1. ABOUT FACE Helping Students Discover Success through Backward Design July 17,2009

2. Why work backwards?? “You cannot plan how you’re going to teach until you know exactly what you want your students to learn.” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2006)

3. Why work backwards?? Backward design planning focuses on: o Learning Outcomes o Standards o Assessments for accomplishing those standards (Childre, Sands, & Pope, 2009)

4. Benefits of Backward Design Accommodates learning needs Targets deeper levels of understanding Learning is relevant and meaningful for all students Supports mastery of curricular standards (Childre, Sands, & Pope, 2009)

5. Backward Design Planning Steps 1. Identify Your learners (ok, so this is always the first step!) ◦ Identify classroom needs ◦ Identify individual student needs 2. Design Assessment Framework ◦ Performance tasks/projects ◦ Oral / written prompts ◦ Quiz(es) / test(s) ◦ Formative assessments

6. Backward Design Planning Steps 3. Create Learning Activities ◦ Design and sequence learning activities  Include pre, during, and post reading strategies  Reading, study skills, writing/note-taking strategies ◦ Check integration of accommodations 4. Connect to curricular priorities ◦ State/local standards ◦ Create essential questions ◦ Identify pre-requisite knowledge and skills

8. References Childre, A., Sands, J.R., & Pope, S.T. (2009). Designing challenging curriculum: Backward design. Teaching Exceptional Children, 6-14. Wiggins, T., & McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by design (2 nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.