The Understanding by Design Template - Wiggins, McTighe

Designer: Amanda Armor

Unit Topic/Grade: Transcendentalist Theories in Writing/Honors American
Literature (11)
Common Core State
Standards
CC.1.2.11-12.B
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what
the text says
explicitly as well as inferences and
conclusions
based on and related to an authors
implicit and explicit assumptions and
beliefs.

Stage 1: Desired Results

TRANSFER - Students will be able to independently use their
learning to..
T1: Identify the purpose of non-fiction writing from the transcendentalist period
(Thoreau/Emmerson) by defining the tenets of Transcendentalist theory in the
seminal texts (non-fiction essay) examples within the Literature textbook
T2: Compare conclusions from seminal text to 1960s Communal Hippie
Culture by finding examples of the tenets you identified in supplementary nonfiction and poetic texts and media.

CC.1.2.11-12.G
T3: Apply the tenets of transcendentalism to the characters in a seminal
Integrate and evaluate multiple
fictional novel of the Romantics period and analyze the authors opinions of
sources of
transcendentalism based upon the characters they wrote.
information presented in different
media or formats(e.g. visually,
quantitatively) as well as in words in T4: Compare conclusions from text to modern day famous people by finding
order to address a question or solve a examples of the tenets within primary source material, and biographical
problem.
information

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
The students will understand
Q1: Who are some famous
THAT..
Transcendentalists from the late
CC.1.2.11-12.I
19th century? How did they seek
Analyze foundational U.S. and world U1: A good reader can gather
to live their lives?
documents of historical, political, and
CC.1.2.11-12.H
Analyze seminal texts based upon
reasoning, premises, purposes, and
arguments.

important historical, and sociological

literary significance for their themes,

information by comparing and
purposes, and rhetorical features.
CC.1.2.11-12.L
Read and comprehend literary nonfiction and
informational text on grade level,
reading independently and
proficiently.
CC.1.3.11-12.B
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences and conclusions
based on and related to an authors
implicit and explicit assumptions and
beliefs.
CC.1.3.11-12.C
Analyze the impact of the authors
choices regarding how to develop
and relate elements of a story or
drama.

Q2: How have modern day

naturalists/humanitarians/politici
ans/business persons been
U2: Great Works of literature and
influenced by
writing are timeless; meaning they are
Transcendentalism?
true and relatable in any century or
analyzing historical and foundational
pieces of writing and rhetoric.

decade.
U3: Writers inform, influence and
inspire the writing of their
contemporaries and those writers who
follow them: writing CAN change the
world.

Students will know..

Q3: Do you think it possible to

live the kind of life Thoreau and
Emerson believed in, within the
contexts of our modern world?

Acquisition
Students will..

K1: how to read an informational text

and make inferences and conclusions
about its purpose, and the authors
message

W1: Define Transcendentalism within

the context of the seminal texts written
by Thoreau and Emerson.

W2: Compare transcendentalist writings

to 1960 hippie culture through
K2: how to analyze characters and
their motivations in a literary text and written word and media from the period
make inferences as to why the author
might have written them as they did. W3: Explain how the narrator or the
CC.1.3.11-12.H
protagonist of a Romantics Era seminal
Demonstrate knowledge of
literary text does or does not embrace
K3: how to establish comparisons/
foundational works of literature that
a transcendentalist life
CC.1.3.11-12.D
Evaluate how an authors point of
view or purpose shapes the content
and style of a text.

reflect a variety of genres in the

contrasting views in writing and
respective major periods of
spoken word.
literature, including how two or more
texts from the same period treat
K4: how to acquire resources and
similar themes or topics.

develop an informational essay that

illustrates ties to transcendentalist
ideals.

W4: Analyze this characterization from

the perspective of the author and
discuss what it says about his/her
opinions of transcendentalism.

Stage 2: Evidence
Evaluative Criteria (List for PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT (Summative)
all Performance
Assessments)
EC1:

List of qualities based

upon reading samples.

(Align with and code parenthetically to each EU) How will students
demonstrate their understanding (meaning-making and transfer) through
complex performances?

1.

Students will utilize a graphic organizer to list and explain examples of

Transcendentalist qualities in the class reading samples, the current
fiction novel from the same period of writing, supplementary texts
(including musical lyrics from the 1960s and/or film clips) and from the
modern news media and their own lives. This will be reviewed after
each reading assignment and collected upon completion of the unit.
(EU1)

2.

