Curriculum

By Adam Stresing and Micheal Sazama

What is Curriculum?

Discuss with the person next to you for a minute how you define curriculum. And then be ready to discuss with whole class

Curriculum: Textbook definition• The National Middle School Association- “all

that is intentionally designed to accomplish the school’s mission.”

• Includes: “every planned aspect of a school’s education program, including classes … and school wide services such as guidance, clubs, and interest groups, visual and performance arts production, fund raising events and athletic programs.”

Standards

• Educators have to consider standards when organizing and choosing school curriculum.

• No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 core subjects defined: English, Science, Math, Foreign Language, Civics, Economics, Arts, history, Geography

Common Core

• Adopted by Wisconsin in 2010.• Standards in Math and Language Arts • Literacy in all other subjects • DPI includes other standards for remaining

subjects. http://standards.dpi.wi.gov/

Subject centered vs Integrated Curriculum

• Subject centered Curriculum

• Disciplines are taught separately from each other.

• Subject based • Traditional

• Integrated Curriculum• Disciplines are

combined to educate about a common topic or theme.

• Student based• Constructivist• Developed in 60’s.

Topic vs a Theme• Topic• One concept studied.• Less dynamic • Example: Alaska

• Theme• Question or problem

that can structure a study.

• More dynamic• Example: the

significance of petroleum in Alaska.

5 Stages of Curriculum Integration

• 1. Subject specific topic--No student planning, solo teaching

• 2. Subject Specific with Theme--Possible student involvement, thematic subject approach, teams

3. Multidisciplinary– Two or more disciplines sharing a theme. Possible student involement

4. Interdisciplinary Thematic– students and teachers collaborate on theme and content of curriculum.

5. Integrated Thematic– students and teachers collaborate across grades.

Example of Integrated curriculum using State Standards

• Massachusetts middle school --- 2003

• Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) [English-Math based]

• Student-Teacher collaboration• “New England and the Industrial Revolution”.

Source: Kenneth E. Volger An Integrated Curriculum Using State Standards in a High-Stakes Testing Environment Middle school Journal, volume 34: pages 5-10, March 2003

Aligned Curriculum

• Goals- what has to be accomplished by students.

• Objectives- what must be done by students to reach goal.

• Aligned- assessment that matches the objectives.

Example

• Goal: students will be able to use road maps. • Objective: students will be taught to use a map of

Wisconsin to understand driving directions and travel time from various locations using a combination of physical maps and technology like MapQuest.

• Assessment: Students will be given a map of Wisconsin with instructions to figure out driving directions and travel time from various locations.

•Make your own Integrated Curriculum!

Guidelines• Groups of 3-4 • Each group is their own middle school designing a curriculum. • Pick one subject for each group member and design an integrated

curriculum based on the theme of: The significance of the lumber industry in Wisconsin.

• Aligned Curriculum----- goal and objectives for each discipline used.

• Subjects: History, Math, Science, or English

Aligned Curriculum

• Goals- what has to be accomplished by students.

• Objectives- what must be done by students to reach goal.

• Aligned- assessment that matches the objectives.

Things to Consider

• Creativity! Hold attention through planning lessons and activities that include music, videos, and the senses: smell, touch, and emotion. Write reflectively!Physical Activities! Example: Revolutionary War activity

Textbooks and materials

• Textbooks- double edged sword• One source – science and history (revisions) • Funding• Time- cycle • Electronic sources and readings, scholarly

essays, videos, newspaper articles, and photos.

Middle school vs Junior High curriculum

• http://www.education.com/reference/article/differences-between-junior-high-middle/

• Quick vocabulary– exploratory (music, shop, arts)• Advisory(homeroom)

Activity- based on your own experience during your adolescent years, this chart, and possibly your schools website, discuss if the school you went to operated like a middle school or a junior high school.

Interview

• Jacquelyn Drummer- member of the Curriculum and Instruction Staff at South Milwaukee School District.

Interview questions

• Who decides what courses are offered?• Textbooks?• Integrated curriculum?• Teacher/student development of Curriculum?• Advisory programs, exploratory programs?• Team teaching?• Funding related to standardized testing?• What courses are cut if there's a budget

decrease?

Build your own curriculum

• http://www.schoolsoftwaregroup.com/BuildYourOwnCurriculum/CurriculumSoftware.aspx

References • DeHart, Paula and Perry A. Cook. Transforming Middle Schools Through Integrated

Curriculum. Voices from the Middle, volume 4 number 2: pages 2-6, April 1997 • Kellough, Richard and Noreen G. Kellough. Teaching Young Adolescents: Methods

and Resources for Middle Grades Teaching. Fifth Edition. (2008): 164-220.• Salyers, Fran, and Carol McKee. "The Young Adolescent Learner." Annenberg

Learner. Annenberg Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 May 2011. <http://www.learner.org/workshops/middlewriting/images/pdf/W1ReadAdLearn.pdf>.

• Volger. E. Kenneth. An Integrated Curriculum Using State Standards in a High-Stakes Testing Environment. Middle school Journal, volume 34: pages 5-10, March 2003