Curriculum and Lesson Plans Teachers must be empowered to more When all the curriculum areas have

Curriculum is at the heart of effectively design their own been mapped, the information can be
education. Investigate secondary curriculum, and to move from the placed on a preprinted file folder that
school curriculum with this wealth of position of curriculum conveyer to lists all required subject areas on the
information, resources, and lesson that of curriculum designer. side and the months across the top.
plans for each subject area across the Definition The file folder provides a detailed look
curriculum. Much of the curriculum found in at all subject areas and provides clear
Curriculum Development today’s schools is based on teachers’ articulation between special areas and
Curriculum is not standardized past experience in schools, input from classroom teachers. It’s also an
throughout the nation or even textbook manufacturers, discipline excellent resource for new teachers or
thoughout each state. Further, from frameworks, standards, and teachers who are changing grade
district to district the actual plan of information from peers (Glasgow, levels.
study is often different for students. 1997). Webbing the curriculum
This article looks at the reasons for Often a curriculum is only loosely As the curriculum takes shape,
this lack of cohesiveness in creating a joined together, with students far teachers are encouraged to look at
national curriculum and overarching better acquainted with its scope and the different disciplines for common
plan of study. It then creates a sample sequence than the educators who ideas, complementary
plan of study that leads to further teach it. skills/strategies, or other links that
curriculum resources for teachers. With teachers facing growing pressure might be used to create a meaningful
The educational landscape in America to teach more, while also being held integrated study. Sticky notes are
today is divided in its approach to a to higher standards, this approach to arranged and rearranged as teachers
cohesive curriculum. Attempts have curriculum is no longer acceptable. look for logical connections between
been made to bring order the Teachers must be empowered to more and among the different disciplines. In
curriculum universe through the effectively design their own this way, a "curriculum web," which
advent of national standards. curriculum, and to move from the spells out the connections, can be
However, in many subject areas there position of curriculum conveyer to created.
are competing national standards that of curriculum designer. For example, a social studies teacher
because of the existence of different Method who wants to explore the relationships
national organizations such as the Getting to know the curriculum between humans and their
National Science Teachers Association The first step in this process requires environment could focus on human
and the National Academies Press. getting teachers to share their interactions between humans and
With this said, just because a national curriculum with other teachers in the oceans. A science teacher could
group like the National Council of school. During a schoolwide meeting, complement this with curriculum that
Teachers of English decides on a teachers from each grade level examines the physical properties of
specific set of standards, this does not summarize their curriculum on chart water, sand, and other parts of the
mean that those will be adopted or paper for science, social studies, ocean ecosystem. And a language arts
even referred to by an individual language arts, and mathematics. teacher could use oceans as a basis
state. Each state comes up with its Special area teachers write their for student writing and storytelling.
own set of standards and its own curriculum on chart paper as well, so This in turn leads to the development
format for writing those standards. their colleagues can understanding of a second web, which identfies
Some states may use the national the development of skills and activities for delivering the curriculum.
standards but often they create their concepts across grade levels. To It shows specific methods, techniques,
own based on needs and interests ensure the integrity of the curriculum, and materials teachers will use.
within their own state and current teachers are encouraged to return to It’s imperative that the teachers keep
political and educational philosophies. their curriculum documents. this curriculum webbing process
This makes curriculum fragmented but Frequently, they discover parts of the focused on student interests and
it becomes even more complicated as curriculum they had forgotten or had needs. Ask yourselves the kind of
you move closer to the classroom. given only cursory attention. questions students are likely to ask:
Local Control of Schools and After all charts have been completed, Why should I bother learning this?
Curriculum grade level and special area teachers What difference does it make?
