Backward Design Lessn Planning Hw d I determine and write lessn bjectives? (identifying desired results) Intrductin All lessns, regardless f which lessn-planning mdel that yu use, begins with identifying clear and measurable bjectives. If yu dn t knw where yu are ging, then yu will never knw when yu get there. Backward Design always lets yu knw where yu are ging because it frces yu t cnsider yur bjectives first, which will cnstantly remind yu n why yu are ding the lessn. S, the first step in planning a Backward Design lessn is t ask yurself several questins: What shuld my students knw, understand, and be able t d? What is wrthy f understanding? Luckily fr us (r unlucky fr us), Hawai i s Department f Educatin (DOE) has already established every CTE lessn bjective (standards) fr teachers and these can be fund n the Alt Cert Website under Resurces CTE Pathway Standards. These bjectives and standards are in develped in accrdance with mandates frm the State and Federal Gvernment. Part f yur jb as a future teacher is t becme very familiar with the standards pertaining t yur CTE subject area. Part I: Determining Lessn Objectives 40/40/40 Rule Hwever, there is typically always mre cntent than can be reasnably cvered in a semester and teachers always have t make chices f what bjectives t emphasize in their lessns. T help yu fcus n what is imprtant t teach, cnsider the 40/40/40 rule: What d yu want students t remember fr 40 days? What d yu want students t remember fr 40 mnths? What d yu want students t remember fr 40 years? When yu find smething that yu want students t remember fr 40 years, we call this a BIG IDEA r an ENDURING UNDERSTANDING. Unfrtunately, much f what we teach in schl is f the 40 days variety (r maybe the 4 secnd rule fr students? ) Anther check fr finding the BIG IDEA is t ask yurself during the beginning f lessn planning, If I had t decide n nly ne r tw things t teach, what wuld they be? By narrwing dwn ur ideas, we can decide what is imprtant t teach (see 40/40/40 visual belw):
What if we wanted t teach math t 2 nd graders? If we examine the latest standards, yu might find that cunting, estimating lengths, and telling time are bjectives that yu think students shuld knw and be able t d. Hwever, what wuld yu d if yu nly had enugh time t teach nly ne f thse bjectives? What wuld yu d? The 40/40/40 rule helps us fcus n the cncept(s) that might be mre fundamental than the thers. 40 days 40 mnths 40 years 40 DAYS - Ideas wrth being familiar with 2 nd grade math Cunt within 1000; skip-cunt by 5s, 10s, and 100s. Estimate lengths using units f inches, feet, centimeters, and meters. Tell and write time frm analg and digital clcks t the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and p.m. Chse mre imprtant cncept(s) 40 MONTHS - Ideas imprtant t knw and d-2 nd grade math Cunt within 1000; skip-cunt by 5s, 10s, and 100s. Tell and write time frm analg and digital clcks t the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and p.m. Chse mst imprtant cncept 40 YEARS -BIG IDEAS! ENDURING UNDERSTANDING! Must knw this! 2 nd grade math Cunt within 1000; skip-cunt by 5s, 10s, and 100s. The idea here is that if yur 2 nd graders can t cunt, then they will prbably have difficulty estimating lengths and telling time. That means if I was teaching 2 nd graders math, I wuld always make sure t have cunting as part f my lessns. Obviusly, yu wuld try t teach telling time and estimating lengths t yur 2 nd graders and yu might argue that cunting is nt the 40 year idea, but the beauty f the 40/40/40 rule is that it frces yu t really cnsider abut what YOU think is imprtant t teach!
