Continuing the Journey to Excellence for ALL
Empowering Professional Learning Communities with UbD
We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we havent so far.
Ron Edmonds
Sometimes the questions are complex but the answers are simple
~Dr. Seuss
Prepared for the Professional (Collaborative) Learning Team of
Hickman Mills C-1 School District
by Dan Mulligan, flexiblecreativity.com
September 2015
Table of Contents
Lifelong Learner Competencies 3
Likert Scale 4
Where are We 5
The BIG Picture 7
Professional Learning Communities 8
Standards-Based Lesson Planning Process 9
Purposeful Use of Research-Based Strategies 11
Understanding by Design 14
Identifying the Desired Results 15
Determining Acceptable Evidence 25
Planning Learning Experiences and Instruction 29
Genius Hour Resources 40
My Reflections 44
Sometimes the questions are complex and the answers are simple
~Dr. Seuss
Lifelong Learner Competencies
a. Plan and conduct research
b. Gather, organize, and analyze data, evaluate processes and products; and draw conclusions
c. Think analytically, critically, and creatively, to pursue new ideas, acquire new knowledge, and make decisions
d. Understand and apply principles of logic and reasoning; develop, evaluate, and defend arguments
e. Seek, recognize, and understand systems, patterns, themes, and interactions
f. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve new and increasingly complex problems
g. Acquire and use precise language to clearly communicate ideas, knowledge, and processes
h. Explore and express ideas and opinions using multiple media, the arts, and technology
i. Demonstrate ethical behavior and respect for diversity through daily actions and decision making
j. Participate fully in civic life, and act on democratic ideals within the context of continuity and global interdependence
k. Understand and follow a physically active lifestyle that promotes good health and wellness
l. Apply habits of mind and metacognitive strategies to plan, monitor, and evaluate ones own work.
Lifelong learning places emphasis on results. To develop the skills and habits associated with lifelong learning, students must: learn beyond the simple recall of facts; understand the connections to and implications of what they learn; retain what they learn; and be able to apply what they learn in new contexts.
GOAL: To create a snapshot of where we currently are compared to where we want to be. Only then can we determine specific opportunities that will get us there.
Likert Scale versus Likert Item
A Likert scale is the sum of responses to several Likert items. These items are usually displayed with a visual aid, such as a series of radio buttons or a horizontal bar representing a simple scale.
A Likert item is a statement that the respondent is asked to evaluate in a survey. In the example below, the statement, The checkout process was easy is a Likert item. The table as a whole is the Likert scale.
Heres an easy way to remember the distinction: the scale in Likert scale refers to the total sum of all Likert items in the question, not the 1-5 range you see associated with each item. In our example survey, the scale would be 3 to 15.
In a good Likert scale, the scale is balanced on both sides of a neutral option, creating a less biased measurement. The actual scale labels, as well as the numeric scale itself, may vary.
This is a very useful question type when you want to get an overall measurement of sentiment around a particular topic, opinion, or experience and to also collect specific data on factors that contribute to that sentiment.
You should not use this form of question (or at least not call it a Likert scale) when the items in the question are unrelated to each other, or when the options are not presented in the form of a scale.
The following two pages are designed to provide us with a DISTRICT snapshot of opportunities to increase student achievement in 2015 2016 and can be edited to provide a better SCHOOL snapshot.
Stage 1: Identify the desired result
Questions to Accompany Standards
4RL1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Who finished the race first? How do you know? Use details and/or examples from the story to support your answer.
What is so special about Mario? How do you know? Use details and/or examples from the story to support your answer.
Where does the story take place? How do you know? Use details and/or examples from the story to support your answer.
Why did Tiesha try out for the play? How do you know? Use details and/or examples from the story to support your answer.
Why did Tyrone get an A on his test? How do you know? Use details and/or examples from the story to support your answer.
How is John different from Paul? Use details and/or examples from the story to support your answer.
4RL2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
What is the theme of(text title)? What are the details in the story/drama/poem that help the reader determine this theme.
Summarize the story/drama/poem. What details from the story/drama/poem should be included in the summary?
4RL3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a characters thoughts, words, or actions).
Where does the story take place? Why is that important? Which specific details from the story support your answer?
Explain how the girl feels when she learns what happened. Use specific details from the drama in your explanation.
Explain what the dog does to find his owner. Use specific details from the story in your explanation.
Explain why the main character changes during the story. Use specific details from the story in your explanation.
What word best describes Adriana? Which specific details from the story support your answer?
Explain how the girls thoughts help the reader understand her. Use specific details from the drama in your explanation.
Explain how the boys actions help the reader understand him. Use specific details from the story in your explanation.
Explain how the girls words help the reader understand the setting of the drama. Use specific details from the drama in your explanation.
Essential Questions
Type of Question
Examples
Abstract, Conceptual (answered by conceptual analysis and logical argument)
What makes a book a classic?
What is a hero?
What is Justice?
When do we grow up?
When is war justified?
Should U.S. foreign policy be pragmatic or idealistic?
Should art be censored?
Should President Truman have dropped the atomic bomb on Japan?
More Concrete (answered mainly by the analysis of empirical evidence)
Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
Are amusement park rides safe?
Is our water safe to drink?
Why dont I fall off my skateboard?
What effect does population growth have on our society?
Can DNA evidence be trusted in criminal trials?
Is watching playing video games beneficial or harmful to teenagers?
Problem-Solving (answered by offering a reasonable solution)
How can we decrease the amount of pollutants in the water that runs off our citys street into the river?
How can the federal government use monetary and fiscal policy to address an economic crisis?
How can a local business attract more customers?
How can we create an effective networking system for a client?
How can we improve traffic flow around our school?
How can we experimentally and mathematically model a landing sequence like the Pathfinder mission to explore Mars?
Design Challenge (answered by creating- and often executing a design that effectively meets requirements)
How can we a community theatre that meets size limits and seats the most people?
How can we build a website to share information and opinions about novels that teenagers might like?
How can we design a museum exhibit about the Vietnam War so that it appeals to diverse groups in our community?
How can we produce a video of a soap opera in Spanish?
How can we create a (work of art/piece of media) to express our thoughts about diversity in our community?
content specific second questions next page
Stage 2: Determining Acceptable Evidence
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
43
Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback
Cooperative Learning
Nonlinguistic Representations
Type of Question
Examples
Abstract, Conceptual (answered by conceptual analysis and logical argument)
What makes a book a classic?
What is a hero?
What is Justice?
When do we grow up?
When is war justified?
Should U.S. foreign policy be pragmatic or idealistic?
Should art be censored?
Should President Truman have dropped the atomic bomb on Japan?
More Concrete (answer
