Martha+Flannery

__Response Journal #1__

My name is Marty Flannery and I teach Grade 8 science at the American Intl. School in Riyadh (AIS-R). This is my 2nd year teaching Grade 8 science. Prior to teaching Grade 8 science, I taught Grade 5 for 3 years. Before teaching at AIS-R, I taught at the British School in Riyadh for 12 years. While at the British School, I was the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, and taught ability sets in math and science. My area of certification is learning disabilities (K-12). I have been a classroom teacher now for about 17 years in Saudi, and have loved every minute of it.

My expectations for the course are quite simple. I hope that by taking this course, I will become a more effective educator. I hope to develop my curricular planning skills so that lasting understanding and love of learning take place in my class. At the same time, I want to develop better assessment practices with my mixed abitliy classes.

I have attended several conferences about UbD and have only had the opportunity to skim some of the components involved in "backwards design". I am looking forward to studying, through this course, the key concepts involved in UbD so that I develop much more effective curriculum design and assessment practices. I would like to design my science curriculum in a way that facilitates 'enduring understanding' while allowing my students to become more involved in their learning. I have a wonderful group of students this year who have agreed to be my 'guinea pigs' during this course.

I am looking forward to meeting all of the other colleagues in this course.

Warmest regards

Marty Flannery

__ Response Journal #2 __   Read and respond to Knowledge Alive   I think that the author’s point of view with regard to the //knowledge arts// is that although you can identify examples of //knowledge art// in everyday life, in education there is little evidence of the //knowledge arts// being used successfully, and as a matter of course.  The author suggests that schools rarely have activities that are investigative in nature and that learning ends on a daily basis at school. The idea that learners do not transfer knowledge from one subject area to another and that students do not have the opportunity to assess their learning is another area in which schools are given low marks.  The author further states that implementation of the concepts behind the //knowledge arts// in schools, or the second curriculum, should not be viewed as another task for educators. The knowledge arts should instead fuse with current educational practices to ensure that acquiring knowledge becomes a dynamic process.  I found the article to be extremely pertinent to what I experience as an educator. I especially agree with his observation that knowledge does not seem to transfer between subject areas. This is especially noticeable at the middle school level where staff often teaches one subject area. I tend to view my students from one perspective. As a science teacher, I often have conversations with the math staff concerning the lack of generalizing that takes place between subject areas.  I was very impressed with his section regarding //thinking routines// and plan to incorporate the two key questions in my next science lesson. It is an excellent way to assess student understanding and to illicit some original thinking. I can easily see where a student would feel that their input was valued. At the same time, thinking routines would allow a student to monitor their understanding quickly and informally.  I read his section on teaching for understanding over several times. I am especially intrigued with the idea of students managing their own learning to a greater extent. I want to pursue that aspect of teaching, and hope to read some additional articles on the subject.  I am going to assume that this question refers to the classroom teacher as regards to planning. At my school, teachers annually have to review their curriculum maps and guides.  Presently, I tend to base my curriculum plans on the science program that has been purchased by the school. My concern is that there is curriculum coverage both horizontally and vertically. Although I try to ensure that my curriculum is driven by perceived students needs, I fall into the trap of allowing the text to drive student learning at times. This is easy to do since most school texts include labs, investigations and even assessments that support the program. I would have to say that overall the textbook and supporting programs are not focused on student understanding.  Having read the referenced article, I can see that the links between knowledge, the labs, and understanding are not necessarily present. I need to rethink exactly what understanding I want my students to take away from my classes, rather than only thinking about what they have learned.  I need to design my curriculum to ensure that the main tenants of knowledge arts are taking place in my classroom. I think that overall incorporation of his ideas would allow my classroom to be far more dynamic then perhaps it is right now. I feel that my students are comfortable in their learning environment, but I would like to see them experiencing more ‘ah ha’ moments in learning based on curriculum design.  Read and respond to <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Preparing for Today and Tomorrow <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Eisner identifies five aims that education needs to achieve in order to help prepare students for today and tomorrow. His first aim is the need to develop student judgment based on the development of sound reason. The second need is for schools to develop critical thinking skills in students that enable students to explore and critique ideas. This needs to be a dynamic process. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Meaningful literacy is Eisner’s third aim for education. Of all of Eisner’s aims, this perhaps involves educational recognition that there are many forms of literacy that must be recognized in order to develop our minds. I found this section the most thought- provoking. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> The fourth educational aim is collaboration and the importance of developing both //individuation// and integration. The importance of identifying and recognizing individual student strength and uniqueness is key to the concept of //individuation.// <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Finally, Eisner identifies the need for students to contribute and become involved with their schools and larger communities. This involvement is considered key to developing students who are socially responsible.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> What is the author's point of view with regard to the //knowledge arts//? **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> How would you respond to his ideas and suggestions? **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> What are the implications of his ideas for curriculum designers? **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> In Eisner's view what //aims// are appropriate for schools seeking to prepare students for today and tomorrow? **

