AL-74 · Selected Studies — Education

Backward-Design Lesson Builder

Build lessons the way expert teachers think: start with what students must be able to do, then design evidence of learning, then plan activities. This tool scaffolds the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework — Stage 1 Desired Results, Stage 2 Assessment Evidence, Stage 3 Learning Plan — naming each step explicitly so you learn the method as you build.

📊 Framework: Wiggins & McTighe, Understanding by Design (2nd ed., 2005); Bloom's taxonomy updated 2001
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Unit Basics Stage 1 of 3
Standards

Enter relevant standard codes and press Add. These anchor your desired results to curriculum requirements.

Essential Questions 1–3 recommended

Essential questions are open-ended, thought-provoking, and point toward the heart of the discipline. They should recur throughout the unit.

KLSU Grid — Desired Results

Fill each quadrant. The four quadrants are the backbone of Stage 1. K and L are foundational; S and U are the deeper targets.

K — Students will KNOW…
Facts, concepts, vocabulary, information students must recall
L — Students will DO… (Transfer Goals)
The skills, processes, or performances students can independently execute
S — Students will develop SKILLS…
Disciplinary skills and habits of mind built across the unit
U — Students will UNDERSTAND that…
Big ideas, enduring understandings — transferable beyond this unit
Performance Task Stage 2 of 3

A performance task is a culminating activity that asks students to apply their learning to a real or simulated situation. It should directly address the Essential Questions and reveal whether students have achieved the understandings in Stage 1.

Rubric Criteria Builder Up to 6 criteria

Add criteria for scoring the performance task. For each criterion, describe what performance looks like at 4 levels: Excellent, Proficient, Developing, Beginning.

Other Evidence

Check all additional evidence sources you will use to assess student understanding. These complement the performance task.

WHERETO Elements Stage 3 of 3

WHERETO is a UbD framework for designing the sequence of learning activities. Each letter represents a design principle. Fill in how each element will appear in your unit.

W — Where & Why
Help students know WHERE the unit is going and WHY. What is the big question? What will the final performance look like?
H — Hook & Hold
HOOK students at the start and HOLD interest throughout with engaging problems, mysteries, provocations, or experiences.
E1 — Equip & Explore
EQUIP students with needed knowledge and skills. Provide EXPERIENCES to build understanding directly.
R — Rethink & Revise
Build in opportunities for students to RETHINK big ideas, REVISE their work, and refine their understanding.
E2 — Evaluate
Build in regular opportunities for students to EVALUATE their own work and progress against the goals.
T — Tailor & Differentiate
TAILOR work to reflect individual student needs, interests, and learning styles.
O — Organize & Sequence
ORGANIZE and SEQUENCE the learning plan to maximize engagement and deep understanding.
Daily Schedule Up to 10 days

Lay out your daily blocks. Each entry has an activity description and estimated duration.

Lesson Plan Summary
Complete Stage 1–3 and click "Build Full Lesson Plan" to generate your export.