UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
Stage 1 Desired Results
Established Goals (SOLs
and CCSS/Next Gen)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.910.1
Write arguments to support
claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient
evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.910.6
Determine an author's point of
view or purpose in a text and
analyze how an author uses
rhetoric to advance that point
of view or purpose.
10.4 (R) The student will read,
comprehend, and analyze
literary texts of different
cultures and eras.
a) Identify main and
supporting ideas. h) Evaluate
how an authors specific word
choices, syntax, tone, and
voice shape the intended
meaning of the text, achieve
specific effects and support
the authors purpose
10.6 (W) The student will

Name: Amy Verhaalen

Content Area: English

Unit Topic: Perspective and persuasion

Grade Level: 10

Transfer
Students will independently use their learning to
develop and communicate persuasive arguments based on the unique
perspectives of others.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will Understand THAT...

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will keep considering

perspectives vary based on background,

experience, belief, etc. and understanding
those perspectives can be difficult. (U1)

Why might others have a different

perspective?
How can you use someones perspective to
persuade them to do something?

Acquisition
KNOWLEDGE
Students will know
stronger words/verbs to replace common
words (K1)
definitions for ethos, pathos, logos (K2)
the distinction between weak and strong
arguments (K3)
the definitions of and difference between
similes and metaphors (K4)

SKILLS
Students will be able to... (include Blooms
Label)
...evaluate their position on certain topics
(Evaluate) (D1)
discuss how their personal beliefs may
change how they view a story or situation
(Comprehend) (D2)
compose an argument to try to chance
someones perspective (Create) (D3)
rate arguments as strong or weak
Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
develop a variety of writing to
persuade, interpret, analyze,
and evaluate with an emphasis
on exposition and analysis.
c) Elaborate ideas clearly
through word choice and vivid
description.
d) Write clear and varied
sentences, clarifying ideas with
precise and relevant evidence.

(Evaluate) (D4)
use similes, metaphors, and synonyms of
words to make arguments stronger (Apply)
(D5)

10.7 The student will self- and

peer-edit writing for correct
grammar, capitalization,
punctuation, spelling, sentence
structure, and paragraphing.
g) Suggest how writing might
be improved.
Performance Assessment: Please Briefly Describe your GRASP and Rubric Categories here.
ATTACH YOUR THOROUGH, DETAILED, STUDENT-FRIENDLY VERSION OF YOUR GRASP AND RUBRIC TO YOUR FINAL PROJECT
Stage 2 EVIDENCE (PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT)
Rubric Criteria
(Categories)
Ideas and Detail
Organization
Voice and Word Choice
Originality

GOAL: Your goal is to change a common set perspective by employing some of the skills
weve learned during this unit.
ROLE: A guest expert speaker at _____________ Anonymous.
AUDIENCE: The various members of _______________ Anonymous.
SITUATION: These people have tried everything to quell their addiction, but so far nothing
has worked! You are dedicated to changing these peoples minds and helping them overcome
their addiction and adopt a new habit (one that YOU prefer).
PERFORMANCE/PRODUCT: You will compose a compelling speech to give to your audience,
convincing them to drop their current habit and take up yours.
STANDARDS FOR SUCCESS:
Include 4-5 different similes/metaphors in your speech. (K4) (D5)
Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen

Strive for good word choice that specifically conveys what you want to say! (Saying
their habit is appalling as opposed to bad). (K1) (D5)
Show that you understand the other side of the argument and that you understand why
these people think a different way than you do. (U1) (D1) (D2)
Remember that youre looking to change these peoples perspectives! (D3)

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen

STAGE 3: THE LEARNING/FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PLAN (USE AS MANY ROWS AS NECESSARY)

Lesson #
&
Topic/Foc
us
Lesson 1:
Strong and
Weak
Arguments

Lesson 2:
Word

UKDs
(You can
include
#s from
AG)
K3, D4
K3, D4

K1, D5

Concrete GROUP Formative

Assessments
(Thoroughly Describe and/or Attach)

Concrete INDIVIDUAL Formative

Assessments
(Thoroughly Describe and/or
Attach)

Following our discussion on weak/strong

arguments, each student will be given an
argument on an index card. If they decide
their argument is convincing they walk
over and stand on the left side of the
room. If they dont consider the argument
to be strong, they go to the right side of
the room.
Students on the left side partner up, tell
their partner their argument, and list
reasons why their argument was
convincing. Those students on the right
side pair up as well and write a list of
reasons why their argument was not
convincing.
Students from the left side share some of
the arguments they had and the class
discusses how they would rewrite the
arguments to make them better based on
what the right side determined to be
eff ective ways of enhancing an argument.