Students will research and discuss in a panel discussion an American

Transcendentalist or Materialist of their choosing, then develop a 3-4
page informative essay detailing what they stand for in the world and
their roots in or against transcendentalist philosophy; using no less
than 2 sources documented appropriately in MLA style on a works cited
page and within the essay using in text or parenthetical citations. (EU2)

Transfer of qualities to
1960s era followers of
Thoreau in a second list
Transfer of qualities to
modern day America in a
third list

EC2:

Research Writing and

Discussion:
1. Identification of
qualities in selected
figure.
3. Students will identify the qualities in their researched persona that
2. Examples of HOW they
makes them inspirational and list ways that they personally might seek
changed the world
to inspire others in a short paragraph (150-200 words) on a notecard to
3. Be able to answer
be displayed on the bulletin board in the school hallway. (EU3)
questions about their
figure and debate with
other students on the
OTHER EVIDENCE (Summative)
possibility of being
transcendental today. What other evidence (other than performance assessments) will you collect to

EC3:

Paragraph explaining how

figure embodies or resists
any one of the decided
upon qualities of a
transcendentalist.

determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Study Guide Packets for Acquisition-based tasks

Quizzes on Readings (Acquisition-based)

Drafts of Qualities Lists
Notes and Annotated Bib for research

Paragraph explaining what

student will do to be more
inspirational in their own
life.

Stage 3: Learning Plan

PRE-ASSESSMENT - What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels,

and potential misconceptions?

Speak to history teachers, and ask general questions to the class to determine if students have an
understanding of the historical period we will be reading samples from.
Practice for unit by doing SAT samples that require students to identify authors purpose in a non-fiction
essay.
Orally quiz class on the meaning of various vocabulary terms from the reading that apply o
Transcendentalism and ask for examples of each (Self-Reliance/Civil Disobedience/Intuition/Conformity)
Paper-based review on research skills with librarian to determine if further training is needed before
students are ready for research-based tasks.

Practice annotations on smart board to be sure students know how to cite and evaluate sources properly

Code PARENTHETICAL-LY

after each
learning event:
T, M, A and
WHERE/T
A

LEARNING EVENTS

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition

depends upon..

PROGRESS MONITORING
(Formative)

1. Read samples from Emerson and Thoreaus Essays

from the text.

2. Compare the writings and make a list of 5-6

1-3 Development of a Qualities List

for Graphic Organizer

qualities that these two gentlemen seem to share.

M/T

3. Develop a graphic organizer that lists each quality

M
A
M
M

4-5 Completion of Study Guide

and leaves room for quotes and explanations to be Packet for Film and List revisions for
Graphic Organizer
added.

4. View Background video and complete study guide

packet

5. Apply historical lesson from video to our list and

discuss. Change graphic organizer if necessary.
6-9 Completion of 3 page student-

M/T

6. Use first page of graphic organizer to identify 15-20 created graphic organizer.
quotes from the Emerson/Thoreau readings that are
examples of these qualities. Then, hold a roundtable discussion asking students to share their
reasoning for placing each quote where they did.

7. Use second page of graphic organizer to identify

M/T

A/M

A/M/T

M/T

15-20 quotes from class fiction novel that show

examples of Transcendentalist qualities. Then, hold
a round-table discussion asking students to share
their reasoning for placing each quote where they
did.

8. Listen to music from the 1960s (2 songs) or clips

10-12 Rubric-scored classroom

discussion and notes/annotated

from 1950s-60s Educational and/or How To Videos

bibliogrpahy for personal philosophy.
and discuss with class how 1960s culture viewed
transcendentalism; especially Thoreau. (tie back to
video)

9. Use third page of graphic organizer to identify 1015 quotes from 1960s songs and/or films that show
examples of Transcendentalist qualities. Then, hold
a round-table discussion asking students to share
their reasoning for placing each quote where they
did.

10. Select a famous American to research and find 2+

sources in the library to provide biographical
information on this person; take notes and draft a
Personal Philosophy in the point of view of
selected famous American.

11. Answer questions posed by teacher and peers and

pose questions to peers in panel discussions with
peers as selected famous American. Then, edit
Personal Philosophy based on research and
discussion.

