Integrated Curriculum, Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design
Connecting Content and Kids
UbD and DI: An Essential Partnership
Integrating Differentiated Instruction + Understanding by Design:
Connecting Content and Kids by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe
“In effective classrooms, teachers consistently attend to at least four elements: 1. whom they teach (students), 2. where they teach (learning environment), 3. what they teach (content), and 4. how they teach (instruction).
If teachers lose sight of any one of the elements andcease investing effort in it, the whole fabric of theirwork is damaged and the quality of learning impaired.”
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Teaching is an Integrated Process
1. The primary goal of quality curriculum design is to develop and deepen student understanding.
2. Evidence of student understanding is revealed when students apply (transfer) knowledge in authentic contexts.
3. Effective curriculum development following the principles of backward design helps avoid the twin problems of textbook coverage and activity-oriented teaching in which no clear priorities and purposes are apparent.
4. Regular reviews of curriculum and assessment designs, based on design standards, provide quality control and inform needed adjustments. Regular reviews of “results” (i.e., student achievement) should be followed by needed adjustments to curriculum and instruction.
5. Teachers provide opportunities for students to explore, interpret, apply, shift perspectives, empathize, and self-assess. These six facets provide conceptual lenses through which student understanding is assessed.
6. Teachers, students, and districts benefit by “working smarter” and using technology and other vehicles to collaboratively design, share, and critique units of study.
7. UbD is not a program, but a way of thinking, not a program. with the goal of promoting better student understanding.
The Big Ideas of UbDUbD Big Idea What’s the Point If not…
Backward DesignPlans need to be well aligned to be effective
Aimless activity and coverage
Transfer as GoalIt is the essence of understanding and the point of schooling
Students fail to apply; poor learning
Understanding via Big Idea
That’s how transfer happens, makes learning more connected
Learning is fragmented; more difficult, less engaging
Meaningful learningThat’s what is most engaging and inviting
You lose many kids over time
UbD is not a program, but a way of thinking, with the goal of promoting better student understanding.
What Really Matters in Teaching?
Students
Categories of Student Variance
Contributors to the Category
Biology
GenderNeurological “wiring” for learningAbilitiesDisabilitiesDevelopment
Degree of Privilege
Economic statusRaceCultureSupport systemLanguageExperience
Positioning for learning
Adult modelsTrustSelf-conceptMotivationTemperamentInterpersonal skills
Preference/Learning Styles
InterestsLearning preferencesPreferences for individuals
Categories of Student Variance with Contributors that have some Implications for Learning
How do we get our students to Learn? To
Think?KNOWING UNDERSTANDING
What Really Matters in Learning
Content
Integration: An ESU Contribution Relationship between and among disciplines
and bodies of knowledge Reading, writing and creating are ways to
organize thinking and knowing Children learn better and more deeply if
learning is connected Integration provides multiple entry points for
diverse learners Integration supports authentic work, personal
engagement and understanding
Important Questions for Planning
How can we promote UNDERSTANDING more by design than by good fortune?
How do you know when they “GOT IT”? What is and isn’t evidence of UNDERSTANDING?
How do we move beyond designing merely interesting activities or textbook coverage? How do we teach for UNDERSTANDING?
Six Facets of Understanding
How do we know what we really understand?
When we truly understand we can: Explain – Provide theories, ‘the why’
Interpret – Meaning, stories, translations
Apply – Use and adapt what we know in diverse contexts
Perspective – Other points of view, critical stance; zoom in/out
Empathize – “Walk in the shoes of…”
Self-Knowledge – Wisdom, “knowing thyself”, aware of prejudice
Where do we begin the Unit? Step 1 - IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND! DO IT FIRST; DO IT WELL
Step 2 - DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE CLARIFIES WHAT LEARNING LOOKS LIKE IN THIS UNIT OF
INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS
Step 3 - PLAN DIFFERENTIATED EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION DETERMINES THE LEVEL OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND
DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING Step 4 - SET THE STAGE FOR LEARNING
PROVIDES THE SUPPORT & RESOURCES FOR LEARNING IN THROUGHOUT THE UNIT
DesignTemplate
UBD Integrated Unit – Design Template
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Established Goals:What relevant goals (e.g. content standards, program objectives) will this design address?
Big Idea – What Big Idea is inherent in these goals?
Understandings: Essential Questions:Students will understand that: • What provocative questions will foster inquiry,ß What specific understandings about understanding, and transfer of learning?them are desired?ß What misunderstandings are predictable?
Students will know: Students will be able to:ß What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?ß What should they eventually be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skill?
