Deconstructing Backward Design:

Backward Design
Begin with the end in mind. (verb) To have purposes and intentions; to plan and
execute.
Develop a clear understanding --Oxford English Dictionary
of where you want to go.

Map out the steps to get you there.

Backward Design Stages Action steps

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

What enduring understandings are desired? __Set the vision. Focus on the big ideas.
What should students know, understand, and be able __Enduring Understandings

to __Standards (national, state, district)
do? __Essential Questions
What is worth understanding?

__Determine how students demonstrate

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable their knowledge.
Evidence of Learning __Focus on assessment before designing

How will we know if students have achieved the the learning activities.
desired results and met the standards? What will we
accept as evidence of student understanding and
proficiency?

__Plan instructional activities.

__Build in collaboration.

__Ensure success for all learners.
Stage 3: Design Learning Experiences
& Instruction
UNIT ELEMENTS BASED ON BACKWARD DESIGN
Enduring understanding:

Big Idea:
_Backward design begins a vision of what ALL students should achieve.
_Core concepts, principles, theories, and processes that anchor curriculum.
_This is what we want students to remember.
_Students will actually understand and be able to use this long after they leave school.

Essential questions:

_Organize and focus learning.

_Define the essence of what students will learn.
_Cannot be answered in one sentence.
_Have no easy answers and can be examined from multiple perspectives.
_Allow students to think deeply.
_Are kid friendly and easily accessible, publicly displayed.

Standards/What kids know & are able to do:

_Curriculum must be anchored in standards.

_Standards are not static. They need to be locally reviewed, aligned, & reaffirmed on an ongoing basis.
_Teachers need know what they are expected to teach.
_Students need to know what they will be held accountable for.
_What is it that we really want students to know and to be able to do?
_Standards are more than covering content, more than a laundry list.
_We want kids to know, but we also want them to be able to do.
_Standards need to be clearly articulated in kid friendly language so that all can understand and use them.

Assessments:

_Students demonstrate understanding throughout the unit, not just at the end.
_Allows students to be assessed in multiple ways.
_Criteria and performance standards are clearly stated and understood by all.
_Used to inform instruction.
_Assessment answers the following questions:
_How much did they learn? _How well did they learn it? _How well did we teach it?"
_Assessment helps teachers evaluate their own work, success of their curriculum design.

Activities leading to assessments:

_What prior knowledge do students need in order to be successful?

_What curriculum and instructional strategies are needed to lead the student to mastery?
_Learning is spiraled. Students revisit and reconsider ideas and skills.
_Curriculum is designed to explore the essential questions.
_Incorporate a variety of sources.