Understanding By Design Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe

Backward Design Start with desired results (goals or standards) Derive curriculum from evidence of learning called for by the standard teaching needed to equip students to perform Wiggins & McTighe

Enduring Understandings Represent a big idea having enduring value beyond classroom Reside at the heart of the discipline Require uncoverage (of abstract or often misunderstood ideas) Offer potential for engaging students

Stage 1: Planning in 3 Stages What is worthy and requiring of understanding? What is evidence of understanding? What learning experiences and teaching promote understanding, interest, and excellence?

The Learning Goals Enduring understandings Essential or guiding questions These go beyond facts and skills and focus on larger concepts, principles, or processes

Enduring Understandings Two Levels Overarching understandings (broad understandings that hopefully are achieved by end of year (or a few years) Unit understandings (hopefully achieved through a learning sequence)

AP Physics Big Ideas Big Idea 1 Objects and systems have properties such as mass, charge, and internal structure. Big Idea 2 Fields existing in space can be used to explain interactions. Big Idea 3 The interaction of an object with other objects can be described by forces which can cause a change of motion.

Physics Big Ideas 2 Big Idea 4 Interactions between systems can result in changes to those systems. Big Idea 5 The interaction of one object or system with another is governed by conservation laws. Big Idea 6 Some phenomena may be described as a wave. Big Idea 7 The evolution of complex systems over time is described by probability.

Big Idea 6 Enduring Understandings How is a wave different from a particle? 6A: A periodic wave can be described by its amplitude, frequency, wavelength, phase difference, speed, and energy. 6B: Waves are not physical objects but can transfer energy and momentum. 6C: Only Waves exhibit interference & superposition.

How is a wave different from a particle 6D: Matter exhibits wave properties 6E  The direction of a light ray can be changed by interaction with a medium. 6F  Components of the electromagnetic spectra can be modeled as a wave or as a particle. 6G  Interference & superposition lead to standing waves & beats.

Stage 2: Evidence of Understanding? Wiggins & McTighe describe “six facets of understanding.” Students truly understand when they can explain can interpret can apply have perspective can empathise have self-knowledge

Determining Acceptable Evidence Plan range of assessments before planning learning experiences to develop understandings The range of assessment tasks must support students in developing understanding give students opportunities to demonstrate understanding identify and differentiate levels of understanding

Stage 3: Design Learning Experiences The learning experiences should require the students to: “…theorize, interpret, use, or see in perspective what they are asked to learn… (or) they will not likely understand it or grasp that their job is more than recall.”

Learning Experiences Experiences should blend depth and breadth depth – requires students to unearth, analyze, question, prove, and generalize breadth – requires students to make connections, picture or represent models, and to apply their understanding to new situations

Insert Title Here medium Physics ____ Lecture ___ Slide 16