Enduring Understanding Generalization that states the essence of the desired results for a single orintegrated topics.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:ß Through what authentic performance tasks • Through what other evidence (e.g. quizzes,will students demonstrate the desired tests, academic prompts, observations,understandings? Homework, journals) will students demonstrateß By what criteria will performance of achievement of the desired results?understanding by judged? • How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Cycle of Learning Activities:What learning experiences and research-based instruction will enable students to achieve the desiredresults? How will the learning be tailored to the different needs, interests and abilities of learners?
Awareness:
Exploration:
Elaboration:
Utilization:
Stage 4 – Learning Environment
Design: Resources:How will the classroom be organized to What supplies and/or support is needed tomaximize initial and sustained engagement fully realize the desired results?as well as effective learning?
Should not be differentiated
May be differentiated
Should be differentiated
Stage 1: Identifying Desired Results
What is worthy and requiring of understanding?
Big IdeaEXPLORATION
Enduring Understanding
Essential Questions
Learning Goals & Standards
STAGE ONE: What is worthy of knowing?
Stage 1: Key Design Elements How can we unpack the goals (e.g. content
standards, district goals) to derive big ideas? What “big ideas” do we want students to
come to understand? What essential questions and understandings
will stimulate and promote inquiry? What knowledge and skills need to be
acquired given the understandings and related content standards?
Big Ideas: What are they? Is it a Big Idea?
– A core idea or process at the “heart” of the discipline?
– Enduring – has lasting value?– Connecting Idea – Will it help link discrete
facts/skills, disciplines?– Require “uncoverage” (it is often abstract
or a misunderstood idea)– Transferable to other topics?
Select a BIG IDEA(s) - An abstract and transferable concept, theme or process at the hear of a subject or topic Abundance or capacity Acceptance or rejection Adaptation Aging or maturity Balance Challenge Change or continuity Character Communities Conflict Connections Conservation Cooperation Correlation Courage Creativity Culture Cycles
Mood Order patterns Perspective Production or
consumption Proof Survival Relationships Repetition Rhythm Structures Survival Sustainability Systems Democracy Tyranny Wealth OTHERS?
Defense or protection Democracy Discovery Diversity Environments Equilibrium Evolution Exploration Fabrication Fairness Harmony Honor Interactions Interdependence Invention Justice Liberty Loyalty Migration
From Big Ideas to Understandings and Essential QuestionsUnderstandings What specific insights will
students take away about the meaning of “content” via big ideas?
Understandings summarize the desired insights we want students to realize
Understandings make sense of facts, skill, and ideas: they tell us what our knowledge means, connect the dots
Essential Questions Important, provocative
question that recur throughout our lives
Core ideas and inquiries within the discipline
Helps students effectively inquire and make sense of the big idea(s) and requires students to make decisions about answers
Engages a specific and diverse of learners
Knowledge Skills Vocabulary/terminology Definitions Key factual information Critical details Important events and
people Sequence/timeline
Basic skills- e.g. decoding, drawing
Communication skills – e.g. listening, speaking, writing
Research/inquiry/ investigation skills
Thinking skills – e.g. comparing, problem solving, decision making
Study skills – e.g. note taking Interpersonal, Group skills
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
What is Evidence of Understanding?
STAGE 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Think like an Assessor!What is the purpose for assessment?
• Diagnostic, Formative, or SummativeRefer back to Stage 1: Enduring Understandings, Essential
Questions, learning goals?Who are your learners? What methods and scoring tools will show understanding?
• Consider a wide range of assessment methods and scoring tools.
• Anchor assessment with performance tasks or projects; use traditional assessments to round out the picture
Assessment filters? Valid, reliable, sufficient, feasible, authentic work, student friendly
Stage 2: Collecting Acceptable & Sufficient Evidence (p. 148)
Formal observation orinterviews of students
Public performances
Core PerformanceTask
Targeted Understanding
Written, oral, orvisual(displayed)products inresponse toprompts
Student self-assessments,logs, and peerreviews
Studentexhibits ormodels
Shortanswerquizzes andtests
Collect Acceptable & Sufficient Evidence
May be differentiated
Summative Project: Create an Authentic “performances of understanding” G - a real-world goal R - a meaningful role for the student A - authentic, or simulated real-world audience(s) S - a conceptualized situation that involve real-world application P - student generated culminating products and performances S - consensus driven performance standards (criteria) for judging success
STAGE 2: Thinking Process WHAT IS EVIDENCE OF UNDERSTANDING?
1. Determine the Performance task or Project = Summative Assessment Method
2. Isolate key criteria for assessing summative performance or project – Create a Rubric for Summative Project! - May be differentiated
3. Select supportive Assessments:Formative Assessments - while learningDiagnostic Assessments - before learning
4. Isolate criteria and develop tools for supportive assessments methods - May be differentiated
ASSESSMENT PLANNINGKEEP IN MIND . . .
