# Backwards Design Unit Planner

Plan a unit using backwards design from desired outcomes through assessment evidence to...

- Repository: https://github.com/GarethManning/education-agent-skills (939 stars)
- Category: Design
- License: see repository
- Last updated: 2026-10-22
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add GarethManning/education-agent-skills --skill backwards-design-unit-planner -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add GarethManning/education-agent-skills --skill backwards-design-unit-planner -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add GarethManning/education-agent-skills --skill backwards-design-unit-planner -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add GarethManning/education-agent-skills --skill backwards-design-unit-planner -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add GarethManning/education-agent-skills`

## Description

Plan a unit using backwards design from desired outcomes through assessment evidence to learning activities. Use when starting a new unit or redesigning an existing one from standards.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Backwards Design Unit Planner

## What This Skill Does

Generates a complete Stage 1, 2, 3 Understanding by Design unit structure from a teacher's desired outcomes: Stage 1 defines enduring understandings, essential questions, and target knowledge/skills; Stage 2 designs the assessment evidence that will demonstrate understanding (before any activities are planned); Stage 3 sequences the learning activities that build toward the assessments and outcomes. The critical insight of backwards design is that assessment is designed BEFORE instruction, not as an afterthought but as the definition of what success looks like. AI is specifically valuable here because backwards design requires holding all three stages in mind simultaneously and ensuring tight alignment between them, what is assessed must match what is intended, and what is taught must prepare students for what is assessed. Most teacher-designed units plan activities first and assessments last, which produces misalignment.

## Evidence Foundation

The rest: https://github.com/GarethManning/education-agent-skills/blob/HEAD/skills/curriculum-assessment/backwards-design-unit-planner/SKILL.md