Initial Thoughts
In a moment you will begin a journey through lesson planning from end to start.  Does that sound right, end to start?  Are you asking yourself, “Don't we have to start before we can end”?    
This typical way of planning lessons can lead to the “twin sins” Wiggins and McTighe (2005) describe.  These twin sins are described as first, “hands-on without being minds-on”, planning activities that are fun and interesting but do not lead anywhere.  The second sin, “coverage”, is marching through a text book to make sure all items are covered during the school year (p. 16).


Backwards planning :
Understanding by Design (UbD), also known as the "backwards design model," was first introduced by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe in 1998. It is built on the idea that teachers should plan lessons and units backwards, with the outcomes in mind and then working backwards toward daily lessons.  Backwards planning is a three stage approach to planning.  
Stage 1 asks: What should students know and be able to do?  What content is worthy of understanding?  Priority standards must be identified due to the overwhelming number of curriculum expectations.  
Stage 2 asks:  How will we know if students have learned the material?  What evidence will show us students have learned the curriculum?  This stage causes teachers to think like an assessor before designing the unit (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 18).  
​Stage 3 asks:  What are the most appropriate educational strategies and activities to make sure the students learn the material?

 
Please write down your initial thoughts to the Challenge questions below
to help you begin to think with the end in mind:
     Questions:
  • How is it possible to focus first on desired learnings from which appropriate teaching would logically follow? (Stage 1)
  • Are we assessing everything we want to achieve or are we only using the easier ways to test? (Stage 2)
  • How can we change our delivery methods from teaching content focused lessons to learning through focusing on the desired end results? (Stage 3)
  • How can curriculum be laid out effectively to achieve specific end results? (Stage 3)

When you are ready, proceed to the Perspectives & Resources section.

"w-editor-top"