In the United States there is a strong share their curriculum with the entire (Glasgow).
belief in local control of schools. faculty, and describe some of the Also, be careful not to "superglue"
Though districts adhere to state teaching lessons/units they use to curriculum together for the sake of
standards, there is a great deal of teach that curriculum. Many veteran saying you have created a web. There
latitude in what actually takes place in teachers comment that this step is little to be gained, for students or
the classroom. Districts might create provides the first opportunity they’ve teachers, by trying to force
guiding documents that the schools ever had to understand the entire connections, such as having students
then follow. From one district to curriculum in their school. This count seashells to provide an ocean-
another, you might find that a course schoolwide sharing process invariably related math activity!
is taught in a different year. For highlights repetitions in content and During the webbing process, many
example, one district might have teaching activities. more objectives/standards will be
economics and government taught in During the sharing process, teachers identified than will be used. The
ninth grade while another has it in take notes and discuss apparent gaps brainstorming provides a valuable
twelfth grade. and repetitions. They also discuss source of ideas and may be revisited
The reason for differences in grade-level responsibilities. Curricular again and again to refine the
classroom coverage goes even further terms and content that appear on curricular links.
than this. The amount of lesson plan several grade levels are defined. Clear The role of assessment
oversight required by each district definitions help teachers articulate As the school year unfolds and
varies widely. Therefore, you might grade-level expectations, and move teachers deliver their curriculum to
find that if you compare the syllabi of teachers closer to being able to students, assessments should ensure
two teachers at two different schools "guarantee" learning standards for that students participate in a range of
within a district who are teaching the their students. activities, so they can demonstrate
same course to be very different. This Developing curriculum maps learning in a variety of formats.
idea of local and even classroom Curriculum mapping is the next step Teachers should continually discuss
control is championed by many but in the process. Teachers use large what students should know and be
means that new teachers often have a pieces of chart paper with the school able to do, and must identify or create
difficulty in determining exactly what months on the top, and colored sticky assessment instruments to evaluate
they should teach. Some end up using notes – different colors for each core student progress. These can include
the textbook as a guide while others, area. Teachers write the different traditional tests, or alternatives such
the lucky ones, have great mentors goals, objectives, and topics of the as student portfolios or performances.
who guide them in their course layout. curriculum on the notes and arrange Taking maps to another level
Sample Plans of Study them across the school year. o Many schools use
To help bring order to this difficult During this step, teachers re-examine the maps developed
landscape and bring an understanding the sequence and emphases of the during the
of effective and progressive plans of curriculum. One 4th-grade teacher, for curriculum-writing
study through the grade levels, we will example, realized she was devoting process to prepare a
be presenting sample plans of study five months of the school year to the parent handbook,
for each grade level in the coming Civil War, while World War II and which spells out the
weeks. From there, you will be able to Vietnam received only a couple of curriculum learned
access detailed information for days each. When asked why, she on each grade level.
individual courses and including the replied that "the kids really love the o Some schools post
major topics which should be covered Civil War." Then she acknowledged
the chart papers
within those courses. Finally, you will that she really liked it as well, and that
created by teachers
find numerous quality resources for "I have lots of material on it." When
in the hallways, to
the listed topics to help you create she looked, for the first time, at her
share the progress
engaging lessons for your students. whole year’s curriculum, she
being made and to
Curriculum development recognized the imbalance and cut her
invite all students in
By Linda Fitzharris Civil War coverage back to a few
the school to see
Journal of Staff Development, Summer weeks.
the "big" picture.
1999 (Vol. 20, No. 3)
 o Others have used preferences. Objectives differ motor, fine motor, language,
the maps to from goals or outcomes in social, & self-help.
generate that they separate goal into Developmental milestones in
newsletters to the smaller components. these areas then organized
parents. Curriculum
topics may be • Table 7-3, Constructing into sequenced objectives to
Appropriate Curriculum- be taught to child.
shared by the week,
month, grading reflects DAP Developmental landmarks
period, or year. become instructional
• Types of Curricular
objectives. Usually
o Clearly designed
Approaches emphases are speech &
maps provide a
roadmap for the • 4 organizational sources for language, cognitive skills,
teachers, students, EC curricula: compliance training,
administrators, and reduction of negative
parents and provide • 1. Permissive enrichment
behavior, & parent training.
opportunities for programs- This approach
effective focuses on whole-child • 7. Educational content area
communication. development through natural approach – uses rationale
o They also help process of individual inquiry. that certain pre-academic &
teachers and academic content essential
administrators
• Seedfeldt (1976) used term
to success in school. Such
analyze how they naturalistic theory to
preschool curricula tend to be
are spending their describe theoretical base of
instructional time, a downward extensions of
this approach. This loosely
critical step in the regular public school
structured, child-centered
era of accountability. programs using traditional
model depends on notion
• Curriculum Development that self-initiated exploratory
educational approach. This
approach is not a DAP.
