Understanding By Design Backwards Design Process

(Developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2002)

Lesson by: Halima McCaskill
Stage 1 Desired Results
Content Standard(s):
-1.C & G.1.2: Classify the roles of authority figures in the home, school, and
community (teacher, principal, parents, mayor, park rangers, game warden,
etc.)
-1.C&G.1.1 Explain why rules are needed in the home, school and community.
-1.C&G.1.3 Summarize various ways in which conflicts could be resolved in
homes, schools, classrooms and communities.
Understanding (s)/goals
Essential Question(s):
Big Idea:
-How can authority figures in
-Students will understand that authority
our community keep us safe?
figures are needed to help our communities
-How can different authority
stay safe.
figures help in different
-Students will understand that authority
settings?
figures in the home, school, and community
-Why are rules important at
influence the well-being of people.
home, school, and in the
-Students will understand why there are
community?
different authority figures at home, school
-How can I show good
and in their community with different roles.
citizenship?
-Students will understand that rules are
-How do authority figures
needed to promote fairness and resolve
influence a persons wellconflicts in the home, school and community.
being?
-Students will understand there are various
-How can I solve conflicts at
ways to solve differences and conflicts.
home, school, and in the
-Students will understand good citizenship
community?
means following rules and respecting the
rights of others.
Student objectives (outcomes):
Students will be able to:
-Students will be able to state why authority figures are needed at home,
school, and in the community
-Students will be able to understand the roles of authority figures.
-Students will be able to distinguish appropriate rules and why they are used.
-Students will be able to understand that good citizenship means following
rules and begin respectful and considerate of those around you
-Students will be able to demonstrate ways to resolve conflicts.
-Students will be able to give examples of rules that are appropriate for
home, school, and community.
-Students will be able to discuss the character traits of good citizenship.
-Students will be able to discuss ways in which conflicts may be resolved in
the home, school, classroom, and community.
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
Other Evidence:
-As a class students will
-Students will participate in a Career Day
create a chart of all the

event and have the opportunity to listen to

different authority figures speak and answer
questions. (principal/assistant principal,
teacher, firefighters, custodian, cafeteria
worker, bus driver, police officer, judge,
Forsyth County game warden, parent, Nurse
Mo, Virginia Foxx) This will take place over a
week with different speakers each day. After
listening to all the different speakers as a
class students will take part in a carousel
brainstorming task where they post all the
different information they have learned about
each authority figure.
-Students will complete a writing assignment
on: Who is your favorite authority figure and
why is he or she important? How does he or
she help us be good citizens?
-Students will then create a costume of their
favorite authority figures and act out a skit
demonstrating why their authority figure is
important in different settings.
(Pf) ~
Proficie
nt

(Pg) ~
Progressi
ng

Bg) ~
Beginnin
g

Understan
ds Content
Writing
supports
topic
Skit
Supports
answer
orally

: Student ability to illustrate and write or

dictate appropriate response to question
: Ability to illustrate OR write/dictate
appropriate response to question
: Student is unable to complete both parts of
assignment
Check List
_Name
_Date
_Capitals

authority figures they can

think of at home, school and
the community
-Students will answer exit
ticket questions about the
different authority figures and
their roles.
-Students will answer exit
ticket questions about good
citizenship and following the
rules.
-Students will answer
questions after reading
selected texts from:
-Citizenship (21st Century
Junior Library: Character
Education)Oct 20, 2013
by Lucia Raatm
-Fairness (21st Century Junior
Library: Character
Education)Dec 10, 2013
by Lucia Raatma
-Respect (21st Century Junior
Library: Character
Education)Dec 10, 2013
by Lucia Raatma
-Macmillan/ McGraw-Hill
People and Places Grade 1
Student TextbookJun 5, 2004
by James A. Banks and
Richard G. Boehm
-Students will act out different
roles when told by the
teacher.
Ex:
-A firefighter helping a little
boy
-Nurse Mo helping somebody
-Students will do a quick write
in journal about a chosen
figure chosen by the teacher.
-Students will give the
teacher a thumbs up or
thumbs down after listening
to different scenarios and

_Punctuations
_Authority Figure
_Why is he/she important?
_How does he/she help with citizenship?

