1. Curriculum Writing with Curriculum Trak
Enduring Understandings

2. Curriculum Writing Progression
So far we have:
Named our units
Determined a sequence for our units by six weeks
Attached our TEKS to our units
Added Content and Skills
Created Essential Questions
Today, we will select units and:
Add Enduring Understandings
Later we will
Evidence of Learning and Key Learning Experiences
Curriculum Writing Progression

3. Goals Describe the elements of an enduring understanding
Write enduring understandings for units.
Goals

4. Let’s get started! Login to Curriculum Trak
Find the unit you want to work on- Unit Plans, Select Unit
Click on the blue “Editing Mode”
Scroll down to the Enduring Understandings portion of the template and click in the box
Let’s get started!

5. What is an Enduring Understanding?
Full-sentence statement reflecting conclusions about the content via big ideas- the particulars of what you want students to understand about that idea. For example, “I want learners to understand that a written constitution and encoded rule of law are essential to safeguard the people’s rights in a democracy.” Can be gained only through guided inference whereby the learner is helped to make, recognize, or verify a conclusion. They are thus not “teachable” facts. They are inherently abstract, usually not obvious, sometimes counterintuitive and possibly misunderstood by students, so simply “teaching” the understanding does not guarantee that students will “get” it. (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011)
What is an Enduring Understanding?

6. Characteristics of Enduring Understandings
Are at the heart of the discipline.
Have lasting value beyond the classroom. They are transferable across time and location.
Summarize insights students are supposed to take-away.
Characteristics of Enduring Understandings

7. Why Use Enduring Understandings?
When students are able to connect new learning with the “big ideas” in a discipline, they are able to store and retrieve the new information more easily.
Help us set educational priorities. They identify what is most important for students to take away from a unit.
Why Use Enduring Understandings?

8. Tips for Creating Enduring Understandings
Look at your standards and ask yourself: If the content of the unit is the story, what is the moral of the story (unit)?
How is the concept applied and used in the larger world?
What is the real-world insight about the concept?
What is the value of studying the concept?
Tips for Creating Enduring Understandings

9. Examples of Enduring Understandings
Math
Different number systems and expressions can represent the same quantities. The goal, context and ease of use determine the best choice.
The aim in algebraic problem solving is to turn unclear relationships of unknowns and unfamiliars into knowns and familiars by means of equivalent statements.
Social Studies
In a free market economy, price is a function of supply and demand.
The topography, climate, and natural resources of a region influence the culture, economy, and lifestyle of its inhabitants.
Science
Correlation does not mean or ensure causality.

10. Enduring Understandings Examples Cont.
ELA An effective story engages the reader by leaving out key facts and raising questions- tensions, mystery, dilemmas, or uncertainty- about what will happen next. Self-deprecating humor can be an effective (and ironic) way to persuade audiences. World Languages Translation rarely involves a one-to-one correspondence of words. Many words and expressions are idiomatic. Just because you can translate each word doesn’t mean you will understand the speaker.
Enduring Understandings Examples Cont.

11. Enduring vs. Not Enduring

12. Test Yourself- Enduring Understanding or Not?
The concept of estivation.
The USDA Food Pyramid presents relative, not absolute guidelines for a balanced diet.
Mathematical models simplify reality to enable useful solutions.
How to tell time.
The causes and effects of the Civil War.
That the Magna Carta was signed on June 15, 1215.
Test Yourself- Enduring Understanding or Not?

13. Test Yourself- Enduring Understanding or Not- Answers
The concept of estivation. No
The USDA Food Pyramid presents relative, not absolute guidelines for a balanced diet. Yes
Mathematical models simplify reality to enable useful solutions. Yes
How to tell time. No
The causes and effects of the Civil War. No
That the Magna Carta was signed on June 15, No
Test Yourself- Enduring Understanding or Not- Answers

14. Today:
Choose a unit: example: Fifth six weeks: Our Changing Earth
Go to the Enduring Understandings section of your unit in Curriculum Trak
Add the Enduring Understandings. The should be in statement form.
Complete for as many units as you can in the time allotted.
Notes:
How many enduring understandings should you have? 2-3 per unit if you have 2 to 3 units in a six weeks, 1 if you have more than 3 units in a six weeks but there is no hard and fast rule, use your judgement
Caveat: Many materials exist that have what they call enduring understandings written in them. Please examine any resources, internet or textbook, that you utilize to help you create your enduring understandings and make sure the enduring understandings you use fit what you have learned.
Task for Today

15. Thank you for everything you do for IISD!
THANKS!