• Curriculum interactions will result in
• 1. Refers to programmatic learning. • 8. Curricula with
goals or targets for • 2. Structured environment psychological construct
instruction. approach organized into
programs (e.g., High Scope)-
• 2. Is “what to teach” Often employing Montessori
content areas representing
(Bagnato & Neisworth, 1981) complex facet of personality
method as well. The
• 3. Planned arrangement of development or
curricula attempt to
learning experiences psychological processes.
emphasize intellectual
designed to elicit changes in Such curricula may be
development by allowing
children’s behaviors. derived from Gestalt,
child-initiated interactions
• 4. Is series of planned, with carefully selected
psychoanalytic, or
systematic learning cognitive-developmental
materials within teacher-
experiences organized theory. Topics such as
structured environment.
around a particular rationale motivation, self-concept,
or philosophy of education • 3. Structured cognitive identity, & sexuality may be
that includes goals & programs – Organized into included.
objectives, particular content series of systematic goals
areas (e.g., cognitive, • Factors Prior to Adoption
within sequential stages.
language, perceptual, etc.).
This approach is usually • Review the chart on
• 5. There appears to be called Piagetian or cognitive criteria for evaluation of
agreement that educational developmental theory. The criteria in another
intervention with children
must be guided by a clear, teacher supports or handout.
systematic plan or blueprint. orchestrates development by • In addition to particular
• Theoretical Bases for promoting active learning theoretical model, factors to
Curricula (direct experience with consider prior to using a
objects & events). The goals
• 1. EC curricula tended to curriculum or curricular
are to produce near normal approach are:
adopt rationales for their
curricula based on clearly functioning in delayed
preschoolers, & to enhance
• 1. Curriculum designed to
identifiable theoretical or
philosophical bases. functioning in all areas to accomplish stated
Frequently, theoretical & greatest extent. purposes/goals.
philosophical bases used
• 4. Structured information • EX: what terminal
interchangeably.
program – Known as behavior behaviors
• Curriculum Content
theory. Such curricula are • Goals stated explicitly
• 1. Identifying targets of highly structured, with goals
intervention for ea child with
• Goals rep reasonable
tightly organized into
a disability is ongoing expectations or outcomes
specific, task analyzed,
process. One needs to sequential steps. Such • 2. Curriculum includes
identify skills most important curricular emphasize direct methods or tools for
for individual child. instruction, positive assessing learner’s starting
Identification of targets is responding by all children, & position relative to each
accomplished by examining reinforcement for major goal. With child’s
characteristics of child, improvement. Often this position on goals identified, it
demands of environment, & approach is remedial in is implied that a sequence of
necessary skills to be nature, suggesting that related behaviors is defined.
successful. child’s basic deficits are • Learner assessment tools
• 2. Content for young content for & targets of supplied with curriculum can
children with disabilities curriculum. be evaluated to determine
usually includes broad range • 5. The other approaches to how effectively & thoroughly
of skills that are appropriate EC curricula: developmental they address child’s position
for most children who do not tasks, educational content on each goal.
have disabilities (Wolery & areas, & psychological • 3. Children’s respective
Sainato, 1996) constructs. positions on ea goal strand
• 3. Team members work • 6. Developmental task suggest that they are
together to adapt curriculum approach – essentially predisposed or ready to learn
as needed to address replicates normal sequence whatever comes next. What
children’s goals or outcomes of development usually a child is learning usually
stated on IFSPs & IEPs. based on normative info depends on his position on
• 4. Objectives represent about way children develop. several goal strands
learning expectations & are The content is usually considered together.