determining if the person is

following the rules or not.
Ex:
-Sam is running in the hallway
-Sam raises his hand before
he speaks
-Sam stands up in his chair
-Sam hits Jan in the arm
-Sam raises his hand to
sharpen his pencil
-Sam runs on the playground
-Sam yells in the hallway
-Students will complete ThinkPair-Share about different
scenarios and a student from
each group will share what he
or she discussed.
Ex:
-Sam is playing with the stove
and starts a fire; which
authority figure can help him
and how?
-Sam falls outside and hurts
his knee; which authority
figure can help him and how?
-Sam is lost in the shopping
mall; which authority figure
can help him and how?
-Students will write down two
vocabulary words from a list
and draw a picture that
describes the word.
(authority figure, citizen, role,
rules, conflict, solve,
community, mayor, principal,
game warden, park ranger,
zookeeper, police officer,
teacher)

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

Students will watch a video on YouTube rules, and then turn to their
neighbor to talk about why rules are important. Pairs will share with the
class what they discussed. Teacher will write down responses on a
chart with the class. Students will write in journal a list of rules they
have to follow for the class. (H)

Teacher will ask students to Think-Pair-Share about the rules in football

versus the rules in soccer. Teacher will write down the rules for each
sport as the students say them out loud. Students and teacher will
discuss why some rules are different and why some are the same.
Students will write down or draw in journal a rule that is the same for
each sport and a rule that is different.
Teacher and student will play a game of each sport during recess and
discuss the rules of each game. (W), (E) (See below)
Students will watch a video (http://youtu.be/Gl3e-OUnavQ) bout
conflict and resolution, then turn to their neighbor to talk about what is
the most important way to solve a conflict in the video and why. Pairs
will share with the class what they discussed. Teacher will write down
responses on a chart with the class. Students will write in journal
different ways to solve conflict. (H) (E,)
Teacher will give students different scenarios about conflict resolution
and have students Think-Pair-Share with a partner about the scenario.
Pairs are to come up with a solution to each scenario and share with
the class by acting out the scenario. After students share with class
they are to draw a picture about how they will solve the conflict and
write two sentences. (R) (see below)
Teacher will divide students up into four groups. Teacher will give each
group a conflict that happens at school. Each group has to discuss the
conflict, draw a picture of how they would solve the conflict. Groups
will then act out the conflict and the solution for the class and for a
kindergarten class. Students will discuss with the audience positive
ways to solve conflicts. Groups will be divided by their ability to read
and write. The higher group will be challenged with a more rigorist
conflict than the other two groups. The lowest group will receive help
from teacher with reading their conflict and planning a skit.(W), (E), (T)
Students will participate in a debate on; doing the right thing. Teacher
will provide students with a scenario and have them debate about how
to solve the conflict. Teacher will record the debate for students to
watch back and reflect in their journals.
Scenario- John jumps in front of you while you are waiting for the slide.
What do you do?
Scenario 2- John hits you very hard, what do you do? (E), (R) (E2) (see
e-mail)
Students will watch a video on authority figures
(http://youtu.be/Sf1dUHOjWjQ?
list=PLbLbgiIBAahRWI8R8hFTfdGQRbImWFbNk) and
(http://youtu.be/wOeqgOM69KM?

list=PLbLbgiIBAahRWI8R8hFTfdGQRbImWFbNk) then turn to their

neighbor to talk about which authority figure is the most important in
the video and why? Pairs will share with the class what they discussed.
Teacher will write down responses on a chart with the class. Teacher
will then ask the same question using different settings such as,
school, home and the community. Teacher will write down responses on
a chart. (H), (O), (E)

Teacher will provide chart paper with three different columns for
authority figures in school, home and community. As a class students
will cut and paste the names of authority figures and place them under
the column where they play the most important role. (W), (O) (see
below)

Students will create a poster of his or her favorite authority figure and
then dress up as their favorite authority figure. Students will have to
present their poster and discuss why and where his or her authority
figure is important. Students will use items collected at home and at
school. I will differentiate for the struggling learners by having
sentences already printed that they have to cut out and add to their
poster and draw a picture. For the advanced learners I will have them
to write at least five different sentences about their authority figure on
their poster and research some pictures to add as well. (E), (T) (see
below)

Guest speaker will come to speak to class about what their job is and
why he or she is important. Students will write down in journal about
the speaker and what roles he or she plays. Students will write a thank
you note to speaker for coming and for help keeping us safe. (H)

Guidelines
for poster
Yes
Does the
poster
have a
title?
Does the
poster
demonstra
te that
student
Understan
ds
Content?
Does the
writing
support
the topic?
Can
student
answer
questions
about
topic?
Is the
poster
neat?
Is the
poster
creative?

