The student will:
Identify the different components of the Stage #3 section
Explain the purpose of the UbD Stage #3 section.
Now that the big idea has been developed in Stage #1, and the evidence criterion stated in Stage #2, it is time to create the learning plan outline for Stage #3. This is still an outline for the overall learning events for the unit, and not intended to be specific lesson plans for assignments and projects. Stage #3 is based on the WHERETO guide: inform the students where the unit is going and why it is important, hook the students' attention, equip students with experiences to meet the unit goals, help students to rethink and reflect, as well as evaluate their progress, employ differentiated instruction to tailor the learning for diverse needs, and maximize engagement via organization. (Wiggins & McTighe, 2012).
The "W" of WHERETO deals with the objectives of the unit, as well as the relevance. The learning objectives are based on the big idea objectives in Stage #1, and identify the destination of the educational journey. Students are more focused and willing to participate when they know and understand the clear learning goals of the unit (Wiggins & McTighe, 2012).
The Relevance section answers the question of why students should learn the material. How would they benefit from learning the content of the unit, and how does it apply to them in their lives?
The Diagnosis section helps the instructor to determine the students' prior knowledge, as well as the effectiveness of the learning experiences.
The "H" of WHERETO deals with the techniques on how to engage the students. These could be in the form of questions, statements, problems, or activities that awaken critical thinking skills. Take care, though, that these hooks align with the unit objectives and focus student attention, instead of just being a fun activity (Wiggins & McTighe, 2012).
Now that students have a clear understanding of the destination, it is time to provide them with the tools needed to complete the journey. The "E" in WHERETO outlines the experiences that students will participate in while learning the unit. As usual, these must align with the unit objectives.
The "R" in WHERETO describes the opportunities that students will have to review and reflect on their performance with the experiences. This provides the students with the opportunities to reveal and correct any misunderstandings of the material, thus deepening the learning (Wiggins & McTighe, 2012).
The "E" in WHERETO lists the evaluation and feedback opportunities for the students. Feedback should be ongoing throughout the unit, and used as a learning tool to correct misunderstanding, instead of simply used to provide a grade at the end. Providing students ongoing feedback during the experiences help them to review and reflect on their work, further resolving any misunderstandings in their learning.
One of the most difficult tasks of a lesson is differentiation. Students have different abilities, interests, and backgrounds, so the "T" in WHERETO addresses the techniques needed to accommodate these diverse needs.
Creating separate lessons for each student is not feasible, however there are three areas where diversification can be applied: during the presentation of the material (input), the student activities (process), or the final student work (product) (Wiggins & McTighe, 2012). In the example image, the process is tailored since the students are permitted to choose the content they use, as well as work in groups to critique their work.
Habits of Mind deals with fostering critical learning skills in students. The "O" of WHERETO deals with the organization of the unit, and how it will help students develop those skills.
Not every unit deals with technology directly, so another difficult section to answer is how the unit will help students develop and use technological skills. This can be as simple as the use of a word processing or presentation software, to as complex as cameras and video editing software. What technology skills will students learn in this unit that will help them succeed in other units and classes?
The final segment of the "O" section is for the instructor. This deals with how technology will be used to gather student data about the effectiveness of the unit. Were the students successful on this journey? In addition, what improvements can be made to the unit for the next class?
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2012). The understanding by design guide to advanced concepts in creating and reviewing units. Alexandria: ASCD.