Understanding by Design

a.k.a. Backward Design

An introduction
by Ingrid Veilleux,
adapted by Laura King
Visual Metaphors for Units
 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?
STAGE 1-DESIRED RESULTS
Standards, Understandings,
GEs Essential Questions

Knowledge Skills
 Why Essential Questions?
Essential questions have 2 purposes:

– To uncover the content

– To go beyond the content (overarching
questions)

No differentiation.
 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

These questions are hooks to

engage learners.
These questions communicate the
purpose to the learners.
 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
 Discuss with a partner…

Which Habits of Mind come

easily for you? Which are
more challenging?
 STAGE 2 - ASSESSMENT
Performance Task

• Apply skills and Other Assessment

knowledge
• Real world or Formative assessment:
simulated situation quizzes, response
• Summative tasks, interviews,
assessment learning logs, etc.
 Performance Task
Assessments allow
students to…
explain, interpret, apply, have
perspective, empathize, and demonstrate
self-knowledge about a given topic.[5]
 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
 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?)
 STAGE 3 –
LEARNING ACTIVITIES

• Best Practice teaching strategies

• Consider Differentiation
• Flexibility

WHERETO Framework…
 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?
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…
 Twin sins…

1. Activity orientation
2. Textbook coverage
 Discuss with a partner…
• How is Understanding by Design
(or Backward Design) similar and
different from other unit planning
models?
 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.