UbD 101: The Basics of Understanding by Design

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UbD 101The Basics ofUnderstanding by Design
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• People today are aware of more and know less
  than any previous generation. We are awash in
  information but suffering a drought of
  experience. Almost every kid knows where milk
  comes from, but almost none of them have milked a
  cow. Knowing something is very different from
  knowing about something.
• - Noah benShea

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Essential Questions for Learners about the
Learning Process

• What are you doing?
• Why are you being asked to do it?
• What will it help you do?
• How does it fit with what you have previously
  done?
• How will you show that you have learned it?

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Goals for Today

• To create common understandings of key terms and
  ideas of the UbD model
• To identify the basic components of UbD and how
  they can be implemented in the classroom

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Traditional Approach

• Activity-focused teaching
• Coverage
• Standards
• Pacing Guides
• Textbooks
• High Stakes Tests
• Teach, test, and hope for the best

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Traditional Approach to Planning Curriculum
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Planning a Focused Curriculum Means Being Clear
About What Students Should

• KNOW
• Facts
• Vocabulary
• Definitions

• UNDERSTAND
• Principles/ generalizations
• Big ideas of the discipline

BE ABLE TO DO -Processes -Skills
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KNOW

• Facts, names, dates, places, pieces of key
  information
• There are 50 states in the US
• Thomas Jefferson
• 1492
• The Continental Divide
• The multiplication tables

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UNDERSTAND

• Essential truths that give meaning to the topic
  - I want students to understand THAT
• Multiplication is another way to do addition.
• People migrate to meet basic needs.
• All cultures contain the same elements.
• Entropy and enthalpy are competing
• forces in the natural world.
• Voice reflects the author.

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BE ABLE TO DO

• Skills (basic skills, skills of the discipline,
  skills of independence, social skills, skills of
  production) defined by verbs or phrases
• Analyze
• Solve a problem to find perimeter
• Write a well supported argument
• Evaluate work according to specific criteria
• Contribute to the success of a group or team
• Use graphics to represent data appropriately

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What is UbD?

• A framework for mapping the course of
  instruction
• Using a final destination (specific skills,
  knowledge, and understandings you want students
  to arrive at) to guide your route (lessons,
  units, activities) while mapping the course as
  you go (assessment).
• Begin with the end in mind (Covey)

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Why use this approach?

• Intentional
• Standards/performance driven
• Create transferable understanding and knowledge
• Develop critical thinkers who can apply learning
  to new situations
• Build a foundation for lifelong learning

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The UbD Approach
Stage 1 Identify desired results
Stage 2 Determine acceptable evidence
Stage 3 Plan learning experiences and instruction
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Stage 2 Determine acceptable evidence
The missing piece
Stage 1 Identify desired results
Stage 3 Plan learning experiences and instruction
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Key Terms

• Curriculum the specific blueprint for learning
  that is derived from desired results (content and
  performance standards)
• Understanding the combination of big ideas and
  the ability to transfer knowledge and skills
• Big Ideas a concept, theme, or issue that gives
  meaning and connection to discrete facts and
  skills
• Assessment determining the extent to which
  desired results are on the way to being attained
  or have already been attained (using many methods)

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Acceptable Evidence

• Rubrics
• Guidelines
• Samples of Work
• A Work
• B Work
• C Work
• Failing Work

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Establishing Goals
Stage 1 G

• Establishing learning goals (G) is the first step
  in Stage 1.
• Learning goals are based upon
• Content standards
• Course objectives
• Student learning outcomes

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Sample Goal
Stage 1 G

• The student will compose texts of a variety of
  modes based on inquiry and research.
• Generate questions
• Locate sources and gather relevant information
  from multiple sources
• Take notes on important information from sources
• Synthesize and evaluate important findings and
  select sources to support central ideas,
  concepts, and themes
• Present the results using a variety of
  communication techniques
• Reflect on and evaluate the process
• 7th grade Language Arts

