How to Build a BP Unit
Evaluate all with INTENTIONAL selections of the Pre-Assessment, Input, Internalization, Output, and Assessment that best suits the content first and student choice second designing backwards from the Final Summative Assessment.
Conceptualize the skills need to reach the final assessment
Conceptualize the skills need to reach the final assessment
- Break the skills into modules ending with an assessment.
- This is the same as a traditional class model
- Decide which skills are best suited to which instructional strategy. I find it easiest to look for the content that fits these strategies first in this order. (For example, most topics can be taught with a student directed activity, some content is best taught directly from the teacher, and less content can be taught best by lab or activity so designate these first.)
- lab/activity
- direct lecture
- student directed learning
- Decide if the skill taught is best suited for teacher directed or student directed learning.
- There must be a balance of teacher and student directed learning. BP does not omit all teacher directed learning.
- Is student directed learning best suited for
- individualize learning with a common output
- Students select how they are receiving the information according to their learning preference. All class members are completing the same worksheet, practice problems or scenarios, writing prompt concept map, project, student created output.
- You don't have to offer all learning style modalities. You choose which resources that best teaches the content..
- This takes more prep work but is much easier and quicker to grade.
- common learning with individualize output
- Students receive the information in the same manor such as by face to face lecture, discovery lab, activity, etc and all class members select how they will interact with and output the information such as selecting to complete a worksheet, activity with practice problems or scenarios, writing prompt explaining the work, create a concept map, project, or student created output
- Be cautious to allow students to select only the best ways for them to internalize and prove their knowledge. Not all learning modalities can be best utilized for all content.
- Consider techniques to ease the grading burden so you are focused on assessing student understanding and skill building.
- Online quizzing/practice/homework
- questions with instant answer or clue leading to answer and multiple retake questions are very helpful
- use randomized questions to decrease answer sharing
- this generally requires 4 times the number of questions than a student will work
- require all students to show their work for math problems via turning in written paper or use technology such as canvas, upload a photo to canvas, drawing apps. (please contact me with apps that have worked well for you so we can share them!!!)
- require students to explain their multiple choice answers.
- Online quizzing/practice/homework
- Find resources for the student directed learning for as many learning styles as are possible
- it is not necessary to include resources for learning styles that are not appropriate to the content taught
- clearly label what learning style is utilized by each resource.
- use the same template of learning style identification in each module and unit
- check all links after posting
- individualize learning with a common output
- As you design new pieces think of the following
- 75% of your students are General Population for the climate of your school. Make sure you have strong curriculum for this target audience. After this groups needs are met think of the following groups.
- 15% of your students will not have the skills necessary to accomplish the goal with the resources you have provided. This group will have some key members that will always be the same. However, almost everyone will take turns in this group at some point during the year. Begin by thinking of the student you know will be in this group and design a "Tier 3 Intervention" learning piece/learning aids for that specific student's needs. Chances are, others will have the same needs. Create a new piece for another student during your next iteration until you are satisfied that all have their needs met. Give value to these resources because filling a learning gap now will decrease on frustration and therefor decrease on behavior issues and remember these pieces will be used for those needing Re-learning Assistance.
- 10% of your students will finish the General Population pieces in minutes and be board. This can lead to disruption, discontent, or sleepy students. Be sure to avoid the though that "more info is deeper learning" and "don't punish smart kids by giving them more work". Look at the General Population pieces and evaluate where repetition or prior knowledge can be trimmed without sacrificing mastery and replace with the student choice for how they can apply the content to their world, other content, or other classes. Trust your students but be sure to clearly state your expectations.