Preface+to+Backward+Design

UNIT ELEMENTS BASED ON BACKWARD DESIGN _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 after the unit is over. _Students will actually understand and be able to use this long after they leave middle school. || _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. _Curriculum must be anchored in learning outcomes (IRP) & performance standards. _Learning ouctomes 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? _Learning outcomes & performance 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. _Performance standards need to be //clearly articulated// in “kid friendly” language so that all can understand and use them. _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. || _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 answer the essential questions. _Incorporate a variety of sources, more than a textbook.  ||
 * //Enduring understanding://**
 * Big Idea:
 * //Essential questions://**
 * //Learning Outcomes/What kids know & are able to do://**
 * //Assessments://**
 * _Students demonstrate understanding //throughout// the unit, not just at the end.
 * //Activities leading to assessments://**
 * _What //prior knowledge// do students need in order to be successful?