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What is understanding?
Stage 1 U

• Understanding (U) is a set of interrelated
  abilities that help students transfer knowledge.
  The six facets of understanding include
• Can explain
• Can interpret
• Can apply
• Have perspective
• Can empathize
• Have self-knowledge

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• For any subject taught in primary school, we
  might ask is it worth an adults knowing, and
  whether having known it as a child makes a person
  a better adult. A negative or ambiguous answer
  means the material is cluttering up the
  curriculum.
• - Jerome Bruner, 1960

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Worth being familiar with
Important to know and do
Big Ideas and Core Tasks
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Big ideas tend to be
Stage 1 U

• Concept
• Theme
• Ongoing debate and/or point of view
• Paradox
• Theory
• Underlying assumption
• Recurring question
• Understanding (U) or principle

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Identifying Big Ideas

• Look at state standards
• Circle recurring nouns in standards documents to
  identify big ideas and recurring verbs to
  identify core tasks
• Refer to existing list of transferable concepts

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Sample List of Concepts
Abundance/Scarcity Acceptance/Rejection Adaptation
Balance Change/Continuity Character Community Con
flict Connections Culture Cycles
Democracy Evolution Harmony Interdependence Justic
e Migration Patterns Perspective Survival System T
yranny
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Concepts into Big Ideas
Concepts Adaptation Balance Change Conflict Cooper
ation Culture Cycles Energy Future Invention Knowl
edge Lines Migration Patterns Poverty Structure Wo
rk
Connects Results in Leads to Affects Causes Suppor
ts Influences Depends Upon Requires Enhances Foll
ows Allows for
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Essential Questions (Q)
Stage 1 Q

1. Cause genuine and relevant inquiry into the big
   ideas and core content
2. Provoke deep thought, lively discussion, and
   sustained inquiry
3. Require students to consider alternatives, weigh
   evidence, support their ideas, and justify their
   answers
4. Stimulate vital, ongoing rethinking of big ideas,
   assumptions, and prior lessons

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Essential Questions

1. Spark meaningful connections with prior learning
   and personal experiences
2. Naturally recur, creating opportunities to
   transfer to other situations and subject

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Students will know and be able to
Stage 1 K/S

• What key knowledge (K) and skills (S) will
  students acquire as a result of this unit?
• What should they eventually be able to do as a
  result of such knowledge and skills?

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Assessment
Stage 2 T/OE

• What is assessment?
• How much training do we have in assessment?
• How do we use grades to assess student learning?
• Are grades usually an accurate measure of student
  understanding?

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Student X Average of 58
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Daily Work 88 91 80 83 82 75
Home-work 50 0 70 80 0 0
Projects 70 50 40 0 0 0
Tests 90 88 94 89 86 92
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Student Y Average of 85
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Daily Work 88 82 78 72 68 70
Home-work 100 100 100 100 100 100
Projects 100 95 98 100 95 100
Tests 83 56 62 58 71 64
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Assessment Evidence
Stage 2 T/OE

• Performance Tasks (T)
• Through what authentic performance tasks will
  students demonstrate the desired understandings?
• By what criteria will performances of
  understanding be judged?
• Other Evidence (OE)
• Through what other evidence (quizzes, tests,
  prompts, homework, observation, journals, etc)
  will students demonstrate achievement of desired
  results?
• How will students reflect on and self-assess
  their learning?

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Learning Plan
Stage 3 L

• What learning experiences and instruction will
  enable students to achieve the desired results?
• How will the plan
• help students know where the unit is going and
  what learning is expected?
• hook students and hold their interest?
• equip students to experience and explore big
  ideas?
• allow students to evaluate their own work?
• be tailored/personalized to the different needs,
  interests, and abilities of learners?

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UbD Resources

• Question starters using the six facets of
  understanding
• Using the six facets to build assessments for
  understanding
• Techniques to check for understanding
• Weekly feedback form
• The MS Curriculum Framer
• Rubric building websites