INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS UbD™ FRAMEWORK?

three-stage design process (Desired Results, Evidence, and Learning Plan)

think purposefully about curricular plan-ning.

Figure 1.6. The Big Picture of a Design Approach

The UbD framework promotes not only acquisition, but also the student’s ability to know why the knowl-edge and skills are important, and how to apply or transfer them in meaningful, professional, and socially important ways

s It an Essential Question?A question is ‘essential’ if it . . .• Has no simple ‘right answer’ that can be looked up;• Is meant to be investigated, argued, looked at from different points of view;• Raises other important questions, and if the question itself can be fruitfully questioned;• Naturally arises in everyday life, and/or in ‘doing’ the subject;• Constantly and appropriately recurs; it can be asked and re- asked over time, and as a result of further learning.

There’s a great saying that is so true here – just because you know something doesn’t mean you understand it. I know that the sky is blue, but that doesn’t mean I can explain to you the science behind why. Students may be able to correctly answer 8 x 6 on a math test, but that doesn’t mean that they can also show you what 8 x 6 represents with a box of manipulatives or in a real life situation.

I use backwards de-sign to develop our lesson plans: What do we want our students to write, and why? What skills are required, and how do students acquire those skills (Wiggins and McTighe 34)?