Backward Curriculum Design Step 2 and 3.

There are 2 steps left and they both need to be aligned with the KDB Umbrella. Alignment is one of the biggest requirements for a curriculum to be accountable and for assessment to be valid. (Don't forget that the principles of good assessment are validity, reliability, fairness and alignment - see pages 19 to 21 in the text. A good assessment will meet these principles.)

Step 2: 

1. Create a Rich Performance Task. A description of an effective RPAT can be found at pages 69 to71. You want your RPAT to be similar in nature to project-based learning - the culmination of an inquiry. In the RPAT, students must demonstrate the KDB of your KDB umbrella. Your checklist for the RPAT is on page 71. If you are wondering what a real life RPAT  looks like see  High Tech High projects from K to 12.  Notice how those RPATS are connected to an Essential Question as your RPAT should connect to yours.

Remember that your RPAT need to be aligned with the KDB. 

The language in your RPAT  should be student friendly to engage students in the task. See page 70 and page 136 for examples. 

2. You will need 2 assessment tools that measure the demonstration of the KDB in the RPAT. One should be a rubric. See notes on page 83 to 87 for rubric principles. 

Step 3

Essential Questions Web - page 69 and 139. 

Choose ONE Essential Question. Brainstorm how you might present this to students in an Essential  Questions Web.  

Create Daily instructional Assessment chart with 3 columns (p. 74 and p. 140) for one Essential Question. 

Create Learning Goals and/or Success Criteria.

 Flesh out Activites with Embedded Assessments.  Label the Assessment as AoL, AfL or AaL. Add the expectations addressed and how this activity is connected to the KDB and the RPAT in the next columns.

Add 2 assessment tools. These can be embedded into the instruction See pages 78-82. 

All the above can be found in Chapter 3 or 5 of the text. Additional help is in the Class lecture powerpoints and samples in Sakai under resources. 

Everything needs to be connected to everything else. 

Good luck in your curriculum design and PLEASE hand in pieces for feedback asap.