Content standards have become the central focus of instruction in almost every classroom across the country. This timely book addresses the critical need for a process of instructional design that allows K - 12 teachers to maintain their creativity within the increasing pressures of external accountability. Providing practical tools, the ""Strategic Design"" process empowers teachers to examine state content standards, design effective classroom assessments, and deliver engaging instructional strategies. Drawing on the work of Wiggins and McTighe, this book offers a fresh perspective on the backward design process by expanding on their theories of instructional design, as well as those of Richard Stiggins.