Effective+Curriculum+Design

=Effective Curriculum Design=

If you aren’t getting the right answers...you may not be asking the right questions!
What should students know and be able to do? (National Standards)

What essential questions would lead students to this knowledge and understanding? (Narrow Topic - Broader Topic - Themes - Essential Questions - Objectives)

What experiences will students need in order to help them discover the answers to those questions? (Performance-based Tasks & Assessments)

Why should the answers matter to students? (Content & Contexts)

How will you determine how well students can do the things that you have identified? (Proficiency Guidelines - Rubric Development)

What key concepts, principles, skills, and competencies will students need to understand or master in order to pursue the answers to the questions you identified? (Sub-questions-Practice Activities)

How will you prepare and support students to engage in the experiences mentioned above? (Information, Cognitive Tools, Processes, Structures, Skills, Resources & Materials)

How can you sequence and scaffold the activities to support students’ learning? (Lesson Plans, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Pre-/During/Post- Activities)

How can you evaluate and strengthen the unit? (National Standards)

Source: Cherice Montgomery

From Textbooks to Standards-based, Thematic Units—A Framework
Review vocabulary - TOPIC

Identify cultural connections to the vocabulary -BROADER TOPIC

Use the National Standards to help you brainstorm additional interdisciplinary connections that will help you to recognize the real-life contexts that are embedded in the topic - THEME

Write 5 to 7 essential questions that will guide students’ exploration of the thematic contexts - OBJECTIVES

Devise contextualized experiences that will allow students to use their language skills to discover the answers to the questions - PERFORMANCE-BASED TASKS & ASSESSMENTS

Determine how well students should be able to perform the tasks - PROFICIENCY GUIDELINES, RUBRIC DEVELOPMENT

Divide the tasks into smaller steps - SUB-QUESTIONS & PRACTICE ACTIVITIES

Identify the communicative competencies (3 modes of communication, grammar, vocabulary), cognitive tools (technology and multiple representations), resources (textbooks and supplementals) and related skills (circumlocution, cooperative learning, critical thinking skills, social skills) that will support students’ success with the tasks - FUNCTIONS

Sequence the activities logically - LESSON PLANS, BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

Evaluate and strengthen the unit - NATIONAL STANDARDS

Source: Cherice Montgomery