Developing Your K-U-D

What students should know, understand, and be

able to do

Step 1: Look at the Standards or Anchors (reading, math, science)

Analyze the standards to determine exactly what students should know, understand and be able to do as defined by the standards.

Why Start with the Standards?

They provide clarity regarding what students must learn.

They help to ensure that the learning expectations are consistent from classroom to classroom.

With a clear understanding of what the standards require, we can make sure that our assessments are aligned.

Having a clear understanding of the standards helps us make sure that our instructional activities will lead students to the desired learning.

Here’s an example from the Pennsylvania writing standards

PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening 1.4 Types of Writing 1.4.5 A Write multi-paragraph stories. 1.4.5 B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces 1.4.5 C Write persuasive pieces with a clearly stated position or opinion

and supporting detail, citing sources when needed.

1.5. Quality of Writing 1.5.5 A. Write with a sharp, distinct focus identifying topic, task and

audience. 1.5.5 B. Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic. 1.5.5 C. Write with controlled and/or subtle organization. 1.5.5 DWrite with an understanding of the stylistic aspects of

composition. 1.5.5 E. Revise writing to improve organization and word choice; check the

logic, order of ideas and precision of vocabulary. 1.5.5 F. Edit writing using the conventions of language.

Step 2: Determine the Know

Know involves facts, formulas, and vocabulary.

It is the information students should be able to recall after the unit is over.

The Know is written in phrases

Let’s look at the “know” with our example from the writing standards

KnowA strategy for organizing narrative,

informational, and persuasive writing

Strategies for writing effective leads and conclusions

Words for creating effective transitions between sentences and paragraphs

Step 3: Determine the Understand

Understand involves the big ideas that we want students to gain during the unit.

Understand is written as ideas or complete thoughts in sentence form.

To determine the understand ask yourself, “Why is this important to learn about? Are there underlying beliefs and values here that are important?”

Here’s the “understand” with our example from the writing standards

Understand When writing to tell about a personal

experience, share information, or convince someone of something, there is a predicable structure that a writer can follow.

Step 3: Determine the Do

The do column involves skills – math, thinking strategies, writing etc.

The Do starts with a verb.

This tells something the students will do, an action.

Let’s look at the “do” with our example from the writing standards

DoWrite a five-paragraph narrative essay about a

personal experienceWrite a five-paragraph informational essayCompare and contrast informational and

narrative writingWrite a five-paragraph persuasive essay in

response to a written promptConstruct support for a point of view different

from one’s own

PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening 1.4 Types of Writing 1.4.5 A Write multi-paragraph stories. 1.4.5 B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces 1.4.5 C Write persuasive pieces with a clearly stated position or opinion and supporting detail, citing sources when needed. 1.5. Quality of Writing 1.5.5 A. Write with a sharp, distinct focus identifying topic, task and audience. 1.5.5 B. Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic. 1.5.5 C. Write with controlled and/or subtle organization. 1.5.5 D.Writewithanunderstandingo f thestylisticaspectsofcomposition.1.5.5E.Revisewritin g toimproveorganizationandwordchoice;checkth elogic,orderofideasandprecisio no f vocabulary.1.5.5F.Edi twritin gusingth econventionsoflang .uage

Know,Understan ,d DoKnow1. A strategy for organizing narrative, informational, and persuasive writing 2. Strategies for writing eff ective leads and conclusions 3. Words for creating eff ective transitions between sentences and paragraphs Understand When writing to tell about a personal experience, share information, or convince someone of something, there is a predicable structure that a writer can follow. Do

• Write a fi ve-paragraph narrative essay about a personal experience • Write a fi ve-paragraph informational essay • Compare and contrast informational and narrative writing • Write a fi ve-paragraph persuasive essay in response to a written prompt • Construct support for a point of view different from one’s own

A final K-U-D might look something like this:

Putting it All Together

Notice the Knows: They are words or phrase

Notice the Dos: They start with a verb

Notice the understand: It tells why the students are learning this

Here’s another example from health on the digestive System• PA Academic Standards for Health, Safety, and Physical Education• 10.1 Concepts of Health• 10.1.3 B Identify and know the location and function of the major body organs and systems• 10.1.6 C Analyze nutritional concepts that impact health• 10.1.9 B Analyze the interdependence existing among body systems

Know, Understand, DoKnow

• The nutrients our bodies need for good health• Foods that supply nutrients• Organs of the digestive system• Function of each organ of the digestive system

Understand• The digestive system extracts from food the nutrients that our bodies require to grow and function

in good health• The digestive system works in conjunction with other body systems to supply nutrients to our body

cells.Do

• Classify food according to the nutrients they supply• Identify and label the organs of the digestive system• Explain the function of each organ during the process of digestion• Sequence the process of digestion• Explain how the digestive system is interdependent with other systems.

Remember…

The three columns are independent – you do not write an understand and do for each know.

You may write the K - U -D in any order that works for you. You may also find that you move back and forth among the columns as you construct your K-U-D.