WGU D658 Planning Instructional Strategies for Meaningful
Learning Complete Exam Prep | OA Practice QUESTIONs,
Scenario-Based QUESTIONs & Detailed Rationales (2026/2027)
QUESTION 1
What is the primary focus of Stage 1 in the Backward Design framework
(Wiggins & McTighe)?
A. Identifying desired results, establishing content standards, and
determining enduring understandings and essential QUESTIONs.
B. Designing daily homework worksheets and grading rubrics.
C. Selecting digital software and interactive websites for student
research.
D. Administering a comprehensive final examination.
Correct Answer: A. Identifying desired results, establishing content
standards, and determining enduring understandings and essential
QUESTIONs.
Detailed Rationale: Backward design begins with the end in mind by
defining learning goals and enduring understandings before planning
assessments or instructional activities.
QUESTION 2
What is the primary objective of Stage 2 in Backward Design?
A. Determining acceptable evidence of learning by designing
performance tasks and assessments aligned with the desired results.
,B. Delivering a 60-minute lecture on historical milestones.
C. Organizing classroom desks into cooperative learning pods.
D. Assigning unguided independent study hall periods.
Correct Answer: A. Determining acceptable evidence of learning by
designing performance tasks and assessments aligned with the desired
results.
Detailed Rationale: Stage 2 requires educators to establish how
students will prove they have mastered the learning objectives before
planning daily lessons.
QUESTION 3
What occurs during Stage 3 of the Backward Design framework?
A. Planning learning experiences, instructional strategies, and
sequential activities that equip students to succeed on the assessments.
B. Writing state-level curriculum frameworks and academic standards.
C. Purchasing new textbooks for the entire school district.
D. Calculating final semester grade point averages.
Correct Answer: A. Planning learning experiences, instructional
strategies, and sequential activities that equip students to succeed on
the assessments.
Detailed Rationale: Stage 3 involves designing the actual instruction
and learning experiences only after learning goals and assessments are
fully established.
QUESTION 4
,What defines an "Enduring Understanding" in curriculum design?
A. Big ideas and transferable concepts that have lasting value beyond
the classroom and apply to new situations.
B. Memorized dates of historical battles that are forgotten after a test.
C. Specific vocabulary words copied from a dictionary glossary.
D. Temporary classroom rules enforced during detention.
Correct Answer: A. Big ideas and transferable concepts that have lasting
value beyond the classroom and apply to new situations.
Detailed Rationale: Enduring understandings represent the core
conceptual takeaways that students should retain long after specific
facts fade.
QUESTION 5
What is the primary function of an "Essential QUESTION" in a unit plan?
A. To spark inquiry, provoke deep thought, and guide ongoing
exploration of core conceptual ideas without a single simple answer.
B. To test whether students can recall a specific page number from a
textbook.
C. To establish strict behavioral discipline rules in the classroom.
D. To provide a yes-or-no answer on a multiple-choice scantron exam.
Correct Answer: A. To spark inquiry, provoke deep thought, and guide
ongoing exploration of core conceptual ideas without a single simple
answer.
, Detailed Rationale: Essential QUESTIONs frame units around open-
ended inquiry, fostering critical thinking and deeper conceptual
engagement.
QUESTION 6
What is a "Transfer Task" in backward-designed assessment?
A. An authentic performance assessment requiring students to
independently apply their learning to a novel, real-world scenario.
B. A multiple-choice quiz testing vocabulary word definitions.
C. Copying a paragraph from the blackboard into a notebook.
D. Reciting multiplication tables in alphabetical order.
Correct Answer: A. An authentic performance assessment requiring
students to independently apply their learning to a novel, real-world
scenario.
Detailed Rationale: Transfer tasks evaluate whether students can
flexibly use their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar, real-life contexts.
QUESTION 7
In instructional objective writing (ABCD method), what does the "D"
represent?
A. Degree—the standard of proficiency, accuracy, or criteria required to
demonstrate mastery.
