Understanding by Design Backwards Design Process

Adapted from: Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall Inc.

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Established Goals:
(content standards, course or program objectives, learning outcomes)
Understandings:
What are the big ideas?
What specific understandings about the big ideas are desired?
Levels of understanding:
o Explain - provides thorough, supported, and justifiable accounts of phenomena, facts and data
(Describe Express Justify Predict - Synthesize)
o Interpret tells meaningful stories, provides a revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas
and events; makes it personal or accessible through images, anecdotes, analogies, and models
(Be aware of Realize Recognize Reflect -Self-assess)
o Apply effectively uses and adapts what is known in diverse context
(Build Create Design Perform Solve)
o Perspective can see and hear points of view through critical eyes and ears, sees the big picture
(Analyze Argue Compare Contrast Infer)
o Empathize finds value in what others might find odd, alien, or implausible; perceives sensitively
on the bases of prior direct experience
(Assume role of Consider Imagine Relate Role play)
o Self-Knowledge perceives the personal style, prejudices, projections, and habits of mind that
both shape and impede their own understanding
(Be aware of Realize Recognize Reflect -Self-assess)
Essential Questions:
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning?
Provocative questions:
- have no one obvious right answer
- raise other important questions
- address the philosophical or conceptual foundations of a discipline
- recur naturally
- are framed to provoke and sustain learner interest
Students will know / Students will be able to

What key knowledge and skills will the learner acquire as a result of this activity?
What should learners be able to do as a result of such knowledge?

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks:

Through what type(s) of performance tasks will learners demonstrate the desired understandings?
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
A performance task is authentic if it
is realistic
requires judgment and innovation
asks learners to do the subject
replicates or stimulates the contexts in which adults are tested in the workplace

Other Evidence:

Through what other evidence will learners demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
- Pre-assessment/Post-assessment
- Individual/Group
- Formal/Informal

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

What learning experiences and instruction will enable learners to achieve the desired results?
WHERETO:
-

W
H
E

Ensure that learners understand WHERE the activity is headed and WHY
HOOK learners in the beginning and HOLD their attention throughout
EQUIP learners with necessary experiences, tools, knowledge, and knowhow to meet performance goals
Provide students with numerous opportunities to RETHINK big ideas,
REFLECT on progress, and REVISE their work
Build in opportunities for learners to EVALUATE progress and selfassess
Be TAILORED to reflect individual talents, interests, styles, learning
intelligences, and needs
Be ORGANIZED to optimize deep understanding as opposed to
superficial coverage

Title: _______________________________________
OUTREACH FORMAT
Formal: Grade Level: _________________
Informal: Audience: __________________

Impact Category:

Setting:

___
___
___
___
___

STAGE 1 - DESIRED RESULTS

Established Goals:
(content standards, course or program objectives, learning outcomes)

Understandings:
What are the big ideas?
What specific understandings about the big ideas are desired?
Levels of understanding:
o Explain - (Describe Express Justify Predict - Synthesize)
o Interpret (Be aware of Realize Recognize Reflect -Self-assess)
o Apply (Build Create Design Perform Solve)
o Perspective (Analyze Argue Compare Contrast Infer)
o Empathize (Assume role of Consider Imagine Relate Role play)
o Self-Knowledge (Be aware of Realize Recognize Reflect -Self-assess)

Essential Questions:
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning?
Provocative questions:
- have no one obvious right answer
- raise other important questions
- address the philosophical or conceptual foundations of a discipline
- recur naturally
are framed to provoke and sustain learner interest

Students will know / Students will be able to

What key knowledge and skills will the learner acquire as a result of this activity?
What should learners be able to do as a result of such knowledge?

Knowledge
Engagement
Attitude
Skills
Other:

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:
Through what type(s) of performance tasks will learners demonstrate the desired understandings?
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
A performance task is authentic if it
is realistic
requires judgment and innovation
asks learners to do the subject
replicates or stimulates the contexts in which adults are tested in the workplace

Other Evidence:
Through what other evidence will learners demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
Pre-assessment/Post-assessment
Individual/Group
Formal/Informal

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Learning Activities:
What learning experiences and instruction will enable learners to achieve the desired results?
WHERETO:
-

W
H
E

Ensure that learners understand WHERE the activity is headed and WHY
HOOK learners in the beginning and HOLD their attention throughout
EQUIP learners with necessary experiences, tools, knowledge, and knowhow to meet performance goals
Provide students with numerous opportunities to RETHINK big ideas,
REFLECT on progress, and REVISE their work
Build in opportunities for learners to EVALUATE progress and selfassess
Be TAILORED to reflect individual talents, interests, styles, learning
intelligences, and needs
Be ORGANIZED to optimize deep understanding as opposed to
superficial coverage

Design activities that incorporate different learning styles.

Adapted from: Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Inc.

Title: __Tallest Building Construction Activity_______________________

OUTREACH FORMAT
Formal: Grade Level: ___6-8___________
Informal: Audience: _children ages 10-13_____
Setting:
- School
- After School
- Science Learning Center

Impact Category:

___ Knowledge
_X_ Engagement
___ Attitude
_X_ Skills
___ Other:

STAGE 1 - DESIRED RESULTS

Established Goals:
Materials, Tools, and Machines: 1.1: Appropriate materials for design tasks based on specific properties and
characteristics
Engineering Design: 2.1: Steps of the engineering design process
Engineering Design: 2.5: Design features and cost limitations affect the construction of a prototype
(Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework October 2006)

Understandings:
Learner will understand that:
a. pre-planning is an important component of a building construction process
b. architects and engineers must consider several factors when designing a structure

Essential Questions:
What type of design considerations are required to construct a stable and free-standing
structure using a limited amount of material and money?

Students will know / Students will be able to

Identify design considerations when designing and building tall, free-standing structures

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:
Construct the tallest free-standing structure using the least amount of materials (plastic straws) and money

Other Evidence:
Can identify and explain why some structures a have better design construction than others.

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Learning Activities:
- Establish small learning groups of students (no more than 3) and challenge them to construct the tallest, freestanding structure made entirely out of plastic straws and tape. The winning design is that which uses the
least amount of materials. (Alternatively, set a price for all materials and allow groups to purchase materials,
each group staring with the same amount of money.)
- Groups evaluate each of the structures and identify common traits and characteristics of those that are the
most successful.
- Discuss important design considerations that architects and engineers need
to consider when designing tall structures
- Learning groups can evaluate their construction design and revise their structure.
- Activity can be modified to evaluate the structure which can support the most weight.
- Extension Activity: Students access the website:
http://www.skyscraper.org/TALLEST_TOWERS/tallest.htm
and identify the specific design considerations for the buildings described.

Adapted from: Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Inc.

Title: ______________________________________
OUTREACH FORMAT
Formal: Grade Level: _________________
Informal: Audience: __________________

Impact Category:

Setting:

STAGE 1 - DESIRED RESULTS

Established Goals:

Understandings:

Essential Questions:

Students will know / Students will be able to

___
___
___
___

Knowledge
Engagement
Attitude
Skills

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:

Other Evidence:

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Learning Activities:

Adapted from: Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Inc.