12. Discuss how Emerson and Thoreau inspired others.

Write paragraph about how selected famous
American inspired others and a paragraph on how
YOU can inspire others. Then, post paragraphs to
bulletin board.

Reflection on UbD in Practice:

Reflect on the Backward Design process for designing units. Focus on a
comparative analysis of previous design efforts in relation to the current
process.
In the past few months I have not only written UbD units for this
course, but also put this process to work in my classroom and curriculum
writing. The use of big questions has focused not only me, but also my
students on more immediate, tangible and relevant goals for our classes.
While the old process of planning lessons called for the use of goals, they
never really felt valuable to me. Though I put them up on the board, as
requested by my district, the students never really seemed to care nor
understand their purpose. The language we were expected to use in them
was too elevated to actually make much meaning for the kids in many cases,
and the content of these goals were not usually very easy to see immediate
and relevant purpose in. Ever since I began placing the Big Questions/
Ideas on the board though, the kids have been more readiy able to move
through lessons in a almost self-directed way. They know the questions that I

am going to ask, before I even ask them. They are seeing the value in the
lessons and transferring their learning to other areas.
Transfer is another thing that has always been very important to me
and I feel like using backward design helps both myself, and the students,
focus more on the big picture of our lessons. It keeps me from trying to
teach the book when I should be teaching the style. It leads students to
gather tools to use in their English toolbox as I am now calling it, so that
when they are faced with a similar question or problem at a later date, in
another class, even once they graduate and move on to college and the
working world, they know how to handle it. In example, my students taking
the Keystone Tests last week told me that they used the context clues that
we gathered from the list of vocab words we were reviewing on their test to
help find meaning from unfamiliar words.
Finally, this process has called to my attention that the way the
curriculum for my Literature course is currently set up is all wrong. It bases
everything off the text, which I have found in this course is a common error
in Secondary teachers. So, in an answer to the problem,Ive been discussing
the changes we need to make with my department colleages and we are
working to reconstruct the curriculum based upon the leassons we intend to
get across to the students through the titles we have to choose from, rather
than base the lessons off of the titles. Wish me luckI have only 2 weeks
left to solidify this currculum before I am to present to our director of
curriculum. Hopefully it goes smoothly and makes sense. Glad I have this
course and the textbook to rely on for help as I write.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES

Curriculum Development and Evaluation ED 523

CURRICULUM UNIT SCORING GUIDE

Note: Points will not be assigned for items that are not addressed.

Degrees of Performance
Performance
Indicators
1.0 Stage One:
Desired Results
1.1 Standards

Sophisticated
4
Appropriate CCSS/PA
Academic Standards
are included.

Skillful
3

Developed
2

Literal
1
Appropriate
CCSS/PA Academic
Standards are not
included.

1.2 Transfer

1.3 Enduring
Understandings

1.4 Essential
Questions

Insightful identification
of how students will be
able to independently
use their learning
(desired long-term
independent
accomplishments).

Identification of how Reasonable, yet

students will be able limited identification
to independently use of how students will
their learning
be able to
(desired long-term independently use
independent
their learning
accomplishments). (desired long-term
independent
accomplishments).
Insightful representation Relevant
The Understandings
of the Understandings representation of the somewhat articulate
that clearly articulate the Understandings that the unifying ideas of
unifying ideas of the
articulate the
the curriculum unit.
curriculum unit.
unifying ideas of the
curriculum unit.
Insightful and thought- Essential Questions Essential Questions
provoking Essential
that will foster
that may or may not
Questions that will fosterinquiry, meaningfoster inquiry,
inquiry, meaningmaking, and transfer. meaning-making,
making, and transfer.
and transfer.

Superficial
identification of how
students will be able
to independently use
their learning
(desired long-term
independent
accomplishments).
The Understandings
demonstrate a
fragmented
articulation of the
unifying ideas of the
curriculum unit.
Superficial
identification of the
Essential Questions.

1.5 Content

Thorough and
Relevant delineation Reasonable, yet
Simplistic delineation
systematic delineation of the CU content. limited delineation of of the CU content.
of the CU content.
the CU content.
Explicit and complete Relevant design and Reasonable, yet
Literal design and
1.6
Performances/Skill design and identification identification of the limited design and identification of the
of the performances
performances (major identification of the performances (major
s (Major
(major
objectives).
objectives).
performances (major objectives).
Objectives)
objectives).

