UbD 101:The Basics ofUnderstanding by Design

“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

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?

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

Traditional Approach

• Activity-focused teaching• Coverage

– Standards– Pacing Guides– Textbooks– High Stakes Tests– “Teach, test, and hope for

the best”

StateCurriculumFrameworkStandards

Cohesive plan formastering each

competency (whatknowledge, under-standing, and skills

are important?)

Variety of skills &thought processes

(using different levelsof Bloom’s and/orWebb’s Depth of

Knowledge - DOK)

Variety of interestingteaching strategiesand products thatbring in different

MI’s, personalities,and learning styles

Traditional Approach to Planning Curriculum

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

KNOWFacts, names, dates, places,

pieces of key information

– There are 50 states in the US

– Thomas Jefferson– 1492– The Continental Divide– The multiplication tables

UNDERSTANDEssential 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.

BE ABLE TO DOSkills (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

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)

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

The UbD Approach

Stage 1:

Identify desired results

Stage 2:

Determine acceptable evidence Stage 3:

Plan learning experiences and

instruction

StateCurriculumFrameworkStandards

Cohesive plan formastering each

competency (whatknowledge, under-standing, and skills

are important?)

Variety of skills &thought processes

(using different levelsof Bloom’s or DOK)

Variety of interestingteaching strategiesand products thatbring in different

MI’s, personalities,and learning styles

Stage 1:

Identify desired results

Stage 2:

Determine acceptable evidence Stage 3:

Plan learning experiences and

instruction

The missing piece

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)

Acceptable Evidence

• Rubrics• Guidelines• Samples of Work

– A Work– B Work– C Work– Failing Work

Establishing Goals

– Establishing learning goals (G) is the first step in Stage 1.

– Learning goals are based upon:•Content standards•Course objectives•Student learning outcomes

Stage 1

G

Sample Goal• The student will compose texts of a variety

of modes based on inquiry and research.1. Generate questions2. Locate sources and gather relevant

information from multiple sources3. Take notes on important information from

sources4. Synthesize and evaluate important findings

and select sources to support central ideas, concepts, and themes

5. Present the results using a variety of communication techniques

6. Reflect on and evaluate the process7th grade

Language Arts

Stage 1

G

What is understanding?• 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

Stage 1

U

“For any subject taught in primary school, we might ask [is it] worth an adult’s 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

Big Ideas and Core Tasks

Important to know and do

Worth being familiar with

Big ideas tend to be…

• Concept• Theme• Ongoing debate and/or point of

view• Paradox• Theory• Underlying assumption• Recurring question• Understanding (U) or principle

Stage 1

U

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

Sample List of Concepts

Abundance/Scarcity

Acceptance/Rejection

Adaptation

Balance

Change/Continuity

Character

Community

Conflict

Connections

Culture

Cycles

Democracy

Evolution

Harmony

Interdependence

Justice

Migration

Patterns

Perspective

Survival

System

Tyranny

Concepts into Big Ideas

Essential Questions (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

Stage 1

Q

Essential Questions

5. Spark meaningful connections with prior learning and personal experiences

6. Naturally recur, creating opportunities to transfer to other situations and subject

Students will know…and be able to…

• 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?

Stage 1

K/S

Assessment

• 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?

Stage 2

T/OE

Student X: Average of 58

Week1

Week2

Week3

Week4

Week5

Week6

Daily Work 88 91 80 83 82 75Home-work 50 0 70 80 0 0Projects 70 50 40 0 0 0Tests 90 88 94 89 86 92

Student Y: Average of 85Week

1Week

2 Week

3Week

4Week

5Week

6

Daily Work 88 82 78 72 68 70Home-work 10

0100

100

100

100

100

Projects 10

095 98 10

095 10

0Tests 83 56 62 58 71 64

Assessment Evidence

• 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?

Stage 2

T/OE

Learning Plan• 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?

Stage 3

L

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