Categorizing Strong and Weak

Arguments

Students will get into groups of fi ve and

these groups will be labeled as their

Exit Slip

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UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
Choice

Lesson 3:
Similes
and
Metaphors

K1, D5

home group. Each person in the group

will be given a number (1-5). Each
number corresponds to a weak word
shown on a powerpoint slide (fi ve words
total). Students who have the same word
then group up with each other (leaving
their home groups). They will be given a
few minutes to use their phones to fi nd
stronger words to use in place of their
weak word. After they do that, they will
be prompted to rate three of the
synonyms they found:
LowStill a low-level word
MediumA much better word
HighA really good replacement
word
After rating is done, students will go back
and share with their home group, each
giving examples that their expert group
came up with. The group will then try to
come up with a sentence using all of the
top rated words.

U1, K4, D3

Students will be using similes and

metaphors to build better sentences and
arguments. Students will get into groups
of four. Each group will be given a picture
of a really nasty food and a piece of
posterboard. On the left side of the
posterboard, they will come up with how
they would describe that gross food using
similes and metaphors to their kids (The
goal being to convince the kid to eat it.

K4, D3, D5

Quickwrite

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
As a parent, how would you describe
something to your kid to have them eat
it?) On the other side of the poster, they
will come up with a list of how they would
describe the food using similes and
metaphors to their friends (The goal
being to convince them to stay as far
away from the food as possibleyou
dont want your friend to have to suff er).
Each group will share with the class what
they came up with.
Lesson 4:
The Other
Side

U1, D1
D1, D2

The Other Side book

OTOH
This assessment will need The Other
Side by Istvan Banyai. I will prepare
scans of all of the pictures put them on
colored paper (Each scenario will have
the same color background). Students will
be broken up into groups of three and
given one of the pictures (another group
will get the corresponding picture). Each
group will list out what they think is going
on in the picture (discussing what
happened before, during, and what it
looks like is going to happen). Each group
will then partner with their other group
(unaware that the other group had a
diff erent perspective of the same event)
and compare their lists of what they think
is going on. Groups will probably get
confused and frustrated, not
understanding why the other group has a
diff erent list. Finally, reveal the pictures
Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
and show them that they were looking at
the same event, but from diff erent
perspectives. Have them refl ect.
Lesson 5:
Ethos,
Pathos,
Logos

K2, D3
K2

Students will be broken up into groups of

four and given a carousel handout
(handout attached). Each student will
come up with a simple statement (ex.
Cats are the best) and write it on their
carousel handout. They will each pass
their papers to the left (they will repeat
this two more times) and each group
member will have to defend that
statement by creating an argument with
ethos, pathos, and logos.

Exit Slip

Carousel Activity (Ethos, Pathos, & Logos)

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen

Student 1

Student 2

Write down a simple statement (something you believe)

Ex: Everyone should adopt animals from their local shelter.

Create an argument to help Student 1 by using ethos.

Ex: Veterinarians claim that adopted animals are better than
bred animals, so you should adopt.

When youre finished, pass your paper to your left!

When youre finished, pass your paper to your left!

Student 3

Student 4

Create an argument to help Student 1 by using pathos.

Ex: Animals that arent adopted are going to be killed! Could
you live with yourself if you dont adopt?

Create an argument to help Student 1 by using logos.

Ex: If each family adopted one animal, there wouldnt be as
many homeless, making life better for everyone.

When youre finished, pass your paper to your left!

When youre finished, pass your paper back to its owner!

Assessment Alignment Guide MSSE 625 Carbaugh 2015

Learning Goals (UKDs)

Corresponding

if
Pre-

How
Formatively

How
Formativel

if

if Summatively

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
Label each Learning Goals
as
U, K, D, or Pre-Req

Students will understand that

perspectives vary based on
background, experience,
belief, etc. and understanding
those perspectives can be
difficult. (U1)

Standard(s)
(if
applicable)

Assessed
(If so,
indicate
question
type)

Assessed
At Least 1
Concrete
GROUP
Method
(List
Strategy
and
Give Lesson
#)

CCSS.ELALITERACY.RI.9
-10.6

Short
answer

Brainstorm
Activity
(Lesson 3)

