Instructional Design and Delivery
What to know
Instructional design links what students must learn to how you teach and how you check learning. Be able to distinguish standards (broad expectations) from objectives (specific, observable student behaviors) and to write objectives that name a measurable verb, a condition, and a criterion. Know Bloom's taxonomy well enough to sort verbs by cognitive level and to recognize that "list" and "identify" are lower-level while "analyze" and "evaluate" are higher. Understand backward design: identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, then plan learning experiences. Be fluent with direct/explicit instruction, inquiry, cooperative learning, differentiation, scaffolding, and formative vs. summative use of tasks. Recognize higher-order questioning, wait time, and checking for understanding.
Traps
Questions often pair a lofty objective ("students will appreciate poetry") with a request to fix it; the fix is a measurable behavior. Another trap asks which activity best matches a stated objective-match the verb, not the topic. Watch for differentiation confused with individualization: differentiation adjusts content, process, or product for groups within one classroom, not a separate curriculum. Also watch for accommodations (change how a student accesses learning) being confused with modifications (change what is expected).
Worked example / rule of thumb
Given "Students will understand the water cycle," ask: What could I see them do? Rewrite as "Students will sequence and label the four stages of the water cycle with 80% accuracy." Rule of thumb: if you can't observe it or count it, it isn't a usable objective-and the assessment should mirror the verb.