Understanding by Design

This week I focused on the Understanding by Design template. I realized really quickly that I have been the teacher focused mostly on the activities. Now I realize I need to constantly ask myself what is the point of this activity? What do I want them to learn from it? Will they be able to identify and tell you what they are learning? Each tool pushed me to think a little more outside of the box which is always a challenge. I really liked the Understanding by Design template because it had me constantly evaluating exactly what I wanted my students to learn. I liked the acronym WHERETO. After completing my activities I had to go back and evaluate what the activity really was accomplishing. Reading Wiggins' and McTighe's book Understanding by Design (UbD) and have used their backwards design template for the same lesson I've used with Fink's three column table is the best way I have plan a lesson so far.

 

I find that both Fink's three column table and Wiggin's and McTighe's UbD template to be equally useful. Fink's strategy to backward design, including his three column table, uses a broad swath; it's a view from miles away that covers overarching goals, activities, and assessment. I find that using Fink's broad planning helps me to get a clear picture of what I want my students to learn, what learning opportunities I'll present for students, and how I'll know if students learn the targeted skills and standards I'm aiming for.

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The UbD template is divided into three stages: (1) Identify desired results, (2) Determine acceptable evidence, and (3) Plan learning experiences and instruction (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005. p.18). Within the third stage, one uses what the authors call the "WHERETO" elements. This helps teachers to assess how will the design:

    W = Inform students about Where the lesson is going, What will be expected                    and helps the teacher know Where the students are coming from?

    H = Hook all students and Hold their interest?

    E = Equip students, help them Experience the key ideas and Explore the issues?

    R = Provide opportunities to Rethink and Revise their understanding and work?

    E = Allow students to Evaluate their work and its implications?

    T = Be Tailored to the different needs, interests, and abilities of learners?

    O = Be Organized to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as                     active learning (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005. p.22)?

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The UbD template provides a much closer view than Fink's table and has a lot more detail covering: what students will understand, what essential questions I'll use, how I'll hook students and keep them engaged, what skills I'll equip students with allowing them to experience and explore, what opportunities I'll plan for so that students can rethink and revise, giving students time to evaluate their work, tailor the activities for the different needs, interests and abilities of learners and to check organization to maximize student engagement and to ensure effective learning is being used (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005. p.22).

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The two parts of the template that I appreciate the most are the Essential Questions and the WHERETO section of the planning. Both of these portions take me much closer in my planning, attending to some details, that I hadn't using Fink's planning process.

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Below, you'll find my UbD template for this lesson: