SRA FLEX LITERACY ™ IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE 41
Understanding by Design®
The Project Experience is built on the Understanding by Design framework (Wiggins &
McTighe, 2012). Within this framework, teachers focus on teaching and assessing
for understanding. The curriculum is designed “backward” based on goals and
assessments. Teachers become coaches for understanding, providing regular reviews of
curriculum against the standards that enhance curricular quality and effectiveness. There
are six facets of understanding for assessment purposes. When students truly
understand what they are reading and writing about, they can explain, interpret, apply,
change perspective, empathize, and self-assess. These key ideas provide the structure
and stimulus for the projects in The Project Experience.
Materials
The Project Experience Materials
• Teacher Guides (24)
• ePresentations (available in FLEXWorks)
• Pre-Project Lessons (available in FLEXWorks )
• Tech Tutor Videos (available in FLEXWorks )
• Literacy eHandbook (available in FLEXWorks)
Teacher Guides
These 48-page books include activities for 15 days of each project (20 days for the final
Capstone Project). They also include the project’s Understanding by Design® template and
a resource section. The resource section includes project information sheets, action plans,
writing checklists, Assessment Guides, and research logs. The project guides also contain
print copies of supportive writing frames and Foldables® that are available in interactive
form on the ePresentations in FLEXWorks. Students construct a Project Portfolio Foldable®
for each project to collect and store project materials.