In backward design, what are the three stages and their order?

• A. Identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, plan learning experiences and instruction.
• B. Plan learning experiences and instruction, identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence.
• C. Determine acceptable evidence, plan learning experiences and instruction, identify desired results.
• D. Identify desired results, plan learning experiences, determine acceptable evidence.

Answer: (A)

Backward design starts with clarifying what students should know and be able to do, then determines how to show that learning through evidence, and finally plans the learning experiences and instruction to reach those goals. The best sequence reflects this: identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, plan learning experiences and instruction. This order ensures that assessments and activities are aligned with the intended outcomes, so what you teach leads to what you assess and how you assess it. If you jump into planning activities first, you risk designing instruction without a clear target or a coherent way to verify whether students have achieved the intended outcomes.