SOL 10.4(h)

y Assessed

At Least 1
Concrete
INDIVIDUAL
Method
(List
Strategy
and Give
Lesson #)

The Other
Side Jigsaw
(Lesson 4)

Summativ
ely
Assessed
via the
GRASP
(Provide
Rubric
Criteria)

Assessed via
the TEST
(Provide
question # and
item format)

Ideas and
Detail
coming up
with a
unique
argument

Q13 True/False
Essay

Originality
Students will know stronger
words/verbs to replace
common words (K1)

CCSS.ELALITERACY.RI.9
-10.6
SOL 10.6(c)
SOL 10.7(g)

Home Group/
Expert Group
(Lesson 2)

Exit Slip
(Lesson 2)

Voice and
Word
Choice
instances
of better
word
choice

Q15 True/False
Q19 Fill-in-blank

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
Students will know definitions
for ethos, pathos, logos (K2)

SOL 10.6(c)
(d)

Multiple
Choice

Carousel
(Lesson 5)

Exit Slip
(Lesson 5)

Students will know the

distinction between weak and
strong arguments (K3)

SOL 10.4(a)

Multiple
Choice

Weak/Strong
Arguments
(Lesson 1)

Categorizing
Strong and
Weak
Arguments
(Lesson 1)

Ideas and
Detail
showing a
weak
argument
from the
other side

Q1 Mult. Choice
Q3 Mult. Choice
Q4 Mult. Choice
Q11 True/False
Q12 True/False
Q18 Short
Answer
Q20 Fill-in-Blank

Students will know the

definitions of and difference
between similes and
metaphors (K4)

SOL 10.4(h)

Brainstorm
Activity
(Lesson 3)

Quickwrite
(Lesson 3)

Ideas and
Detailuse
enough
similes and
metaphors

Q14 True/False
Q16 Short
Answer
Q17 Short
Answer

SOL 10.6(c)

Q2 Mult. Choice
Q5 Mult. Choice
Q6 Matching
Q7 Matching
Q8 Matching
Q9 Matching
Q10 Matching

Voice and
Word
Choice
interesting
and unique
Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
similes/met
aphors
Students will be able to
evaluate their position on
certain topics (Evaluate) (D1)

CCSS.ELALITERACY.RI.9
-10.6

Students will be able to

discuss how their personal
beliefs may change how they
view a story or situation
(Comprehend) (D2)

SOL 10.6

Students will be able to

compose an argument to try
to chance someones
perspective (Create) (D3)

CCSS.ELALITERACY.W.9
10.1
SOL 10.6(d)

Short
Answer

Short
Answer

The Other
Side Jigsaw
(Lesson 4)

Brainstorm
Activity
(Lesson 3)
Carousel
(Lesson 5)

OTOH
(Lesson 4)

Originality

Essay

OTOH
(Lesson 4)

Ideas and
Detail

Essay

Quickwrite
(Lesson 3)

Organizatio
n
organizing
argument
effectively
to make it
convincing
Originality
of
argument
and
evidence

Students will be able to rate

arguments as strong or weak

SOL10.4(a)
SOL 10.4(h)

Multiple

Weak/Strong
Arguments

Categorizing
Strong and

Q3 Mult. Choice

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN UNIT PLAN

Amy Verhaalen
(Evaluate) (D4)

Students will be able to use

similes, metaphors, and
synonyms of words to make
arguments stronger (Apply)
(D5)

Choice

SOL 10.4(h)
SOL 10.6(c)
(d)

CCSS.ELALITERACY.W.9
-10.1
10.6(c)

Weak
Arguments
(Lesson 1)

Home Group/
Expert Group
(Lesson 2)

Exit Slip
(Lesson 2)

Brainstorm
Activity
(Lesson 3)

SOL 10.7(g)

Transfer Goal: Students will

independently use their
learning to develop and
communicate persuasive
arguments based on the
unique perspectives of
others.

(Lesson 1)

Short
Answer

Quickwrite
(Lesson 3)

Q18 Short
Answer

Organizatio
nto make
argument
stronger
Voice and
Word
Choice
powerful
word
choice

Q14 True/False
Q15 True/False
Q16 Short
Answer
Q17 Short
Answer
Q19 Fill-in-Blank

Brainstorm
Activity
(Lesson 3)
Carousel
(Lesson 5)

10.7(g)

Understanding by Design 2.0 - Wiggins and McTighe, 2011