Understanding Enduring Understandings

How do educators determine what is worth understanding from among a range of content standards, topics, and goals and objectives? We offer four criteria, or filters, to use in selecting big ideas and core processes to teach for understanding: To what extent are the content standards and topics enduring and transferable big ideas, having value beyond the classroom? Enduring understandings go beyond discrete facts or skills to focus on larger concepts, principles, or processes. They are transferableapplicable to new situations within or beyond the subject. For example, we study the Colorado Gold Rush as a specific historical event because of its significance to a larger idea. That idea of migration is a larger concept that helps deepen understanding of why people move for economic reasons. This big idea transcends its roots in 19th century Colorado so student can make connections to other people who migrate and immigrate to better the conditions of their lives. Students can use this understanding in new situations, such as when studying emerging democracies in the third world and immigration in our own country. To what extent are the content standards and topics big ideas and core processes at the heart of the discipline? Consider the ways people work within the disciplines conducting investigations in science; writing for different purposes (e.g., to inform, persuade, or entertain) to real audiences; interpreting events and primary source documents in history; applying mathematics to solve real-world problems; researching; critiquing books and movies; and debating issues of social and economic policy. Such authentic learning experiences shift students from a passive knowledge receiver into an active constructor and verifier of meaning. By involving students in "doing" the subject, we provide them with insights into how knowledge is generated, tested, and used. Enduring understandings are typically transferrable to other disciplines or across the scope of a single discipline. To what extent are the content standards and topics abstract, counterintuitive, often misunderstood, or easily misunderstood ideas requiring uncoverage? Think about the abstract ideas in a unit or course, those concepts and principles that are not obvious and may be counterintuitive. For example, in physics, students often struggle with ideas concerning gravity, force, and motion. When asked to predict which objecta marble or a bowling ballwill strike the ground first when dropped simultaneously from the same height, many students reveal a common misconception by incorrectly selecting the bowling ball. What important concepts or processes do students have difficulty grasping? What do they frequently misunderstand? What do they typically struggle with? About which big ideas are they likely to harbor a misconception? These are fruitful topics to select and uncover to teach for understanding. To what extent are the content standards and topics big ideas embedded in facts, skills, and activities? Many seemingly straightforward facts are difficult to grasp without understanding the underlying concepts that give meaning to those facts. And many skills are only successfully mastered when we understand their intellectual purpose or justification. The fact that small objects fall to earth in the way they do only becomes understandable through the idea of gravitational force that similarly keeps planets in orbit. The skill of reading stories requires understanding that authors sometimes do not explicitly state what the story is abouttheir meaning resides between the lines.

Adapted from The Understanding by Design Handbook by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins

Pophams Learning Progression (Task Analysis Visualization)

Enabling Knowledge X

Enabling Knowledge Y

Sub Skill Z

Priority Learning

Enduring Understandings

Natural Resources: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, Gold, Silver, Uranium, Water Mineral Rights Pikes Peak Gold Rush Fifty-Niners Immigrants Migrants Railroad Colorado School of Mines Big Thompson Watershed Glenwood Springs Dam Colorado Central Railroad Union Pacific Railroad Narrow Gauge Railroads Stanley Steamer Rocky Flats Radioactivity Hewlett-Packard

Know the key technological developments and immigration waves of 19th-20th century Know important natural resources in Colorado and how they impact its economy and industry Know where important natural resources are located in Colorado and the physical environment of those locations Know modes of transportation during this era and its effect on the transport of people and resources, especially considering the rugged terrain and vast prairies in Colorado Know how railroads and computers affected the development of Loveland

Sequence key technological developments and immigration waves in a timeline Map key natural resources to locations in Colorado Describe the use of key natural resources in Colorado Describe the hardships of early mining town life Describe important events, companies and discoveries and their effects on Colorado

Describe the impact of various technological developments. Topics to include but not limited to the state of Colorado, including changes in mining technology; changes in transportation; early 20th century industrial changes; and mid-to late 20th century nuclear and computer technological changes (H.2.d) Explain how physical environments influenced and limited immigration into the state (G.2.b)

Colorados abundance and lack of natural resources influence its economic development People will move in order to find places to live where there are good jobs and opportunities for healthy lifestyles Colorados future will depend on securing resources to influence its economic security

Adapted from The Understanding by Design Handbook by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins