VaNTH-PER VaNTH-PER WorkshopWorkshopJanuary 10, 2004January 10, 2004

The University of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin

presented bypresented by Barb AustinBarb Austin

Developing Legacy Cycle Content through

“Understanding by Design”

2

Topics v. Topics v. UnderstandingsUnderstandings

Topics:The Civil WarCauses of the Civil WarFriendship

Understandings:The Civil War was

fought over states’ rights issues more than over the morality of slavery

True Friendship is revealed during hard times

3

From topics to From topics to understandingsunderstandings

Topic:Nutrition

More focused topic: The elements of good nutrition

Specific Generalization:The USDA food pyramid presents relative

guidelines for a balanced diet because dietary requirements differ for individuals, depending on such variables as age, activity level, weight

& overall health

4

From skill or process to From skill or process to understandingsunderstandings

Process:Converting to metric measurements

Underlying concepts: Measure, standard, accuracy, conversion

Specific Generalization:• Standardized measures allow people to

accurately describe the physical world.

• We can measure the same thing with different measures (e.g., Fahrenheit and Celsius)

5

Writing Writing Generalizations:Generalizations:

• There are 2 types of understandings: Topical understandings involve generalizations derived from the specific content knowledge & skills of the unit. Overarching understandings transcend the content knowledge of the unit, thus serving as bridges to other units & courses

• A cycle should focus on a small number of transferable big ideas (overarching understandings)

• Enduring understandings of both kinds are best stated as generalizations or propositions

• Although abstract, the targeted understandings must be stated unambiguously –as specific abstractions

• Overarching understandings typically focus on broader conceptual relationships than do topical understandings

6

Enduring Enduring Understandings: Understandings: Overarching & Overarching &

TopicalTopicalEnduring UnderstandingOverarching Topical

Literature—The modern novel overturns many traditional story elements and norms to tell a more authentic & engaging narrative

Unit on Catcher in the Rye—Holden Caulfield is an alienated anti-hero, not an average kid on an “excellent adventure”

Science—Gravity is not a physical thing but a term describing the rate of acceleration of falling objects

Unit on gravitational force—vertical height, not the angle and distance of descent, determines the eventual speed of a falling object

Mathematics—Postulates logically precede any axiomatic system, but they are often developed long after the fact to justify key theorems

Unit on the parallel postulate—The parallel postulate is a crucial foundation to Euclidean geometry, despite its awkwardness and theoremlike nature

7

Curriculum Curriculum FrameFrame

Worth being familiar with

Important to know and do

“Enduring” understanding

8

Putting It All Putting It All TogetherTogether

Page 62, parts A & C (example on p 55)

Page 63, part E-G (example on p 56)

Page 65 (example on p 58)

9