UbD 101: The Basics of Understanding by Design

1. UbD 101:The Basics ofUnderstanding by Design

2. “People today are aware of more and know less than any previous generation. We are awash in information but suffering a drought of experience. Almost every kid knows where milk comes from, but almost none of them have milked a cow. Knowing something is very different from knowing about something.” - Noah benShea

3. Essential Questions for Learners about the Learning Process: • What are you doing? • Why are you being asked to do it? • What will it help you do? • How does it fit with what you have previously done? • How will you show that you have learned it?

4. Goals for Today • To create common understandings of key terms and ideas of the UbD model • To identify the basic components of UbD and how they can be implemented in the classroom

5. Traditional Approach • Activity-focused teaching • Coverage • Standards • Pacing Guides • Textbooks • High Stakes Tests • “Teach, test, and hope for the best”

6. Traditional Approach to Planning Curriculum

7. Planning a Focused Curriculum Means Being Clear About What Students Should … KNOW • Facts • Vocabulary • Definitions • UNDERSTAND • Principles/ generalizations • Big ideas of the discipline • BE ABLE TO DO • -Processes • -Skills

8. KNOW Facts, names, dates, places, pieces of key information • There are 50 states in the US • Thomas Jefferson • 1492 • The Continental Divide • The multiplication tables

9. UNDERSTAND Essential truths that give meaning to the topic - “I want students to understand THAT…” • Multiplication is another way to do addition. • People migrate to meet basic needs. • All cultures contain the same elements. • Entropy and enthalpy are competing forces in the natural world. • Voice reflects the author.

10. BE ABLE TO DO Skills (basic skills, skills of the discipline, skills of independence, social skills, skills of production) – defined by verbs or phrases • Analyze • Solve a problem to find perimeter • Write a well supported argument • Evaluate work according to specific criteria • Contribute to the success of a group or team • Use graphics to represent data appropriately

11. What is UbD? • A framework for “mapping” the course of instruction • Using a final destination (specific skills, knowledge, and understandings you want students to arrive at) to guide your route (lessons, units, activities) while mapping the course as you go (assessment). • Begin with the end in mind (Covey)

12. Why use this approach? • Intentional • Standards/performance driven • Create transferable understanding and knowledge • Develop critical thinkers who can apply learning to new situations • Build a foundation for lifelong learning

13. The UbD Approach Stage 1: Identify desired results Stage 2: Determine acceptable evidence Stage 3: Plan learning experiences and instruction

14. Stage 2: Determine acceptable evidence The missing piece Stage 1: Identify desired results Stage 3: Plan learning experiences and instruction

15. Key Terms • Curriculum: the specific blueprint for learning that is derived from desired results (content and performance standards) • Understanding:the combination of big ideas and the ability to transfer knowledge and skills • Big Ideas:a concept, theme, or issue that gives meaning and connection to discrete facts and skills • Assessment:determining the extent to which desired results are on the way to being attained or have already been attained (using many methods)

16. Acceptable Evidence • Rubrics • Guidelines • Samples of Work • A Work • B Work • C Work • Failing Work

17. Establishing Goals Stage 1 G • Establishing learning goals (G) is the first step in Stage 1. • Learning goals are based upon: • Content standards • Course objectives • Student learning outcomes

18. Sample Goal Stage 1 G • The student will compose texts of a variety of modes based on inquiry and research. • Generate questions • Locate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources • Take notes on important information from sources • Synthesize and evaluate important findings and select sources to support central ideas, concepts, and themes • Present the results using a variety of communication techniques • Reflect on and evaluate the process 7th grade Language Arts

19. What is understanding? Stage 1 U • Understanding (U) is a set of interrelated abilities that help students transfer knowledge. The six facets of understanding include: • Can explain • Can interpret • Can apply • Have perspective • Can empathize • Have self-knowledge

20. “For any subject taught in primary school, we might ask [is it] worth an adult’s knowing, and whether having known it as a child makes a person a better adult. A negative or ambiguous answer means the material is cluttering up the curriculum.” - Jerome Bruner, 1960

21. Worth being familiar with Important to know and do Big Ideas and Core Tasks

22. Big ideas tend to be… Stage 1 U • Concept • Theme • Ongoing debate and/or point of view • Paradox • Theory • Underlying assumption • Recurring question • Understanding (U) or principle

23. Identifying Big Ideas • Look at state standards • Circle recurring nouns in standards documents to identify big ideas and recurring verbs to identify core tasks • Refer to existing list of transferable concepts

24. Sample List of Concepts Abundance/Scarcity Acceptance/Rejection Adaptation Balance Change/Continuity Character Community Conflict Connections Culture Cycles Democracy Evolution Harmony Interdependence Justice Migration Patterns Perspective Survival System Tyranny

25. Concepts into Big Ideas Concepts Adaptation Balance Change Conflict Cooperation Culture Cycles Energy Future Invention Knowledge Lines Migration Patterns Poverty Structure Work Connects Results in Leads to Affects Causes Supports Influences Depends Upon Requires Enhances Follows Allows for

26. Essential Questions (Q) Stage 1 Q • Cause genuine and relevant inquiry into the big ideas and core content • Provoke deep thought, lively discussion, and sustained inquiry • Require students to consider alternatives, weigh evidence, support their ideas, and justify their answers • Stimulate vital, ongoing rethinking of big ideas, assumptions, and prior lessons

27. Essential Questions • Spark meaningful connections with prior learning and personal experiences • Naturally recur, creating opportunities to transfer to other situations and subject

28. Students will know… and be able to… Stage 1 K/S • What key knowledge (K) and skills (S) will students acquire as a result of this unit? • What should they eventually be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skills?

29. Stage 2 T/OE Assessment • What is assessment? • How much training do we have in assessment? • How do we use grades to assess student learning? • Are grades usually an accurate measure of student understanding?

30. Student X: Average of 58

31. Student Y: Average of 85

32. Stage 2 T/OE Assessment Evidence • Performance Tasks (T) • Through what authentic performance tasks will students demonstrate the desired understandings? • By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged? • Other Evidence (OE) • Through what other evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, homework, observation, journals, etc…) will students demonstrate achievement of desired results? • How will students reflect on and self-assess their learning?

33. Stage 3 L Learning Plan • What learning experiences and instruction will enable students to achieve the desired results? • How will the plan • help students know where the unit is going and what learning is expected? • “hook” students and hold their interest? • equip students to experience and explore big ideas? • allow students to evaluate their own work? • be tailored/personalized to the different needs, interests, and abilities of learners?

34. UbD Resources • Question starters using the six facets of understanding • Using the six facets to build assessments for understanding • Techniques to check for understanding • Weekly feedback form • The MS Curriculum Framer • Rubric building websites