Finding You in UbD ( Understanding by Design)

1. Finding You inUbD (Understanding by Design)

2. “There is a great difference between knowing and understanding; you can know a lot about something and not really understand it. ” • Charles F. Kettering, American Engineer, 1876-1958. • “Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living, the other helps you make a life.” • Sandra Carey, author. • Read the quotes, select one and write about it for two minutes, Share writing with colleague.

3. Workshop Goals • Defining UbD • Identifying Big Ideas, Essential Questions, and Focusing Questions • Developing these Stage 1 elements for a unit

4. Workshop Goals • Defining UbD • Identifying Big Ideas, Essential Questions, and Focusing Questions • Developing these Stage 1 elements for a unit

5. What is UbD? • Backwards Planning • A system that forces you to be proactive and look at the entire picture before deciding on the day by day lessons. • It is a proactive process that helps students construct their own meaning, and makes understanding of Big Ideas more likely. • Big Ideas-Essential Questions embed civic and character education.

6. What is Understanding by Design? (UbD) 3 stages Stage 1- What do you want the students to know? Goals, Standards, Content, Skills, Essential Questions, Big Ideas Stage 2- How do you know if they got it? Assessments/Culminating Projects Stage 3 – How will you get them there? Day to day lesson plans

7. Why are we doing Magnet & UbD? • District 28 is now a Middle School Choice district. • We must stand out to attract and retain the best level 4 parents. • We must differentiate ourselves from all the other middle schools. UbD will help us create a unique curriculum that will set us apart. • Being the Green Magnet School gives us an edge. We have something different, timely, and real-world to offer students. • Attract Funders. We have to be special.

8. Goals of Workshop • Defining UbD • Identifying Big Ideas, Essential Questions, and Focusing Questions • Developing these Stage 1 elements for a unit

9. The Overarching Concept that encompasses Essential Questions, Content, and Skills • The Big Idea will be in the form of a word or phrase. • The Big Idea will be transferable. • The Big Idea will be a vital part of all • 3 stages of your unit. • The Big Idea will relate to a Green Magnet Standard

10. Big Ideas are Concepts

11. Big Ideas are Themes

12. Other Suggestions

13. Goals of Workshop • Introducing the 3 stages of UBD • Identifying Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Focusing Questions • Developing Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Focusing Questions for a Unit

14. Essential Question (EQ) • Open-ended • Have many answers • Are transferable • Raise more questions • Opportunities for critical thinking and discourse. Doorways to meta-cognitive thinking. • Cannot be Googled, are not simply answered • Relate to our magnet standards

15. Example: Social Studies Big Idea: “Values and Beliefs” EQ: What does art reveal about a culture’s or person’s values and beliefs?

16. Example 2: Science Big Ideas: Adaptation-Facing Challenges EQ: How can we adapt to the challenges of everyday life?

17. Goals of Workshop • Introducing the 3 stages of UBD • Discussing Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Focusing Questions • Developing Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Focusing Questions for a Unit

18. Focusing Questions Can be googled Sometimes can be answered yes or no Can be proven or disproven Relate to specific content and/or skills Are disciplilne-specific Can be answered with facts

19. Essential vs Focusing Essential Questions Focusing Questions EXAMPLES What are the differences between vertebrate and invertebrate animals? How do animals adapt to change? How can studying Venus help us understand Global Warming? • EXAMPLES • Are there “winners” and who “losers” when technologies change? • Why do we study science?

20. Your Task. Work in Pairs • Select a unit of study. Populate the unit template with: • Big Idea(s) • Essential Questions • Focusing Questions • SHARE OUT • Distribution of Planning Tool

21. Why are we doing Magnet & UbD? • District 28 is now a Middle School Choice district. • We must stand out to attract and retain the best level 4 parents. • We must differentiate ourselves from all the other middle schools. UbD will help us create a unique curriculum that will set us apart. • Being the Green Magnet School gives us an edge. We have something different, timely, and real-world to offer students. • Attract Funders. We have to be special.

22. 6th Grade Science Curriculum

23. 7th Grade Science

24. 8th Grade Science

26. Graphic Organizer for Planing • Big Idea • Essential Question • Focusing Question – Standards-based Learning Objective • Mini-Lesson: Content or Skill • Student Work Time – Differentiated (Flexible Groups, Conferring, Small Group Instruction, Varied Assignments) • Assessment • Connections and Summaries

27. EvaluationOn the back of your agenda, please do a quick write on the following : EXIT TICKET • Which Big Ideas and Essential Questions stimulated your imagination? • What did you find useful about today? • Suggestions for making this training worthwhile and usable • Would you be interested in the February UbD Workshop? Friday February 4 (all day), Saturday February, 5th (6 hrs Per Session) Friday, February 11 (all day), Saturday, February 12 (6 hrs Per Session)(Four days attendance and a completed unit and, submitted by November 18th, will qualify you for the 12 hours of per session, otherwise people will get training rate)