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aka: Backwards Design Plan

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Cite this guide: Bowen, R. S. (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/.

Overview

Understanding by Design is a book written by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe that offers a framework for designing courses and content units called "Backward Design." Instructors typically approach course design in a "forward design" manner, meaning they consider the learning activities (how to teach the content), develop assessments around their learning activities, then attempt to draw connections to the learning goals of the course. In contrast, the backward design approach has instructors consider the learning goals of the course first. These learning goals embody the knowledge and skills instructors want their students to have learned when they leave the course. Once the learning goals have been established, the second stage involves consideration of assessment. The backward design framework suggests that instructors should consider these overarching learning goals and how students will be assessed prior to consideration of how to teach the content. For this reason, backward design is considered a much more intentional approach to course design than traditional methods of design.

This teaching guide will explain the benefits of incorporating backward design. Then it will elaborate on the three stages that backward design encompasses. Finally, an overview of a backward design template is provided with links to blank template pages for convenience.

The Benefits of Using Backward Design
"Our lessons, units, and courses should be logically inferred from the results sought, not derived from the methods, books, and activities with which we are most comfortable. Curriculum should lay out the most effective ways of achieving specific results... in short, the best designs derive backward from the learnings sought."
In Understanding by Design, Wiggins and McTighe argue that backward design is focused primarily on student learning and understanding. When teachers are designing lessons, units, or courses, they often focus on the activities and instruction rather than the outputs of the instruction. Therefore, it can be stated that teachers often focus more on teaching rather than learning. This perspective can lead to the misconception that learning is the activity when, in fact, learning is derived from a careful consideration of the meaning of the activity.

As previously stated, backward design is beneficial to instructors because it innately encourages intentionality during the design process. It continually encourages the instructor to establish the purpose of doing something before implementing it into the curriculum. Therefore, backward design is an effective way of providing guidance for instruction and designing lessons, units, and courses. Once the learning goals, or desired results, have been identified, instructors will have an easier time developing assessments and instruction around grounded learning outcomes.

The incorporation of backward design also lends itself to transparent and explicit instruction. If the teacher has explicitly defined the learning goals of the course, then they have a better idea of what they want the students to get out of learning activities. Furthermore, if done thoroughly, it eliminates the possibility of doing certain activities and tasks for the sake of doing them. Every task and piece of instruction has a purpose that fits in with the overarching goals and goals of the course.

As the quote below highlights, teaching is not just about engaging students in content. It is also about ensuring students have the resources necessary to understand. Student learning and understanding can be gauged more accurately through a backward design approach since it leverages what students will need to know and understand during the design process in order to progress.
"In teaching students for understanding, we must grasp the key idea that we are coaches of their ability to play the 'game' of performing with understanding, not tellers of our understanding to them on the sidelines."
The Three Stages of Backward Design
"Deliberate and focused instructional design requires us as teachers and curriculum writers to make an important shift in our thinking about the nature of our job. The shift involves thinking a great deal, first, about the specific learnings sought, and the evidence of such learnings, before thinking about what we, as the teacher, will do or provide in teaching and learning activities."

The Backward Design Template

A link to the blank backward design template is provided here ( https://jaymctighe.com/resources/), and it is referred to as UbD Template 2.0. The older version (version 1.0) can also be downloaded at that site as well as other resources relevant to Understanding by Design. The template walks individuals through the stages of backward design. However, if you are need of the template with descriptions of each section, please see the table below. There is also a link to the document containing the template with descriptions provided below and can be downloaded for free.

Backward Design Template with Descriptions (click link for template with descriptions).

References

1. Sample, Mark. (2011). Teaching for Enduring Understanding. Retrieved from http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/teaching-for-enduring-understanding/35243.

2. Wiggins, Grant, and McTighe, Jay. (1998). Backward Design. In Understanding by Design (pp. 13-34). ASCD.

This teaching guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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by Ryan S. Bowen Print Version Cite this guide: Bowen, R. S. (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/. Overview The Benefits of Using Backward Design The Three Stages of Backward Design The Backward Design Template Overview Understanding by Design is a book written by Grant Wiggins and Jay...