Not Sure

No

Worksheet for sorting authority figures

Authority Figures at
School

Authority Figures at
Home

Authority Figures in
the community

Teacher

Nurse

Teacher Assistant

Mother

Firefighter

Librarian

Father

Principal

Coach

Police

Councilor

Secretary

Doctor

Social Worker

Grandpa

Grandma

Big sister

Aunt

Uncle

Big brother

Neighbor

Conflict Resolution Scenarios

~Read each scenario and talk about what you would do with your partner. Be
ready to share what you talked about with the class.

Sam jumps in front of Jan in line; what should Jan do?

Sam hits Jan in the arm real hard; what should Jan do?

Sam steps on Jan foot by accident; what should Jan do?

Chart for Football Rules verse Soccer Rules

Football
Rules

Soccer
Rules

Final Reflection
My perceptions of Understanding by Design evolved over the course of the
semester, as I created my plan. When I first started on the plan, it was not clear
and I did not understand it. I was confused and a little frustrated as I began to
read the texts and plan my unit. I did not understand how doing something
backwards would make any difference in my planning and what the student
understands. I wondered why this style of planning has never been introduced to
me before in prior classes.
As we started to really break the books down and watch supporting
videos, it finally started to become clearer. I was starting to understand why to
start with the goal first and work backwards. If you have the Big Idea in mind the
whole time you are planning, then your goal of understanding the topic should be
met. Although the two books for this class were challenging, they were also
helpful. They help me think outside the box and away from my original planning.
I think I will hold on to the two books for future references.
My understandings of differentiation deepen and changed when I started
on my design. At first, I felt like I was going against everything that I learned prior
to this class. Once I let go of my original style of planning and started to really
plan the way Understanding by Design says to, I started to understand how this

style of planning keeps all of our learners in mind. The design helps to make sure
that students are being challenged at all levels and being assess on the actual
goal.
After designing my plan, I now have new and more comprehensive ideas
about differentiating for my students. I cannot wait to create another design using
this style. Right now, working with first graders, it is my opinion this design is not
as effective as it would be with upper grade students. However, making sure my
students understand the big idea before I start each lesson everyday has helped
tremendously in my classroom. Every time my principal or other administrators
have walked into my room and asked students what are we learning about, my
students answered them with ease.
Also, thinking of my lessons as important lessons that have valuable
outcomes and not just as fun activities has helped me with planning. I always
ask myself what are they going to learn from this lesson and can I measure it. If
I do not have a clear yes, I do not continue with the activity. Another valuable
lesson I have learned after planning my design is to always look at the standards
in a grade above and below. It gives you a good idea of what they should know
and where this information should take them next year. This is something simple;
however I have not witness many teachers check other grade levels while

planning their lessons. It might be helpful to ask the next year teachers about
areas that most students struggle in to make sure they have better background
knowledge going to the next grade.
My plan change as I gained clearer knowledge of what it means to move
from objectives, to assessments, to activities in many ways. At first I started off
with one or two objectives. After my feedback, I realized two objectives was not
enough, so I research and added more standards to broaden my topic and added
more objectives. In the long run, this helped me with planning more activities and
assessments. Designing this unit was a challenged because I had my first
graders in mind, thinking that it would be too much for them to comprehend. After
I completed my unit I felt confident about the changes and addition to my unit.
I did get a chance to teach my unit plan. My students responded very well
to it. I did not get a chance to complete all the activities because of lack of time
(30min) we get for social studies and science. The students really enjoyed the
guest speakers and being able to choose their favorite one and write about them.
I have their writings on the board outside my classroom with pictures attached of
their favorite authority figure. They love to walk by and point out which writing
belongs to them. They also really liked the videos and acting out the different
scenarios.

I learned valuable information from my colleagues in the class that

broadened my understanding of the coursework. We had many different students
from different areas and grade levels. I enjoyed their different views and opinions
and we discussed different topics in class. Also, knowing that I was not the only
one in the class that did not have a clear understanding of differentiating made
me feel little better. Being a new teacher this year in first grade sometimes make
me feel like I am the only one who does not understand something and can feel
like the outcast sometimes. Coming to a class where peers share my frustrations
and interests once a week helped plenty. I will take what I have learned in this
class with me in my years to come with teaching and beyond. I can now say that I
am a little more confident with planning a backwards design unit plan and plan to
incorporate this style of planning into my daily lessons.