Episode Details

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Ever find yourself staring at that blank unit plan, wondering how the hell to start? Most teachers kick things off by asking: what should students know by the end of this? But maybe you’re asking the wrong question. In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, host Khristen Massic is flipping the script on how unit planning actually works in the real world of the secondary classroom. Let’s talk about “assessment for learning before you plan your next unit”—because if you’re tired of bolting assessments on at the end and crossing your fingers, you’re definitely not alone.

The common mistake for so many of us? Building units around lists of facts and vocabulary—like slicer settings, infill, or safety protocols—and assuming if kids can rattle those off, they’re golden. Host Khristen Massic shares a moment where even with all the right standards laid out, something just felt off. She realized that knowing what infill is, or reciting slicer setting facts isn’t the endgame. The real magic comes when students can make the right call—like, do I need this print to be durable or lightweight—without waiting for you to spoon-feed the answer.

That’s the better way: instead of asking how students prove they’ve learned something, ask yourself what would convince you that they’re truly ready to roll without you. Can they transfer skills to a brand-new situation? Make solid decisions on the fly? That’s what the produce phase is all about—the part where students are no longer little robots running through commands, but actual thinkers, ready to work independently. Suddenly, every piece of your unit plan, from the “introduce” phase to the practice assignments, starts pointing toward that goal.

The “assessment for learning before you plan your next unit” mindset changes everything. It’s a shift from asking for recall to looking for judgment. When Khristen got to the produce phase while planning her 3D printing unit, she had to step back and ask: What do I want my students to be able to figure out long after I’m gone? If students can independently decide whether orientation matters for a specific use or if the extra material is worth it for added strength, then the teaching worked—not because they remembered what you told them, but because they built deep understanding and confidence.

You want to know what else flips everything? When you start with the produce phase—thinking about the end game first—the rest organizes itself. That’s backward design, but not the rigid, soul-crushing kind. Host Khriste