Redding Elementary School Integrated Learning Experiences Summer 2011 Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Goals & Objectives By the end of these two days, you will… KNOW Understand what Understanding by Design (UbD) is Understand how to use UbD to design units Understand how to combine standards and your own knowledge of curriculum in the fine and practical arts into mini-courses AND BE ABLE TO DO Write short, 4-6 week unit(s) Use the UbD template to: Plan Design Record your unit(s) and accompanying lessons Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

The Process in a Nutshell What you already know about music, art, P.E, library/media, etc. Core curricular standards in math, reading & writing Integrated Learning Units Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

How Are We Going To Do This? 1.By using UbD as a method for writing a unit Things We Need To Know: 2. Enduring Understandings 3. Essential Questions Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Why Use UbD? 1. Educators are coaches of understanding, not just spewing content or having students participate in an activity. 2. Planning is best done ”backward,” starting with what you want students to know and to be able to do, and then defining tasks that transfer learned knowledge and embody the goals. 3. UbD takes Content Standards and turns them into focused learning targets based on “big ideas” and transfer tasks. 4. The UbD format promotes self-assessment and peer reviews of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, which equals better teaching. Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

When We Really Understand Something, We… …can Explain it.  Why is that so?  How does this work? …can Interpret it.  What does that mean?  How does this relate to that? …can Apply it.  Use what I learned in a new situation. …can gain Perspective on it.  Look at it from a different point of view …can Empathize.  Get inside another person’s feelings and worldview. …can have Self-Knowledge.  How did I make sense of this?  What do I still not know about this? Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Enduring Understandings BIG IDEAS that go beyond the classroom. Key concepts that have lasting value. What is at the heart of a unit. Overarching ideas that can be misinterpreted. The BIG IDEA imbedded in facts, skills and activities. Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Essential Questions Are Questions That… 1.…keep coming up throughout Kindergarten (and beyond). 2.…get directly to the heart of the unit and why you are teaching it. 3.…help students to ask the right questions and make sense of important and complicated ideas. 4.…engage students right at their level. Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Three Simple Steps 1.Identify Desired Results a.What do you want students to know and be able to do? 2.Determine Acceptable Evidence a.How will you know that they get it? 3.Plan Learning Experiences & Instruction a.How will you get them there? Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Our Plan For Right Now Ask questions about what we just covered Familiarize yourself with the UbD template Read over the Sample Unit Start looking at the standards Begin work on a unit that incorporates your specialty with a core standard Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Glossary of Terms Authentic assessment task: A task designed to simulate or replicate important, real- world challenges, such as asking a student to use knowledge in contexts where the purpose, audiences, and situational variables are genuine. Backward design: A process for designing a curriculum or unit by beginning with the end in mind and designing toward that end. Big ideas: The core concepts, principles, theories, and processes that should serve as the focal point of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Enduring understandings: The important ideas or core processes that have lasting value beyond the classroom. Essential question: A provocative question designed to engage student interest and guide inquiry into the important ideas in a field of study. Facets of understanding: The six different kinds of understanding identified in Understanding by Design-explanation, interpretation, application, perspective, empathy, and self-knowledge. Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011

Resources Understanding by Design – Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe, 2005 ASCD – – – topic/understanding-by-design-resources.aspx topic/understanding-by-design-resources.aspx – Presentation created by Christopher Wermuth 2011