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Beginning with the end in mind—that is, starting with the desired learning results, then how to assess evidence of learning, and finally planning the learning activities—helps keep the focus on students' understanding.
"We have found that backward design, whether applied by individual teachers or district curriculum committees, helps avoid the twin sins of activity-oriented and coverage-oriented curriculum planning," write Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, founders of the Understanding by Design® framework.
Take a deep dive into these Understanding by Design resources from ASCD to learn how you can begin with the end in mind.
Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition
Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook
Connecting Understanding by Design, What Works in Schools, and Curriculum Mapping: Curriculum for the 21st Century DVD
See a breakdown of the steps in the backward design approach.
Download full infographic
In our latest podcast, Jay McTighe, Denise Wilbur, and Donnell Gregory explore what makes questions essential, how they are used to engage learners, and how they help develop and deepen understanding of important ideas and processes.
Listen to the episode below or download here.
Essential Questions Video
Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student Understanding
Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units
Understanding by Design Guide to Advanced Concepts in Creating and Reviewing Units
Solving 25 Problems in Unit Design: How do I refine my units to enhance student learning? (ASCD Arias)
Understanding by Design is a registered trademark of Backward Design, LLC used under license.
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