In summary, Stage 1 in the UbD framework should clearly articulate the learning end of the instructional unit. In vernacular, it should describe what we want our students to know, understand and be able to do at the completion of the unit.
It begins with the learning goal (or standard, if applicable) being identified and the unpacking of that goal into its knowledge and skill components.
It also provides big picture anchors like Essential Questions that promote challenging inquiry at appropriate cognitive levels. Through the engagement with Essential Questions, students should eventually arrive at the core learning or enduring understanding of the unit.
The ability of students to meet the learning expectations detailed in the knowledge and skills components of Stage 1 should be indicate their competency relative to the learning goal or standard.
The ability of students to arrive at Enduring Understandings that they can articulate, explain, argue for and defend indicates competency with higher order thinking and their ability to transfer and draw valid conclusions from the learned knowledge and skills of the unit.
From the above, it should be clear that the achievement of the desired learning outcomes is dependent upon (1) the appropriate knowledge and skills being extracted from the intended standard or learning objective, and (2) key Essential Questions being correctly constructed, posed and regularly visited throughout the unit.
