Linthicum’s Master Portfolio 1

To be an effective teacher, I must be able to develop effective curriculum that helps my

students meet the content standards. The backwards design plan (UBD) provides a framework

for thinking decisively about unit lesson planning. Here is an example of a UBD unit on telling

time with digital and analog clocks that I developed and taught to a kindergarten classroom.

The unit was designed to align with Alaska standards for Mathematics. Understanding the math

contents and standards along with showing students how to incorporate the UBD method has

been so helpful to develop meaningful units of study that will generate evidence of student

learning and growth. “The most successful teaching begins, therefore, with clarity about

desired learning outcomes and about the evidence that will show that learning has occurred”

(Wiggins & McTighe, 2011, p. 8).

When I developed the unit on telling time, I identified my desired results, determined

acceptable evidence, and then created my lesson plans. I had to take into consideration the

content area being taught, tools of inquiry, central concepts and how I would connect to other

areas of knowledge. I had to look at the content standards combined with my transfer goals to

develop my big idea or desired results of the unit. First, I identified that my desired results were

that students would be able to tell time to the hour using both a digital and analog clock. The

enduring understanding was that students would understand that being able to tell time is a

critical life skill. Identifying the big ideas when creating lessons helps me to focus on what I

want my students to come to understand. Wiggins & McTighe (2005) explain that the challenge

is to “identify a few big ideas and carefully design around them, resisting the temptation to teach

every possible value for each topic” (p. 69).

Determining acceptable evidence was the next step in developing my unit of telling time.

I had to determine what performance tasks would demonstrate the desired understanding of the
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unit and how was I going to judge this performance. I decided to have students create their own

clocks and make a daily schedule that included specific times of the day that they did certain

daily tasks. Student were intrigued and excited to create and perform this task. They were

delighted to take the clocks and schedules home to demonstrate to their families. Moline (2012)

states that, “you will want to assess students’ progress in leaning, but the best assessment activity

is also a learning activity” (p. 13). Creating the assessments before I start teaching the unit/lesson

makes it easier to focus on the important topics/ideas of my unit. The UBD method helps me to

develop meaningful units of study that will generate evidence of student learning and growth. I

consistently have to think like an assessor asking myself what evidence can show that students

have achieved the desired results.

After identifying the desired results and determining acceptable evidence, I created my

lesson plans. I had to consider student’s prior knowledge and the skills students had in place

before staring the unit. I always have to differentiate my instruction by giving students multiple

options for taking in information. Sousa and Tomlinson (2011) describe effectively

differentiating curriculum by “anticipating student differences and incorporating ways to respond

to those differences as the curriculum is developing” (p. 59). I incorporated several strategies to

ensure differentiation including: audio read aloud, partner sharing, group discussions, hands on

activities with movement, audio and visual instructions, partner assistance if needed, pre-cut and

pre-made clock parts and completed clocks for those who needed, pre-made schedule as a visual

for those who needed.

After teaching the unit, I was able to collect data from my assessment bank (pre-,

formative, performance, summative, and self-assessment) to assess which student meet the

Alaska Content Standard regarding telling time to the hour using both an analog and digital
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clock. I took my findings and was able to plan future instruction accordingly. Incorporating the

UBD helped me to create a meaningful unit that helped me collect evidence that learning had

occurred. This unit was a success for this kindergarten classroom. They really enjoyed learning

to tell time to the hour by experimenting with clocks, creating a clock, and taking part in

different time telling activities.

Effective teachers need a wide range of skills in order to assist students with high

achievement. Knowing the subject matter, understanding the pedagogical process, and being

able to develop effective curriculum is fundamental. The UBD is an effective method to use to

connect content standards to effective curriculum.

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References

Moline, S. (2012). I see what you mean: Visual literacy K-8. Portland, Me: Steinhouse

Publishers.

Sousa, D., Tomlinson, C. (2011). Differentiation and the brain. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree

Press.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design (Vol. Expanded 2nd ed).

Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=133964&site=ehost-live

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The big ideas of ubd. The Understanding by Design Guide

to Creating High-Quality Units (pp. 3-12). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Retrieved

from https://link-gale-

com.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/apps/doc/CX2001600010/GVRL?

u=june77027&sid=GVRL&xid=af486b5a