Be flexible in choice of activities so long as
goals are met

8. Discuss with a partner…
Which Habits of Mind come
easily for you? Which are
more challenging?

9. STAGE 2 - ASSESSMENT
Performance Task
• Apply skills and
knowledge
• Real world or
simulated situation
• Summative
assessment
Other Assessment
Formative assessment:
quizzes, response
tasks, interviews,
learning logs, etc.

10. Performance Task
Assessments allow
students to…
explain, interpret, apply, have
perspective, empathize, and demonstrate
self-knowledge about a given topic.[5]

11. Performance Task
Eg. Driver’s Test
Design Tool: (GRASPS)
Goal – demonstrate your skills driving a vehicle
Role – you are the driver
Audience – DMV driving test supervisor
Situation – You will drive while being assessed by supervisor
Product – The road/driving test
Standards for Success – Rules and Regulations, VT-DMV

12. Habits of Mind…
• ALIGNMENT
– Creative process is often messy
– End product (unit plan) should be coherent
• Teach for and assess transfer via
performance tasks
• (Turn and Talk… discuss how performance task
assessments and essential questions are related?)

13. STAGE 3 –
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
• Best Practice teaching strategies
• Consider Differentiation
• Flexibility
WHERETO Framework…

14. WHERETO FRAMEWORK FOR
PLANNING LEARNING EXPERIENCES
W = Help the students know Where the unit is going and What is expected?
Help the teacher know Where the students are coming from (prior
knowledge, interests)?
H = Hook all students and Hold their interest?
E = Equip students, help them Experience the key ideas and Explore the
issues?
R = Provide opportunities to Rethink and Revise their understandings and work?
E = Allow students to Evaluate their work and its implication's?
T = Be Tailored (personalized) to the different needs, interests, and abilities of
learners?
O= Be Organized to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as
effective learning?

15. Learning Activities – Lots of flexibility here !
Consider…
- elements of lesson design
- concept attainment
- elements of effective group work
- deep learning, synthesis, connecting, interpreting
- dialogue strategies
- cooperative learning
- drama, music, art – integrated
- application of learning theory
- memory and attention etc…

16. Twin sins…
1. Activity orientation
2. Textbook coverage

17. Discuss with a partner…
• How is Understanding by Design
(or Backward Design) similar and
different from other unit planning
models?

18. Bibliography
• Wiggins & McTighe (2005). Understanding by
Design. ASCD.
• Wiggins & McTighe (2004). Understanding by
Design: Professional Development Workbook.
ASCD.
• Tomlinson, Carol Ann and Jay McTighe (2006).
Integrating Differentiated Instruction and
Understanding by Design. ASCD.