DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

(DOK) LEVELS AND UBD UNIT

DESIGN

"THERE IS NOTHING SO TERRIBLEAS ACTIVITY WITHOUT INSIGHT."

-Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman Playwright, Poet, Novelist and

Dramatist. 1749-1832

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Adapted from McWilliams, 2009

The teacher’s job is to “uncover” the big ideas contained in content standards and to ensure they are understood, not to provide merely fun activities or cover a textbook or cover a textbook’s content.

The job of the teacher requires “thinking like an assessor” – doing research into one’s practice, and adjusting practice and designs in light of sought-after results/feedback.

Wiggins, Grant, & McTighe, Jay. (1998). Understanding by Design. ASCD.

TWO APPROACHES TO THINKING ABOUT ASSESSMENT…..

When thinking like an assessor, we ask…

When thinking like an activity designer (only), we ask…

What would be sufficient and revealing evidence of understanding?

Given the goals, what performance tasks must anchor the unit and focus the instructional work?

What are the different types of evidence required by Stage 1 desired results?

Against what criteria will we appropriately consider work and assess levels of quality?

Did the assessments reveal and distinguish those who really understood from those who only seemed to? Am I clear on the reasons behind the learner mistakes?

What would be fun and interesting activities on this topic?

What projects might students wish to do on this topic?

What tests should I give, based on the content I taught?

How will I give students a grade (and justify it to their parents)?

How well did the activities work?

How did students do on the test?

DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE (DOK)

The DOK level is determined by the degree of mental processing required, and meets the requirements of academic rigor for our new Alaska Standards.

The DOK level describes the complexity of the task, rather than its difficulty. It describes the kind of thinking involved in a task.

How can DOK be applied in unit planning?

…

Level 1 - Recall

Level 2 - Skill/Concept

Level 3 - Strategic Thinking

Level 4 - Extended Thinking

WEBB’S DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

Key Words:Recite, Recognize, Name, Use, Illustrate, Measure, Define, Draw, List, Identify, Memorize Recall, Repeat, State, Tell

Level - RecallLEVEL ONE: RECALLRequires recall or reproduction of information, such as a fact, definition or term.

The response is automatic. The student either knows the answer or not.

DOK LEVEL ONE EXAMPLES Identify various types of traditional clothing

and the materials out of which they are made

Match pictures of animals with clothing made from those animals

Give a definition of a vocabulary word Measure various distances using hand

measurements Locate or recall facts or details explicitly

presented in text Identify or describe characters, setting,

sequence of events

Key Words:Compare, Classify, Infer, Categorize, Construct, Predict, Interpret, Relate, Estimate, Distinguish, Summarize, Show

Level - RecallLEVEL TWO: SKILLS AND CONCEPTSRequires the use of some mental processing beyond recalling or reproducing a response.

Items require students to make some decisions as to how the approach the question or problem.

Level 2 tasks require more than one step.

DOK LEVEL TWO EXAMPLES Assemble the appropriate clothing necessary for an

outdoor expedition or fieldtrip and explain the role of each item toward survival

Extend a pattern Refine and adjust patterns for clothing and footwear Consistently wear clothing suited for the elements and

describe the function of each item of clothing as it relates to survival

Predict what would happen if the zipper on your parka won’t close in freezing temperatures; your socks become wet, etc.

Identify the characteristics of prepared (ready to be sewn) and unprepared (not yet ready to make into clothing) skins as they are presented and type animal each skin from

 

Key Words:Revise, Assess, Construct, Investigate, Differentiate, Formulate, Draw Conclusions, Develop a Logical Argument, Cite Evidence, Hypothesize

Level - RecallLEVEL THREE: STRATEGIC THINKINGRequires reasoning, developing a plan or a sequence of steps, some complexity.

Items have more than one possible answer and require students to justify their response.