__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Response Journal #3 __ <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Every time I read an article for this class, I am struck with just how perfect the subject of science is for so many of the ideas that are being discussed. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I am going to tackle this question from both the perspective of the teacher and the student, because although I have not had the opportunity to redesign my curriculum/lesson plans yet, I can readily appreciate certain aspects of my teaching that would benefit from the constructivist philosophy. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I often feel tremendous pressure to cover a specific amount of prescribed curriculum in science. This pressure is in many cases self-inflicted. Designing curriculum based on constructivist tenants, would allow me to teach with far greater topic depth. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Many activities (skills) that I currently teach such as thinking skills and inference/drawing conclusions could be built into the planning, rather than being crammed into my loaded lesson plans, or taught when I have time. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I can certainly see that interactions with my students would be more dynamic. I am always amazed at just what creative thinkers my Grade 8 students are. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">From the student perspective, certainly there are many gains from this teaching philosophy. I believe that my students would benefit from constructivist teaching as described in the article “What are the benefits of constructivism?” <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I currently teach on a block schedule where students are in science for 90 minute periods. I think that using constructivist ideas would enable my students to stay on task and motivated for a longer period of time. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">A key aspect of working in science is the ability to observe make inferences and draw conclusions based on evidence. Certainly, constructivism is beautifully designed to develop these skills. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I was especially excited when I read the section regarding constructivism and how students more readily are able to transfer knowledge from one subject area to another. This is a true indication of depth of knowledge. The lack of knowledge transfer is a constant topic of conversation with my colleagues in middle school. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">My students would certainly benefit from taking more responsibility for their learning. Rather than teachers and parents having to feel as if they are pushing children through the learning process, students would engage in learning by choice and appreciate that learning is a dynamic process. Certainly, my students would develop their ‘metacognitive’ skills concerning how they learn. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">My students spend a tremendous amount of their time in science lab groups, but the constructivist approach to group work would allow students to more readily access prior knowledge and experience when drawing conclusions and making inferences. I would also expect my students’ higher-order thinking skills to become more developed in a constructivist environment. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Based on the readings, educators need to be sure that a few students’ ideas don’t take over the classroom, or allow a ‘tyranny of the majority’. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Another criticism expressed was that student progress through testing does not take place enough in the constructivist classroom and so key skills are not always learned. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">In thinking about my own educational experience, I can imagine that teachers must have to ensure that their classrooms don’t get away from them. In order to direct and facilitate learning, I imagine that a teacher must have to give a tremendous amount of thought to how they are going to keep students focused in the directions of the key learning goals or realizations. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Using the constructivist ideas, teachers need to ensure that while greater control of student learning is turned over to the students, teachers remain strong components of education through facilitation. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Because the constructivist approach is based so much on tapping into a student’s prior knowledge, educators would have to ensure that they assess that level whenever they introduce a new idea or topic in order to ensure that higher level thinking is taking place. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Finally, educators need to inform students and parents about the benefits of constructivism, especially if they are used to a more traditional educational model.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Describe some of the benefits of constructivism. **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">What should educators be cautious of in relation to constructivism? **