based on child strengths, organized into developmental Overall pattern of child’s
needs, & family’s domains including gross
 current behavior determines • Both vertical & horizontal without disabilities working
what is right for child. expansion can be on same activity together at
• The child’s current behavioral accomplished with the diff levels. It is helpful to
repertoire of child determines correct curricula. Vertical have curriculum that offers
what child will most readily expansion refers to several developmental levels
learn. Some curricula installation of new skills, or versions of task or that
proceed as if each goal proficiencies, that were provides task analysis (TA)
strand operates in isolation previously unavailable in for given activity. These
to determine what is repertoire of child. Vertical provisions of TA & different
learnable. Ideally, the growth, or building up of levels make it possible for
curriculum should allow one skills in major developmental children to work at same
to establish a deliberate areas, is first goal of early activity but at different levels
match between a small education program, of sophistication.
number of more global especially for children whose • 4. Spiral Organization - Spiral
learner characteristics, e.g., profiles show many valleys. refers to organization that
cognitive level, interest, level Horizontal expansion pertains deliberately repeats
of social involvement, etc. to development of behavioral objectives from one year to
There should be a match variability across materials, next but in increasing
between the number of settings, & response modes complex versions. A good
learner activities that are to (e.g., verbal, nonverbal) after spiral curriculum includes
impact on particular goal skill is established. This term repetition of objectives with
strands, so match between refers to generalization for progression elaboration.
child characteristics & transfer of basic skills to These features assist in
activities. circumstances beyond those maintenance &
• 4. Behavior change or of training situation. generalization of skills.
development comes about • It is usually important to Relearning or practice of skill
through experience. One can affect response variability so can promote retention, an
arrange group of learning not precisely same behavior important consideration since
activities to impact on more is used across all settings many skills not automatically
than one goal strand. (Stokes & Baer, 1977). This retained after intervention.

• 5. Learning activities will requires programming for • 5. Central Mission - Is

take place under particular skill fluency & flexibility. In repertoire or developmental
environmental condition. other words, one should expansion of programs for
Curricular development “train loosely” using different children with disabilities or
should aspire to cause materials, phrases, etc., at-risk for developmental
environmental conditions, throughout training. . Same delays so that delayed or
e.g., media, materials, etc. (invariance of) training distorted development can
circumstances may produce be normalized.
• 6. A curriculum consists of
some intentional mixes of
learning that is situation • Curriculum Packages
specific behavior.
experiences that suited to • 1. Curriculum-Based
overall developmental levels
• 2. Normalization - Curricula
Assessment- contains
of learners who will should include range of
assessment scale &
participate. Even though objectives that successively
accompanying curriculum
terminal goals may all be approximate normal
guide.
considered equally functioning for age
(Wolfensberger, 1972). • Hawaii Early Learning Profile
important, not all given
Children with delays can be Inside Help (Parks, 1992)
equal emphasis at all times
across years of EC. entered into curriculum at • Help for Special Preschoolers
appropriate level (Santa Cruz County Office of
• 7. Those who work with
commensurate with their Education, 1987)
young children with developmental age in given
disabilities need to know • Carolina Curriculum for
area of development. Thus,
what effects particular Preschoolers with Special
a 4-year old might require
disabilities may have on Needs (Johnson-Martin,
instruction at 2-year old level
match of curriculum to Attermeier, & Hacker, 1990)
in cognitive & language
learner. Other than areas, at 3-year old level in • The Carolina Curriculum for
adjustments for general socio-emotional functioning, Infants and Toddlers with
developmental delay, & 4-year old level in motoric Special Needs (Johnson-
additional specific curricular area. The job of educator is Martin, Attermeier, & Hacker,
adaptations for specific one of providing 1991)
disabilities are needed by developmental facilitation in • The Assessment, Evaluation,
children with particular ea area (developmental and Programming Systems
impairments. balance principle) at least up (AEPS) for Infants and
• Additional Standards to to chronological age Children (Bricker, 1993)
be Considered When expectancy (normalization).