2.0 Stage Two:

Assessment
Evidence

2.1 Performance Critical and systematic Relevant design of

performance tasks
Tasks/Assessment design of complex
performance tasks that that provide
s

2.2 Other
Evidence

2.3 Evaluative
Criteria
(Performance
Tasks)

3.0 Stage Three:

Reasonable, yet
Underdeveloped
limited design of
design of
performance tasks performance tasks.
clearly provide evidence evidence of student that may or may not
of student
understanding.
provide evidence of
understanding.
student
understanding.
Thorough and complete Relevant
Plausible, yet limited Underdeveloped
identification of on-going identification of on- identification of on- identification of onassessments to
going assessments going assessments. going assessments.
determine whether
to determine whether
Stage 1 targets were
Stage 1 targets were
achieved.
achieved.
Complete identification Relevant
Plausible, yet limited Superficial
of the criteria to
identification of the identification of the identification of the
evaluate
criteria to evaluate criteria to evaluate criteria to evaluate
attainment of the
attainment of the
attainment of the
attainment of the
desired results (most
desired results (most desired results (most desired results (most
important qualities).
important qualities). important qualities). important qualities).

Learning Plan
3.1 PreAssessments

3.2 Learning
Activities and
Instruction

3.3 Progress
Monitoring

4.0 Overall
Design:
4.1 Alignment

Pre-assessments are
implemented to check
students prior
knowledge, skill levels,
and potential
misconceptions.
Strategic design of
learning activities that
provide:
Three types of goals
(acquisition, meaning,
and transfer) addressed
in the learning plan
Principles of learning
and best practices
(WHERE/T)
Tight alignment with
Stages 1 and 2
Meaningful
engagement for all
students.

Relevant design of Plausible, yet limited Uncritical design of

learning activities
design of learning
learning activities.
that provide:
activities that may or
Three types of
may not provide:
goals (acquisition, Three types of
meaning, and
goals (acquisition,
transfer) addressed meaning, and
in the learning plan transfer) addressed
Principles of
in the learning plan
learning and best
Principles of
practices
learning and best
(WHERE/T)
practices
Tight alignment with (WHERE/T)
Stages 1 and 2
Tight alignment with
Meaningful
Stages 1 and 2
engagement for all Meaningful
engagement for all
The learning activities students.
students.
are coded according to: The learning
Acquisition, Meaning, activities are coded The learning
and Transfer and
according to:
activities may or may
Acquisition,
not be coded
WHERE/T.
Meaning, and
according to:
Transfer and
Acquisition,
WHERE/T.
Meaning, and
Transfer and
WHERE/T.
Accurate inclusion of theInclusion of the
Plausible inclusion of Progress monitoring
monitoring of students monitoring of
the monitoring of
is addressed
progress toward
students progress students progress minimally.
acquisition, meaning,
toward acquisition, toward acquisition,
and transfer during
meaning, and
meaning, and
lesson events.
transfer during
transfer during
Potential rough spots
lesson events.
lesson events.
and
Potential rough spots Potential rough spots
student
and
and
misunderstandings are
student
student
noted as well as how
misunderstandings are misunderstandings as
feedback will be
noted as well as how well as feedback
provided.
feedback will be
may or may not be
provided.
noted.

Proficient and savvy

articulation of all CU
components.

4.2 Grammar and Grammar and

mechanics are
Mechanics
4.3
Professionalism

There is no evidence
of pre-assessments.

impeccable with a
maximum of 1 error.
The overall design of
the CU reflects a high
degree of preparation
and organization.

Relevant articulation Reasonable, yet

of all CU elements. limited articulation of
all or many CU
elements.
Grammar and
Grammar and
mechanics reflect 2- mechanics reflect 43 errors.
5 errors.

Incomplete
articulation of CU
elements.
Grammar and
mechanics reflect
more than 5 errors.

The overall design of The overall design of The overall design of

the CU reflects a
the CU reflects a low the CU reflects a low
high moderate
moderate degree of degree of
degree of
preparation and
preparation and
preparation and
organization.
organization.

organization.

5.0 SelfEvaluation:
5.1 Reflection

Total:

In-depth and insightful

reflection of the
Backward Design
process.

/64

Relevant reflection
of the Backward
Design process.

Plausible, yet limited Superficial reflection

reflection
of the Backward
of the Backward
Design process.
Design process.