__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Response Journal #4 __ <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">For many of the referenced conditions of powerful learning, I will make reference to the NESA Virtual Science Fair (NVSF). It is an opportunity for students to develop so skills and ideas. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Last year during my international science fair, one of my teams decided to test different fabrics for flammability. They chose this topic because one of the team members almost lost a sibling to a house fire. Students are encouraged to design their own science fair projects as long as they have ‘real life’ application. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I work with several students who are in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Although I am willing to make allowances for ESL students in the standards that I expect in a formal scientific method write-up, it can be extremely challenging for my ESL students. Several of my Korean students approached me during lunch one day and asked if I would allow them to work together, even though they were in different sections, to complete a science investigation. They did not want me to make any allowances for my expectations of their written work. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">School policy does not allow students to speak any other language then English in the classroom, and they felt that they could not discuss their ideas and draw conclusions in English, because their language skills were so poor. I decided that their need to collaborate in their native language was more important than following school policy in this instance. They worked together on the science lab for 3 lunch periods; at the end of that time the student who spoke English the most fluently answered all of my questions. It was an incredible process to watch them consult with one another when I posed questions to them. I believe that they got far more out of the lab when I allowed them to confer and communicate in their native language. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Because I teach at an international school, students often come from varied educational backgrounds with different curricular experience. With all lab investigations, I review key skills with all students, such as how to work with a triple-beam balance, to ensure that they are comfortable with the tools necessary to complete their investigations. In investigations that involve topics that they are not fully knowledgeable about, I demonstrate the lab while they share ideas regarding inference and conclusions. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I recently asked my Grade 8 science class to give group presentations based on a unit they were studying about plate tectonics. I told them that they could present in any way they chose, as long as they covered the key ideas in the section assigned to them. They had full use of my ‘smartboard’, white board and class computers. The variety of their presentations was remarkable, and I was very impressed with their creativity. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I was teaching one of my favorite lessons a few weeks ago. My students are given a sheet of paper with drawings of fossilized animal footprints .There are 2 different types of footprints represented and the class has to infer what the animals are doing based on their footprints. First the students have to get together in groups and identify all of the quantitative and qualitative data that they can about the footprints, then we meet as a class and discuss what inferences can be drawn based on the evidence, (the drawings). One of my students made an observation that no other student has ever made. The class burst out laughing and the student looked very sheepish. When I asked the student to explain his thoughts, he told me that he had spent the summer at the Red Sea and had noticed the prints made in the sand from many different types of creatures. Based on that experience, or his prior knowledge, he made an inference that no one else had. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I would have to say that most activities in my classroom involve social interaction. Lab investigations provide ample opportunities for social interaction. I also tend to have very verbal groups of students who enjoy discussing their ideas and thoughts with me. During break times and lunch periods, students are often in my classroom either finishing up work, or just chatting together. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I certainly give rapid feedback to my students. In labs, I am circulating amongst them while they work to ensure that they are on task and in order to redirect them if they are way off the mark. All paperwork is quickly marked and I always explain exactly what I am looking for in my higher level questions. All assessments are passed back and reviewed so that they can find any errors in marking that I may have made. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">A prime example of this is once again the science fair. From choosing groups to completion of science fair projects, students are responsible for their projects. They have to organize materials, plan how to use them, write-up the experiment and present the experiment around very specific deadlines. Their projects develop their organizational, social and problem-solving skills. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I can only answer this question by saying that I love my students dearly. I am very strict when it comes to student behavior, and I try to ensure that all students feel comfortable in my class. They are a mixed group in terms of personalities and ability, but my students seem to enjoy their time in my class and we have some fantastic discussions and wonderful learning that takes place. Although I am special needs trained, I thoroughly love teaching science. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I have a spacious, bright, and well-equipped science room. The lab area has natural sunlight from skylights and there is a separate teaching area complete with a ‘smartboard’. I have several doors that open onto a foyer. The students have room to spread out and are allowed to do so whenever they are doing a task. I can only assume that my classroom supports learning because students often come into my class to study with their friends even though the library and other study areas are available. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I believe that all of the referenced “Conditions for Powerful Learning” are viable in my present teaching position. Course readings are helping me identify specific aspects of my teaching and planning that I need to improve upon and develop. I especially enjoy finding out about the rationale and thinking behind the ‘big ideas’. I need to develop more diverse ways to assess my students’ learning so that I focus more on learning, and less on their knowledge of facts. I also want to develop some sort of student survey so that they can give me feedback about my teaching and their learning. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> Science is such a broad and diverse topic. I am very fortunate because at my school I am given tremendous support and leeway to design my curriculum and classes, in any way that benefits my students. I have been very forthcoming about the degree that I am working on with my students, and they are keen to be my ‘guinea pigs’.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Give an example from your own experience for each of Brandt’s conditions for powerful learning. **
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">What they learn is personally meaningful. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">What they learn is challenging and they accept the challenge. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">What they learn is appropriate for their developmental level. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">They can learn in their own way, have choices, and feel in control. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">They use what they already know as they construct new knowledge. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">They have opportunities for social interaction. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">They get helpful feedback. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">They acquire and use strategies. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">They experience a positive emotional climate. //**
 * //<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #1f497d; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text2">The environment supports the intended learning. //**
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Which of these conditions are viable in your present teaching assignment? **

