This book offers a practical approach to assessing challenging but necessary performance tasks like creative writing, real-world research projects, and cooperative group activities.

Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook extends the ideas presented in Understanding by Design (UbD) by focusing on professional development and the practical matters of curriculum design. The Workbook is a guide for Understanding by Design workshops and undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as further independent exploration. It provides a valuable resource to educators in developing curricula and assessments with a focus on developing and deepening students' understanding of important ideas.

Drawing on feedback from thousands of educators around the world who have used the UbD framework since its introduction in 1998, the authors have greatly revised and expanded their original work to guide educators across the K-16 spectrum in the design of curriculum, assessment, and instruction. With an improved UbD Template at its core, the book explains the rationale of backward design and explores in greater depth the meaning of such key ideas as essential questions and transfer tasks.

Connecting content and kids in meaningful ways is what teachers strive to do every day. In tandem, UbD and DI help educators meet that goal by providing structures, tools, and guidance for developing curriculum and instruction that bring to students the best of what we know about effective teaching and learning.

This guide is intended for K-16 educators either individuals or groups who may have received some training in Understanding by Design and want to continue their work independently; those who've read Understanding by Design and want to design curriculum units but have no access to formal training; graduate and undergraduate students in university curriculum courses; and school and district administrators, curriculum directors, and others who facilitate Understanding by Design work with staff. Users can go through the modules in sequence or skip around, depending on their previous experience...

Understanding by Design is based on a backward design approach and is used by thousands of educators to create curriculum units and assessments that focus on developing students understanding of essential ideas and helping students attain important skills. The Guide is intended for use by individuals or groups in K 16 education (teachers, school and district administrators, curriculum directors, graduate and undergraduate students in curriculum, and others) who want to further develop their skill in Understanding by Design. Users can work through the modules in order or pick and choose,...

This book from the authors of Understanding by Design explores how to design and frame essential questions that prompt students to think deeply and create a more stimulating environment for learning.