Understanding by Design UMS Opening Day 2011

Why UbD?

Complete this sentence. By the end of this year, I want my students to be able to, on their own, use ALL of the content learned this year to… We’ll come back to this.

We’ve Done… Curriculum Mapping Quarter Assessments Item Analysis Unit Alignment and the list continues… So, what’s so different about Understanding by Design?

This is NOT just another initiative. This is NOT something that will just go away. This is NOT something just to complete and turn in. What’s Different

This IS a different way of thinking about teaching. This IS a process, not a product. This WILL continue in years to come. This WILL help make us a true PLC. This WILL improve teaching & learning. What’s Different

What is the point of school? The point is not to get good at school. The point is genuine understanding that can be used beyond school.

Bad Habits to Break Most curriculum documents, textbooks and programs are simply a TOUR of content. This will never cause UNDERSTANDING. Many teachers plan with only the content, the topics, or the activities in mind. This will never cause UNDERSTANDING. Classrooms often march through the content to get it all done. This will never cause UNDERSTANDING. Teachers reinforce simple recall and prompt memorized material to ensure good grades. This will never cause UNDERSTANDING.

for students to USE the content. for students to make their own MEANING. for students to APPLY the content. What we really want is… We don’t want kids to just know the content.

This means… We must plan backwards from USES of the content that demonstrate true understanding.

We’re back to your sentence. Look at it again. Did you finish the sentence listing the content or topics you want kids to understand? By the end of this year, I want my students to be able to, on their own, use ALL of the content learned this year to… understand Newton’s three laws of motion. understand the Constitution. know the types of genres. If so, it’s time to make revisions. What are the USES of the content you teach? What do students really need to understand about your content? What are the applications?

We need to start thinking about what we want kids to really UNDERSTAND about these topics. How will they USE the content? How can they APPLY it to life outside of school?

Why UbD? So, once again. UbD provides us with a smart framework to help us really change how we think about and plan our teaching. UbD helps ensure that our students gain genuine understanding that can be used beyond school, not just filling the role of being “good at school”. UbD will be a necessary ingredient for us to become a true Professional Learning Community.

UbD in a Nutshell Big Idea: UbD is a way of thinking purposefully about curricular planning and school reform. Goal: To increase student understanding – the ability to make meaning of “big ideas” and to transfer learning. Process: Three-Stage Design Stage 1: Desired Results Stage 2: Evidence Stage 3: Learning Plan

UbD in a Nutshell - Stage One Stage One: Purpose Focus is to make sure that learning goals are framed in terms of understanding. The goal of understanding has two connotations: making “meaning” of big ideas autonomous “transfer” of learning to new situations Research shows that students need to grasp the big ideas if they are to make sense of their lessons, and transfer their learning to new lessons, novel problems, and real- world situations. Stage One: Desired Results What long-term transfer goals are targeted? What meanings should students make in order to arrive at important understandings? What essential questions will students explore? What knowledge and skill will students acquire? What established goals/standards are targeted?

UbD in a Nutshell - Stage Two Stage Two: Purpose Focus is on “valid evidence” – to make sure that what we assess and how we assess follows logically from the Stage 1 goals. Assessing for understanding requires... evidence of the students’ ability to insightfully explain or interpret their learning. evidence of the students’ ability to apply their learning in new, varied, and realistic situations. Stage Two: Evidence What performances and products will reveal evidence of meaning-making and transfer? By what criteria will performance be assessed, in light of Stage 1 desired results? What additional evidence will be collected for all Stage 1 desired results? Are the assessments aligned to all Stage 1 elements?

UbD in a Nutshell - Stage Three Stage Three: Purpose Focus is to make sure that what we teach and how we teach follows logically from and aligns with the Stage 1 and Stage 2 goals: acquisition meaning-making transfer Teaching for understanding requires... that students be given numerous opportunities to draw inferences and make generalizations for themselves. Understandings cannot be simply told; they have to be actively constructed by the learner. Stage Three: What activities, experiences, and lessons will lead to achievement of the desired results and success at the assessments? How will the learning plan help students with acquisition, meaning- making, and transfer? How will the unit be sequenced and differentiated to optimize achievement for all learners? How will progress be monitored? Are the learning events in Stage 3 aligned with Stage 1 goals and Stage 2 assessments?

Teacher Collaboration

Peer Review and Collaborative Grading Peer Review A cross-curricular share and discuss of UbD’s Has a set protocol. Collaborative Grading Allow teachers to bring student work samples to the table to score using a common rubric. Teachers will have the time to discuss the effectiveness of the common rubric being used and make any necessary changes.

Professional Sharing Five Staff Development Days Groups will present their UbD’s to the whole staff in some fashion.