B. Detention—the disciplinary consequence for incomplete work.
C. Duration—the exact number of minutes in a class period.
D. Delivery—the method of teacher lecture presentation.
Learning Complete Exam Prep | OA Practice QUESTIONs,
Scenario-Based QUESTIONs & Detailed Rationales (2026/2027)
QUESTION 1
What is the primary focus of Stage 1 in the Backward Design framework
(Wiggins & McTighe)?
A. Identifying desired results, establishing content standards, and
determining enduring understandings and essential QUESTIONs.
B. Designing daily homework worksheets and grading rubrics.
C. Selecting digital software and interactive websites for student
research.
D. Administering a comprehensive final examination.
Correct Answer: A. Identifying desired results, establishing content
standards, and determining enduring understandings and essential
QUESTIONs.
Detailed Rationale: Backward design begins with the end in mind by
defining learning goals and enduring understandings before planning
assessments or instructional activities.
QUESTION 2
What is the primary objective of Stage 2 in Backward Design?
A. Determining acceptable evidence of learning by designing
performance tasks and assessments aligned with the desired results.
,B. Delivering a 60-minute lecture on historical milestones.
C. Organizing classroom desks into cooperative learning pods.
D. Assigning unguided independent study hall periods.
Correct Answer: A. Determining acceptable evidence of learning by
designing performance tasks and assessments aligned with the desired
results.
Detailed Rationale: Stage 2 requires educators to establish how
students will prove they have mastered the learning objectives before
planning daily lessons.
QUESTION 3
What occurs during Stage 3 of the Backward Design framework?
A. Planning learning experiences, instructional strategies, and
sequential activities that equip students to succeed on the assessments.
B. Writing state-level curriculum frameworks and academic standards.
C. Purchasing new textbooks for the entire school district.
D. Calculating final semester grade point averages.
Correct Answer: A. Planning learning experiences, instructional
strategies, and sequential activities that equip students to succeed on
the assessments.
Detailed Rationale: Stage 3 involves designing the actual instruction
and learning experiences only after learning goals and assessments are
fully established.
QUESTION 4
,What defines an "Enduring Understanding" in curriculum design?
A. Big ideas and transferable concepts that have lasting value beyond
the classroom and apply to new situations.
B. Memorized dates of historical battles that are forgotten after a test.
C. Specific vocabulary words copied from a dictionary glossary.
D. Temporary classroom rules enforced during detention.
Correct Answer: A. Big ideas and transferable concepts that have lasting
value beyond the classroom and apply to new situations.
Detailed Rationale: Enduring understandings represent the core
conceptual takeaways that students should retain long after specific
facts fade.
QUESTION 5
What is the primary function of an "Essential QUESTION" in a unit plan?
A. To spark inquiry, provoke deep thought, and guide ongoing
exploration of core conceptual ideas without a single simple answer.
B. To test whether students can recall a specific page number from a
textbook.
C. To establish strict behavioral discipline rules in the classroom.
D. To provide a yes-or-no answer on a multiple-choice scantron exam.
Correct Answer: A. To spark inquiry, provoke deep thought, and guide
ongoing exploration of core conceptual ideas without a single simple
answer.
, Detailed Rationale: Essential QUESTIONs frame units around open-
ended inquiry, fostering critical thinking and deeper conceptual
engagement.
QUESTION 6
What is a "Transfer Task" in backward-designed assessment?
A. An authentic performance assessment requiring students to
independently apply their learning to a novel, real-world scenario.
B. A multiple-choice quiz testing vocabulary word definitions.
C. Copying a paragraph from the blackboard into a notebook.
D. Reciting multiplication tables in alphabetical order.
Correct Answer: A. An authentic performance assessment requiring
students to independently apply their learning to a novel, real-world
scenario.
Detailed Rationale: Transfer tasks evaluate whether students can
flexibly use their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar, real-life contexts.
QUESTION 7
In instructional objective writing (ABCD method), what does the "D"
represent?
A. Degree—the standard of proficiency, accuracy, or criteria required to
demonstrate mastery.
B. Detention—the disciplinary consequence for incomplete work.
C. Duration—the exact number of minutes in a class period.
D. Delivery—the method of teacher lecture presentation.