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Includes link to Evidence Organizer, language supports, and sentence frames.

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National History Day California| NHD-CA | California

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common core literacy in history social studies standards

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nhd-ca | Toolkit: Organizing Your Research

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History Day California (NHD-CA) Competition for students throughout the state

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Buck Institute for Education

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PBL leads to deeper understanding and greater retention of content knowledge

PBLWorks offers online and in-person Project Based Learning workshops and courses for educators seeking to give their students more. Whether you are new to Project Based Learning, advancing your practice, teaching in-person, or facilitating PBL curricula online, we have a path just for you. Pick your pathway and explore how to get started today...

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Project Based Learning for all. We build the capacity of teachers and school leaders to design and facilitate quality Project Based Learning.

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HSS and History Day Presentation (Kirchhoff)

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HSS and History Day Presentation (Kirchhoff)

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Please see for full presentation, resources, an citations.

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social studies school classroom teaching materials supplies supplements

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Project-Based Learning in AP U.S. History Book

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APUSH is serious business. PBL makes it seriously fun! Step-by-step instructions show you how to implement project-based learning in your own classroom, and five hands-on projects-all aligned to AP®, C3, and Common Core standards-give you a place to start: Colonial Convention Multiple Perspectives of the American Revolution Cost-Benefit Analysis of War The Conservation Movement and Me Making Music: Politics, Culture, and Entertainment ©2019.

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Reviews: "Sharos takes us behind the curtain of the Advanced Placement exam and, in doing so, outlines some impactful strategies to maximize scores and learning. All Advanced Placement teachers will find a kindred spirit in the wisdom and stories Sharos provides throughout the book. This book is filled with hope, and it showcases how the intensity of AP learning is filled with relationships and life lessons that last much longer than the knowledge gained in the classroom."
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--Dr. Tony Sinanis, award-winning principal, superintendent, and author of Hacking Leadership

"It should come as no surprise that this book moves beyond tips and tricks of student AP scores and gets at the very heart of what all our kids need: human support. Sharos beautifully outlines realistic strategies and the relationship needs that cannot be ignored in any AP classroom. You will find the softer side of Sharos's experience in the student success stories woven throughout this book of actionable AP advice. You'll see the connections and opportunities released when we believe in students and come to understand the reality that, without unwavering expectations, we do our students a great disservice."
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"'If you want to learn how to teach, then just teach.' Sage words of advice handed on from one generation of teachers to another. Here it is again, shared for a new era by Andrew Sharos. Straight from the shoulder, devoid of annoying academic jargon, searingly honest about failures and successes--Sharos gives us more than he imagines. Student outcomes are about students--not outcomes. Student success comes from discipline and interaction with a caring and demanding teacher. Student success can be pivotal and life changing. This is a good book. Heed its common-sense advice."
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--Malia Kau, college counselor, Radford High School

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Reviews: "Sharos takes us behind the curtain of the Advanced Placement exam and, in doing so, outlines some impactful strategies to maximize scores and learning. All Advanced Placement teachers will find a kindred spirit in the wisdom and stories Sharos provides throughout the book.

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Equity and Access Presentation (Kirchhoff)

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Equity and Access Presentation (Kirchhoff)

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Please see for full presentation, resources, and citations.

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Updated HSS Equity Presentation 2018.pptx

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Copy of Copy of  Wonder sentence prompts NHD 102

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AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description - Fall 2017

This is the core document for teachers of this course. It lays out the course content, describes the exam, and includes a full practice exam. For details on what's new in the 2017 edition, please see the preface.

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AP United States History: The Course | AP Central - The College Board

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description - Fall 2017 This is the core document for teachers of this course. It lays out the course content, describes the exam, and includes a full practice exam. For details on what's new in the 2017 edition, please see the preface.