Part II: Writing Lessn Objectives Actin Verbs and Blm s Taxnmy Once yu have decided n a BIG IDEA fr a lessn, it is really imprtant that yu write the bjective f that BIG IDEA in a clear and measurable way. An bjective that is nt clear r measurable is useless because whatever scre that yu give t yur students at the end f the lessn wn t really represent the learning yu intended. Yu want the scre given t reflect the learning and that starts by making sure yu have a clear and measurable bjective. Yu can make yur bjectives clear and measurable by turning them int student learning utcmes (SLOs) using Blm s taxnmy. An SLO is smething that requires a specific actin (ACTION VERB) frm yur students that YOU CAN ACTUALLY OBSERVE! Which f the fllwing actins can yu actually bserve yur students ding? 1. Understand 2. Knwing 3. Reflect ANSWER: Nne f them! WHY?: Because each actin takes place in yur students mind and we can t directly bserve inside the mind f peple well, nt yet anyway! S, we need actins that we can actually see. Which f the fllwing actins are clear? 1. Appreciate 2. Respect 3. Listen ANSWER: Nne f them! WHY?: Because each actin has multiple interpretatins and are very difficult t define. Smene else s interpretatin f appreciatin r respect may be very different frm smene else s. S, we need actins that have clear criteria assciated with it and we try t avid using these terms in ur lessn bjectives. TO ENSURE THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE CLEAR AND MEASURABLE LESSON OBJECTIVES, WE USE ACTION VERBS FROM BLOOM S TAXONOMY. Blm s taxnmy is a chart f active and measurable verbs that represent six different levels f understanding. Yur entire lessn (assessment and instructin) is determined by which actin verb yu chse. If yu change yur actin verb, then yu might need t revise yur entire lessn. See the chart belw (sme ACTION VERBS may be fund in mre than ne level because it depends n hw that actin verb is used in a lessn):
Blm s Taxnmy Level f Understanding 1. Knwledge (lwest level f understanding) Simple Definitin Student repeats 2. Cmprehensin Student describes r explains 3. Applicatin Student uses 4. Analysis Student cmpares tw pieces f 5. Synthesis Student cmbines pieces f infrmatin t create new 6. Evaluatin (highest level f understanding) Student judges Example Identify an IPhne Describe an IPhne Use an IPhne Analyze an IPhne with the Andrid Phne Create a new phne (Cmbine IPhne w/andrid Phne t make new phne) Evaluate the new IRid phne : ) (Is it any gd?) Example ACTION VERBS: Arrange, classify, define, draw, duplicate, identify, label, list, lcate, match, memrize, name, rder, utline, recite, recgnize, relate, recall, repeat, reprduce, select, state. Cnvert, classify, describe, discuss, estimate, explain, express, extend, generalize, paraphrase, rewrite, summarize, translate. Apply, calculates, change, chse, cmpute, demnstrate, emply, illustrate, make, manipulate, mdel, mdify, perate, predict, prepare, prduce, rle-play, shw, sketch, slve, use. Analyze, appraise, breakdwn, cmpare, cntrast, diagram, decnstruct, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, infer, investigate, relate, separate. Assemble, categrize, cmbine, cmpile, cmpse, create, devise, design, develp, generate, mdify, rerganize, plan, rearrange, recnstruct, revise, rewrite, synthesize. Appraise, argue, assess, cnclude, cntrast, criticize, critique, defend, evaluate, interpret, justify, supprt, value. T write student learning utcmes, first, identify the level f learning that yu want, then chse a verb frm that categry that best describes what yu want the student t knw, understand, r be able t d. Let us use ur example f Gary frm the Backward Design Intrductin page. Remember Gary was the high schl English teacher that apprached his lessn planning by cming up with the instructin first (shwed vide f mdern day Rme and Juliet), then gave them a multiple chice quiz at the end (assessment), and then figured ut why he shwed the vide after being pressed by his principal (bjective). Gary wants his students t understand Rme and Juliet. Backward Design requires us t first determine the lessn bjective(s), s that we knw hw t design the rest f the lessn.
Belw are clear and measurable student learning bjectives (using Blm Taxnmy actin verbs) that might be written by Gary fr increasing levels f understanding Rme and Juliet: Students will identify a scene in Rme and Juliet (knwledge) explain a scene in Rme and Juliet (cmprehensin) rle-play a scene in Rme and Juliet (applicatin) cmpare scenes in Rme and Juliet (analysis) create a new scene in Rme and Juliet (synthesis) interpret a scene in Rme and Juliet (evaluatin) Hw des Gary chse which lessn bjective he shuld use abve? Apply the 40/40/40 rule! In my pinin as teacher (wh desn t teach English!), I wuld think that being able t interpret a scene in Rme and Juliet wuld be smething I wuld always have my students d (40 year idea). Hwever, whatever yu chse is up t yu as the teacher! Next Step Assessment! Nw, that I have determined a clear and measurable lessn bjective, Backward Design requires me t determine hw I plan t assess the students next!