__<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Response Journal #5 __ <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">By first determining your desired results, you perform a type of task analysis that ensures that all activities, assessments and lessons serve to support the ‘big ideas’. You are able to identify just what knowledge and skills are essential and discard information and activities that do not support the desired results. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">If you start the planning process by first determining the desired results, your unit and all supporting lessons will have a consistent focus. All activities, lessons and even questions more effectively lead the student toward the final desired result. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Backward design ensures that a teacher considers not just how they are going to assess student learning, but also what specific assessments will be used to demonstrate that students attained the bigger understanding. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Backward design further helps teachers focus on select parts of the course textbook, rather than trying to teach all aspects of the text. In a teacher’s array of resources, backward design helps teachers identify those resources that help our students arrive at the desired outcome. Backward design prevents teachers from building a unit around favorite activities. Activities are used instead, only if they support the identified desired outcome. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Perhaps of greatest importance, is that by designing a unit based first on the desired results, teachers can ensure that learning is taking place that can be transferred to other situations and subjects. This type of planning supports the higher level thinking skills, and provides opportunities for students to develop them. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> __<span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Response Journal #6 __ <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">I am going to tie the answer to this question into the Chapter 4 reading from UbD “The Six Facets of Understanding” since the chapter thoroughly addresses this question. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Briefly, to truly “understand” a person must be able to: explain, interpret, apply, have perspective, empathize and have self-knowledge. These six facets are not presented in a hierarchical order. Also, understanding can be further developed through questions, reflection and ideas that develop while trying to understand something. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">In watching my students in an investigative lab, student understanding often occurs not during the lab itself, but after a student has encountered some sort of problem, or had to investigate some of their findings. Understanding seems to be more powerful and enduring, when a student is forced to question prior conceptions and ideas. At this point in my career, I can identify when deep understanding has taken place, but would like to learn how to build this experience more into my curriculum and teaching. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">I will refer to a recent unit of study that we just completed on plate tectonics. Student “knowing” for me and “doing” involves a student being thoroughly familiar with key vocabulary, key concepts and being able to work through all of the steps in an investigative lab at an independent level. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Student knowing is demonstrated by a student when they are helping another student in a collaborative learning situation and they are able to explain what the task is. This level of explanation does not reflect the “thorough, supported and justifiable accounts of phenomena, facts and data” discussed in our Chapter 4 UbD assignment. The student who “knows” the topic can accurately answer multiple choice, short-essay and other traditional assessments and score high marks. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">The student who demonstrates “understanding” is harder to identify because traditional education does not provide as many opportunities for these students to demonstrate their deeper understanding. One of the most effective ways for me to assess understanding is to give students a key concept, such as convection currents, and ask them to design an experiment that demonstrates plate movement as a result of convective motion. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> I also propose questions to students that force them to take prior knowledge and make inferences based on the knowledge. For example: Japan sits on a convergent boundary, which type of fault would you expect to find? Explain and support your answer. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">I am involved in an international virtual science fair (NESA Virtual Science Fair). Students are required to identify a real-world problem and design a project that addresses the problem. Not every student is able to work to this level, but for those teams who are able, they are required to not just design a project, but determine how they are going to measure, display and interpret their results. The science fair seems to embody all of the six facets of understanding proposed by Wiggins and McTighe at one time or another. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Justify the claim that the best lesson and unit designs are “backwards”. **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Read P 114 and 115. What behaviors do you associate with student understanding? **
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">How do you distinguish between students “knowing” and “doing” versus understanding what they are studying? **