• Curriculum Planning &
Selecting Curricula • When normalization is taken Implementation
• 1. Developmental Balance seriously, it becomes crucial
• 1. Curriculum planning in
& Expansion - Are to use curricula that offers
early childhood education is
deliberate pacing & selection paths, or sequences of
integrated thematic units.
of curricular objectives that objectives, leading to typical
Thematic units usually
programmatically sample all skills, even if these skills are
planned around topical areas
major areas of development. develop beyond usual
of interest to young children
Parallel progress across chronological age.
(e.g., animals, holidays,
developmental domains is • 3. Developmental special events)
sought rather than a strong Integration - For each
tilt toward any 1 • 2. Characteristics of
education, one speaks of
developmental area. Integrated Curriculum include
developmental integration to
Developmental balance experiences to develop
refer to grouping together of
fostered by a curriculum that attitudes, skills, & knowledge
children with & without
provides array of objectives & make connections across
disabilities. Students can be
within all major areas of curriculum. Activities provide
integrated on both social &
development. A rich array of for range of abilities.
instructional bases, e.g., play
sequenced objectives Activities are both teacher-
together on same
expedites central mission of initiated & directed, & child-
playground, eat lunch
early instruction. initiated & directed. Whole
together. Often, it is possible
class, small group, &
to have children with &
 individual experiences • 4. Individual different maps as they stand alone, as
present (flexible grouping). well as through the articulated
appropriateness- Children
Opportunities for critical & sequencing of maps in a content area.
have individual patterns &
creative thinking are timing of growth as well as
included. Teacher, peer, & Curriculum Maps are easy to read
individual personalities,
self-assessment are "word snapshots" of the educational
strengths, interests, activities taking place in classrooms
available. Opportunities to backgrounds, and across the District. The first level of
make connections & experiences. the map is called a Consensus Map
experience learning as and reflects the concepts (including
meaningful whole is
• 5. Cultural appropriateness-
key vocabulary and key sub-
integrated into the understand each child’s concepts), aligned to Arizona State
curriculum. Development of social & cultural contexts. Standards. Representative teachers
attitudes, skills, & knowledge Curriculum is flexible, from all schools in the District meet
of fine arts (music, visual art, allowing for content that and agree on the core and essential
meets wide range of abilities, concepts for the course mapped. They
drama, & dance), humanities
interests, & backgrounds of also agree to an approximate number
(language arts, responsible of days that instruction should be
living, social studies), children.
devoted to each unit. Three-quarters
practical arts (PE, career ed) , • 6. It is widely accepted in of the total school year is mapped,
& science (math & science) general ECE that reserving one quarter of the days for
are included. developmentally appropriate differentiated instructional needs.
• 3. When integrated thematic curriculum is based on:
• a. Process of While this map reflects the key
units are selected for
concepts that will be taught in each
classrooms in which children learning is just as course, it does NOT imply that by
with disabilities are served, important, if not more using the map, every teacher teaching
theme of topics should be: important, as end that course will be teaching the exact
broad enough to address product. Children’s active same thing on the exact same day
wide range of abilities of engagement within their throughout the school (and District).
children; one in which environment with peers, One of the District's mapping goals is
to collect the best instructional
children’s IEP or IFSP materials, & adults is
options for teachers as they work
objectives can be addressed; valuable & necessary in order through a part of the map and make
generated based on interests to be active participants in these available to all District teachers.
& experiences of children; learning process. For a variety of reasons teachers may
selected based on availability • 7. Children learn through teach units or concepts in a different
of resources & materials order from other teachers, or they
play & through concrete may choose different lessons
necessary; and designed
“hands-on” activities that designed to teach the same
based on interests of teacher
are relevant to their lives. performance objectives. These are not
& other team members. lock-step maps.
