Stage 3: Planning learning experiences and instruction
This is the stage that most teachers are most familiar with, planning the learning and activities.

Now that we are at the final Stage of the UbD framework used for unit planning, you will be able to answer Challenge questions 3 and 4.  

Challenge Question #3:  How can we change our delivery methods from teaching content focused lessons to learning through focusing on the desired end results?

Challenge Question #4:  How can curriculum be laid out effectively to achieve specific end results?
  • Are your lesson activities aligned to the outcomes?  
  • How does it look to plan your lessons backwards?

As you plan your unit activities avoid 4 common pitfalls of lesson planning:
  1. No way to benchmark success along the way
  2. The activities do not align with the goal
  3. The sub-goals do not lead to the final goal
  4. The activities are not purposeful

To effectively plan your units and your lesson keep the following in mind:

  1. Look at standard(s).
  2. Make a list of the skills, concepts, and knowledge kids need to learn.
  3. Design the final assessment/project where students will demonstrate understanding to mastery of these skills, concepts, knowledge.
  4. Create a set of lessons that lead up to that end.
  5. Once you've done this, reflect on the set of lessons, making sure all the skills, concepts, and knowledge for student success with the end assessment are being taught.
After you know the outcome, then you choose the activity.  Below is a link to get you started.  Try to include a variety of activities in your first UbD unit plan.  You may want to use some of these ideas or you may have an activity arsenal of your own.
You have spent the last few minutes learning about Understanding by Design, or you may refer to this idea as backwards planning.  Now that you have the initial tools in place, it is time to assess your skills.
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