DOK LEVEL THREE EXAMPLES Teach younger people (e.g., through a booklet)

the appropriate respectful behavior and speech toward the various animals whose skins provide our clothing

Purchase, choose, and obtain his/her own clothes within a given budget

Differentiate between skins that are prepared (ready to be sewn) and skins that are unprepared (not yet ready to make into clothing)

Contribute to the procurement of materials from a variety of locations, produce sewn items from those materials, and acknowledge those who helped in the project

Explain thinking when more than one response is possible

Key Words:Create, Prove, Analyze, Critique, Apply Concepts, Synthesize, Connect, Design

Level - RecallLEVEL FOUR: EXTENDED THINKING

Requires high cognitive demand and is very complex.

Students are expected to make connections, relate ideas within or among content areas, and have to select or devise one approach among many alternatives on how to solve the problem.

Level 4 often requires an extended period of time; however, time alone is not a distinguishing factor.

DOK LEVEL FOUR EXAMPLES Independently design and complete a parka by the end

of the school year/course Create/design patterns for clothing and footwear Make clothing with furs that are appropriate for wearing

in wet, very cold, and mild conditions using sinew, skins, and appropriate tools (e.g. skin scraper, small sewing ulu)

Mend torn clothing and improvise solutions to damaged clothing

Conduct a project that specifies a problem, identifies solution paths, solves the problem, and reports results

Relate mathematical concepts to other content areas Gather, analyze, organize, and interpret information

from multiple sources for the purpose of drafting a reasoned report

A WORD OF CAUTION…The depth of knowledge level is NOT determined by the verb, but by the context in which the verb is used and the depth of thinking required.For example: DOK 3: Describe a model you might use to

represent the relationships that exist within the rock cycle. (requires deep understanding of rock cycle and a determination of how best to represent it)

DOK 2: Describe the difference between metamorphic and igneous rocks. (requires cognitive processing to determine the differences in the two rock types)

DOK 1: Describe three characteristics of metamorphic rocks. (simple recall)

DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS

GRASPS

Big Ideas and Overarching

Understandings

Important to know and do

Worth being familiar with

Assessment Methods

p. 141 Professional Development Workbook

Traditional quizzes & tests•Paper-and-pencil•Selected-response•Constructed Response

Performance tasks & projects•Complex•Open-

ended•Authentic

FRAMING PERFORMANCE TASKSGoal for UbD Units At least one core performance task for assessing understanding in a major unit or course be developed using GRASPS

Not every performance assessment needs to be framed by GRASPS.

GoalRoleAudienceSituationProduct, Performance, and PurposeStandards and Criteria for Success

WRITING A PERFORMANCE TASK IN GRASPS FORM Use the GRASPS Task Design Prompts

worksheet making sure all elements of GRASPS are included

Assign DOK Levels making sure you meet the goal of a Level 3 or 4

Write the prompt in student friendly terms

GRASPS PERFORMANCE TASK EXAMPLEBuilding an Arctic SledYour class has been asked to build an arctic sled to donate to your village. A local organization will pay for all of the materials, if the class builds it as a project. The organization needs an estimate on how much the materials will cost. Provide a cost estimate that includes all materials needed and their prices as well as the cost for shipping calculated at 20% of the cost of the materials. Because your class is donating the sled, you will not charge for labor to build the sled. Sample list of tasks: Draw a diagram of the sled. Develop a list of materials needed (wood, fasteners, tools, etc.). Determine the quantities of materials needed. (DOK 2) Use your diagram

to explain your determination of the amount of materials needed. (DOK 3) Show your mathematical thinking on your drawing. (DOK 3)

Determine the price of the materials. (DOK 2) Figure out how much shipping will cost if it is 20% of the cost of the materials. (DOK 2)

Complete the estimate. (DOK 3) How much will three sleds cost to build? (DOK 3)

FIRST GRADE UNIT STAGE 1

ELEMENTARY UNIT STAGE 2

ELEMENTARY UNIT STAGE 3