• 8. Heterogeneous
• 4. In implementing
grouping is embraced
curriculum, multiple child- Every summer since 2004, teachers
with belief that
directed, play-based have met to prioritize course content
appropriate educational
activities, such as center and align it with state standards and
experiences meet needs
activities are used. District assessment instruments.
of young children with Every school year, these same
• 5. 1 curricular approach, wide range of abilities. teachers have documented the
activity-based Educational experiences detailed mapping of these courses in
intervention, (Bricker & should be flexible as children Instructional Maps. These maps
Cripe, 1992) is child-directed, allows to work on different feature instructional suggestions for
transactional approach; teaching, engaging, and assessing
levels and at their own pace.
students in each concept.
embeds training on child’s Curriculum should not only
individual IFSP or IEP goals & celebrate diversity, but
objectives into routine or should challenge predjudice, What is Curriculum Development?
planned activities and uses sterotyping, & bias (related
logically occurring to gender, ability, race).
antecedents & consequences
to develop functional & There are some useful answers to this
generalizable skills (i.e., question available on the WWW.
generalized to other What is Curriculum Development?
settings). WDED FAQ: Broadly speaking,
• Current Influences on Curriculum Development (also known
"curriculum" refers to the interactions
between learners and educators,
Curriculum Development as Curriculum Alignment and learners and learners and learners and
• 1. Recommended Practices Curriculum Revision) is an ongoing resources, both material and human,
process. What is curriculum? in order to lead to successful
in General Early Childhood
Curriculum is what we teach, that is, demonstrations of outcomes.
Education (ECE) the skills and content that we want Everything happening in and around
• 1. Developmentally our students to learn and the the school having educational
appropriate practice (DAP) assessments we use to measure their implications is a part of the
learning. The TUHSD Department of curriculum. Curriculum is a multi-level,
(Bredekamp, 1987,
Curriculum, Instruction, and dynamic concept which develops as
Bredekamp & Copple, 1997) Assessment is committed to helping these interactions develop. Curriculum
is a set of guidelines teachers create documents that documents like curriculum
established by NAEYC to reflect this information in an ordered frameworks, learning programmes
articulate appropriate and useful manner, and our primary and learning support materials are the
practices for ECE of young tool in doing so is curriculum mapping. written parts of the curriculum.
children.
• 2. Embedded in concept of Kingdom Academy School: What is
What are Curriculum Maps and curriculum? To many, curriculum
DAP is idea of age
how are they developed? means a written document,
appropriate, individually
programmed material, or a textbook
appropriate, culturally
We believe it is all the experiences a
appropriate activities & roles Curriculum Maps help teachers,
child encounters in the learning
fulfilled by child & teacher in administrators, and parents/guardians
process. Curriculum provides a
answer the questions that many ask
learning environment. framework and continuity in learning,
regarding our students' learning: What
• 3. Age appropriateness is but is not a list of rigid content that
do my students know? What did they
has to be covered in a designated
based on knowledge of study last year? What are they
amount of time. Learning is a logical
typical development of studying in the classrooms throughout
sequence of skills and experiences.
children & plan appropriate the District? How do I help my
Our goal is to teach children, not a
students understand the connections
experiences. program or textbook. We realize that
between my subject and others?
the individual differences of children
These questions are answered in their
must always be kept in mind. A child
entirety through the use of the
will grasp skills, concepts and content
at differing rates and should not feel
inferior or superior due to the pace at
which he or she is acquiring these
skills. We want every child to feel
special and loved because of who he
or she is, not because of how he or
she performs.

What is curriculum? What does the

term `curriculum' mean to you as a
teacher? The literature shows that it
means different things to different
people, to different educational
institutions and to different parts of
educational institutions. A general
definition of curriculum is offered by
Print (1993: 9):...all the planned
learning opportunities offered by the
organisation to learners and the
experiences learners encounter when
the curriculum is implemented. This
includes those activities that
educators have devised for learners
which are invariably represented in
the form of a written document. Print
also describes the difference between
`curriculum' and `syllabus', which are
often confused: a syllabus forms part
of the overall curriculum and tends to
be a list of content areas which will be
assessed. At a broad level, curriculum
is determined by the educational
institution. Read the rest of the article
at
<http://www.acs.uwa.edu.au/csd//new
sletter/issue0795.html>

Defining Curriculum Curriculum

development is concerned with
planning for education and training.
There are many definitions of
curriculum, depending on different
writers' perspectives and experiences.
None of these definitions is right or
wrong. Rather, they give different
perspectives on a very wide and
complex field. Furthermore, they have
changed in focus and philosophy over
time.