Backward Design
“
To begin with the end in mind means
to start with a clear understanding of
your destination. It means to know
where you’re going so that you better
understand where you are now so
that the steps you take are always in
the right direction.”
-
Steven Covey (The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People 1989).
2
What is Backward Design?
3
◈ “flipping” our instructional approach
◈ beginning with the end in mind
◈ setting goals and determining how to get there
⬩ Like pursuing a career!
It’s like pursuing a career…
4
Three Stages / Steps of Backward Design
5
Identifying Desired
Results
Determining
Evidence / Building
Assessments
Planning aligned
lessons / activities /
instruction
Let’s Use an ELA example…
6
TEKS ELA.7.7(A): infer
multiple themes within and
across texts using text
evidence.
TEKS ELA.7.11(B):
compose (. . .)
argumentative texts using
genre characteristics and
craft
Desired Outcomes
7
“Student will be able to infer multiple themes within and
across texts using text evidence.”
“Students will be able to compose an argumentative text
using genre characteristics and craft.”
Notes on Assessments
8
◈ Before even considering lessons/activities
◈ assessments should reflect real-world
experiences
◈ teaching the text or teaching the skill?
◈ alignment to “verbs” in the TEKS
Big Question:
What will they do so we will we know that they
know what we want them to know?
9
Building Assessments
You work for a marketing company that
primarily promotes movies and television shows.
“Student will be able to
infer multiple themes
within and across texts
using text evidence.”
“Book X” (ideally a book, story, or choice of
texts that the students will read prior to this
assignment), has been developed into a movie,
and you have been tasked with convincing
audiences everywhere to purchase tickets to this
new movie.
“Students will be able to
compose an argumentative
text using genre
characteristics and craft.”
Create a movie trailer/poster/Op-Ed in which you
market this movie to the general public. In your
advertisement, captivate the audience by telling
them what lessons / larger concepts this movie
explores without giving away the ending.
Write a brief reflection in which you explore the
themes you inferred and how you came to those
conclusions.
Three Stages / Steps of Backward Design
10
Identifying Desired
Results
Determining
Evidence / Building
Assessments
Planning aligned
lessons / activities /
instruction
Notes on Lessons/Activities
11
◈ Keep the end in mind.
◈ Is the activity / skill / lesson aligned to rigor of the goal?
◈ What skills, mechanical or conceptual, will students need
to perform effectively?
◈ What skills, mechanical or conceptual, do they already
have?
◈ What experiences (repeated) will they need to build
capacity / ability?
◈ What materials are most appropriate to accomplish the
desired results?
Lessons / Activities
12
You work for a marketing company that primarily
promotes movies and television shows.
“Book A” (ideally a book, story, or choice of texts that
the students will read prior to this assignment), has been
developed into a movie, and you have been tasked with
convincing audiences everywhere to purchase tickets to
this new movie.
Create a movie trailer/poster/Op-Ed in which you market
this movie to the general public. In your advertisement,
captivate the audience by telling them what lessons /
larger concepts this movie explores without giving away
the ending.
Write a brief reflection in which you explore the themes
you inferred and how you came to those conclusions.
What will they need to be able to do?
◈
◈
◈
◈
◈
◈
become familiar with vocabulary
use text evidence
infer themes in texts
⬩ Know how to identify possible
themes through characters,
conflict, resolution, tone, etc.
create an argument
⬩ (claim, reasoning, persuasive /
rhetorical devices [loaded
language, figurative language,
hyperbole, appeals])
Summarize plot maintaining a logical
order
utilize technology to create a product
(iMovie, PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.)
Example Lesson / Activity
13
Inferring Themes in a text:
After introducing the concept of “theme” to the class, provide a choice
board of Disney / Pixar shorts in which students collaboratively
determine the lesson / message of the “text.” They must work to explain
which elements of the short led them to the theme they’ve inferred.
◈
◈
character charts (how did the character change over time?)
conflict / resolution graphic organizer
Have students “mix” groups and explain their inferred theme in their
short to others’, and have other members determine if they agree /
disagree and why.
Example Lesson / Activity
14
Utilizing technology to create a product:
Conduct a survey of the class, asking students what apps, programs, etc.
they are proficient in or would like to learn to use.
Based on the results, have a few students or groups of students create a
presentation demonstrating their knowledge to the class so that the class
can choose to use that program for their assessment. Leverage the
abilities and skills of your students!
Lesson and activities
Assessment
15
Outcomes