Purpose: Diagnostic, Formative, SummativeStudent Outcomes/Learning GoalsLearner Characteristics
Assessment MethodsCase Study ChartsChecklist DemonstrationsEssay Exams &QuizzesExhibitions Graphic OrganizersGroup ProjectGuided ResponseInterviews Journal or LogOpen Response PerformanceObservation Problem-solvingProduct ProjectPortfolio RubricResearch Paper Short Answer
Scoring ToolsChartChecklistGraphic OrganizerRubricsScalesExam/Quiz KeyObservation with criteria
Stage 3: Plan Differentiated Experiences & Instruction
What learning experiences and instruction promote engagement, understanding and achievement for ALL students?
Stage 3: Plan Differentiated Experiences & Instruction
1. Use the learning cycle to sequence experiences within and across disciplines
Awareness • Exploration • Elaboration • Utilization
2. Select a variety of highly effective strategies from research-based repertoire of teaching strategies
n Differentiate instruction to accommodate for advanced learners, learners and struggling learners
n Check connection to Stage 1: enduring understanding and essential questions, learning goals.
The Learning Cycle
Awareness
Exploration
Elaboration
Utilization
UbD Instructional Plan
Awareness Read/Write
Social Studies Science Visual
Art Modifications
Exploration
Elaboration
Utilizaiton
Research-based I nstructional Str ategies f or I ncreasing Student Achievement
• Identifying Similaritiesand Differences
• Summarizing andNotetaking
• Reinforcing Effort andProviding Recognition
• NonlinguisticRepresentations
• Cooperative Learning
• Setting Objectives andProviding Feedback
• Generating and TestingHypotheses
• Cues, Contexts, andAdvance Organizers
• Homework and Practice
Strategy Category Teaching Ideas and Activities• Venn Diagram, Compare/Contrast Charts,
Analogies, Metaphors, T-Charts
• Data Disks, Concept Squares, QuIP, ReciprocalTeaching, Graphic Organizers, StructuredOutlines
• Say Something, Think-Pair-Share, DramaticEnactment, Rubrics, Self-assessments, Praise,Contracts
• Graphic Organizers, Mind mapping, Drawing,Collage, Dance, Sculpture, Drawing Journals,3-D Models, Dioramas, Visual Imagery,Kinesthetic Activities
• Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Group Projects,Centers, Numbered Heads Together, LiteratureCircles
• Class Generated Rubrics, FormativeAssessments, Tickets Out, Dialogue Journals,Self-assessments
• Science Experiments and Data Collection,Predictions Before, During and After Reading,Double Entry Journals, Research Projects
• K-W-L, Advance Organizers and Outlines, TextStructure Information, Double Entry Journals,Graphic Organizers (before, during, and afterreading)
• Tasks and activities that match what has beentaught, authentic reading, writing, creating, andthinking activities – allow for interpretation andelaboration of what has been taught
SELECT
ResearchBased InstructionalStrategies
Stage 3: Instruction - MODIFICATIONS & ENHANCEMENTSWhere can this occur? Curricular – Instructional – Ecological Level
Consider the following:CONTENT: What you want the students to learn
PROCESS: The way students make sense of the content
PRODUCT: The outcome at the end of instruction
Determine what type of modification is appropriate and when it will occur.
When?What?
Teacherdirectedinstructiondemonstration
GuidedPractice
IndependentPractice
FinalAssessmentMeasure
Level ofcognition
Informationinput
Level ofparticipation
Content
PerformanceStandards*
Time
Structure
Materials /Equipment
* These are not national, state, and/or local standard. IDEA requires “progress withinthe general education curriculum”.
INSTRUCTION
Must be Differentiated for Diverse Learners
Stage 4: Set the Stage for Learning
How will the learning environment support, stimulate, inspire and validate student learning?
Stage 4: Set the Stage for Learning
Plan an Integrated Learning Center Draw the center design and add appropriate modifications or
assistive technologies
Identify where and how will you communicate and share student learning with others including process and products
List the resources, artifacts, and materials you need to successfully teach this unit.
Identify which artists and/or works of art support visual literacy and connections to other disciplines.
Determine the children’s literature needed to support the curriculum content and verbal literacy - leveled books.
Select other materials, games, artifacts you may need to support learning of all students.
Where to Begin Your Unit? Step 1 - IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
KEY STEP FOR THE ENTIRE UNIT - BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND!
DO IT FIRST; DO IT WELL Step 2 - DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE
CLARIFIES WHAT LEARNING LOOKS LIKE IN THIS UNIT OF INSTRUCTION
Step 3 - PLAN EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION DETERMINES THE LEVEL OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND
DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING Step 4 - SET THE STAGE FOR LEARNING
PROVIDES THE SUPPORT & RESOURCES FOR LEARNING IN THIS UNIT