D658
2
D658 Task 2 WGU: Reflection on Backward Design in Teaching Practice –
Passed.
D658 Task 2: Reflection on Teaching
1. Backward Design and Assessment Success
Using the backward design method allowed me to focus clearly on what I wanted students
to understand by the end of the lesson: identifying the moral of a story and explaining how
it was conveyed through story details (aligned to RL.3.2). I began with this end goal in
mind, then designed activities and scaffolds to build towards it.
In the recorded lesson, I included a sentence frame (“I think the lesson is because ”) to
guide student responses and ensure alignment with the assessment objective. I selected
The Greedy Dog because the moral is accessible and the events clearly show how the moral
is developed. My planned formative assessment of students explaining the moral using
story evidence matched the desired result and ensured that learning activities directly
supported the assessment.
This alignment between standard, objective, instruction, and assessment made it more
likely that students would meet the goal successfully, which is the reason for
backward design.
2. Teaching Experience and Initial Expectations
My initial expectation was that students would be engaged by the story and able to
participate meaningfully in identifying the lesson. Teaching the lesson, even in a simulated
environment, confirmed that expectation. I imagined students responding with ideas about
the dog’s mistake and connecting that to a broader message about greed or selfishness.
During the recorded segment, I used think-alouds and guided questions to help “students”
make connections between the events and the moral. My expectation that some learners
would need additional support led me to prepare visuals and sentence frames, which I used
in the recording. This preparation made the simulated teaching experience feel structured
and responsive.
Overall, my expectations helped me plan a lesson that was both accessible and focused on
the learning target.
3. Deviations from the Planned Lesson
One deviation from my original lesson plan was the pacing. I anticipated spending more
time on student responses, but because the lesson was recorded without real student
interaction, I modeled fewer examples and moved more quickly through the sentence frame
portion.
Another deviation was my use of visuals. I originally planned to show images while reading
the story, but in the recorded lesson, I simplified that section and described the images
®™
2
D658 Task 2 WGU: Reflection on Backward Design in Teaching Practice –
Passed.
D658 Task 2: Reflection on Teaching
1. Backward Design and Assessment Success
Using the backward design method allowed me to focus clearly on what I wanted students
to understand by the end of the lesson: identifying the moral of a story and explaining how
it was conveyed through story details (aligned to RL.3.2). I began with this end goal in
mind, then designed activities and scaffolds to build towards it.
In the recorded lesson, I included a sentence frame (“I think the lesson is because ”) to
guide student responses and ensure alignment with the assessment objective. I selected
The Greedy Dog because the moral is accessible and the events clearly show how the moral
is developed. My planned formative assessment of students explaining the moral using
story evidence matched the desired result and ensured that learning activities directly
supported the assessment.
This alignment between standard, objective, instruction, and assessment made it more
likely that students would meet the goal successfully, which is the reason for
backward design.
2. Teaching Experience and Initial Expectations
My initial expectation was that students would be engaged by the story and able to
participate meaningfully in identifying the lesson. Teaching the lesson, even in a simulated
environment, confirmed that expectation. I imagined students responding with ideas about
the dog’s mistake and connecting that to a broader message about greed or selfishness.
During the recorded segment, I used think-alouds and guided questions to help “students”
make connections between the events and the moral. My expectation that some learners
would need additional support led me to prepare visuals and sentence frames, which I used
in the recording. This preparation made the simulated teaching experience feel structured
and responsive.
Overall, my expectations helped me plan a lesson that was both accessible and focused on
the learning target.
3. Deviations from the Planned Lesson
One deviation from my original lesson plan was the pacing. I anticipated spending more
time on student responses, but because the lesson was recorded without real student
interaction, I modeled fewer examples and moved more quickly through the sentence frame
portion.
Another deviation was my use of visuals. I originally planned to show images while reading
the story, but in the recorded lesson, I simplified that section and described the images
®™
