Backward Design1
Backward Design is a process of lesson planning created by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe and introduced in Understanding by Design (1998).
This lesson design process concentrates on developing the lesson in a different order than in traditional lesson planning.
How is it different?
Turn and Talk
How do you see Backwards Design prepare students for future success?
Take a moment to reflect on the Traditional Unit planning and Backwards Design then Turn and Talk for 2 min then share in full group for 3 min.
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Create a shared vision.
 Enduring Understandings
Focus on assessment before designing the learning activities.
Expand the assessment continuum.
Plan instructional activities:
Share best practice.
Build in collaboration.
Ensure success for all learners.
Note to facilitator: This slide could be used during the post viewing.
How does this slide connect to RTI (the 4 C’s… something to think about) ?
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What is important for students to be able to do, know, or perform?
What provincial standards need to be met?
Identify Desired Results
“Enduring Understanding”
Wiggins, G & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Assessments:
Worth being familiar with and Important to know and do:
Traditional quizzes and tests
Performance tasks and projects
Go to the heart of the discipline.
Recur naturally throughout one’s learning and in the history of a field.
Raise other important questions.
Have no one obvious “right” answer.
Are deliberately framed to provoke and sustain student interest.
Determine Acceptable Evidence
How will assessments vary ?
Both formal and informal
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W.H.E.R.E.T.O.
Organize
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The following slide is an additional resource that can be viewed at a later date.
The video is a practical example of a teacher planning her math year using the
Backwards Design Model.