Foreword by H. Lynn Erickson Preface Acknowledgments Part I. Preparing for Curriculum Design 1. Curriculum Matters in Teaching and Learning Curriculum as the Master Plan What Is Concept-Based Curriculum? 2. The Components of a Concept-Based English Language Arts Curriculum Traditional Curriculum, Traditional Teaching From Traditionally Designed Curriculum to Concept-Based Curriculum Design The Relationship Between Knowledge and Process Understanding the Two Structures Support for These Structures Providing a Road Map for Instruction 3. Getting Started: Doing the Preliminary Work Leading Curriculum Change Assembling the Curriculum Leadership Team Review of Concept-Based Curriculum Summary Part II. An Introduction to the Design Process Assembling the Curriculum Writing Team The Role of the Leadership Team Unit Planning Pages 4. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 1 and 2 Step 1: Creating a Unit Title Step 2: Identifying a Conceptual Lens Summary 5. Designing the Curriculum: Step 3 Step 3: Creating the Unit Web Summary 6. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 4 and 5 Thinking and Understanding Step 4: Writing Generalizations Step 5: Writing Guiding Questions 7. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 6 and 7 Step 6: Determining Critical Content Step 7: Determining Key Skills Summary of Steps 6 and 7 8. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 8, 9, and 10 Step 8: Designing the Culminating Assessment Step 9: Suggesting Learning Experiences Step 10: Writing the Unit Overview Part III. What a Concept-Based Curriculum Looks Like 9. What Concept-Based English Language Arts Units Look Like A Sample Elementary English Language Arts Unit A Sample Middle School English Language Arts Unit A Sample High School English Language Arts Unit Summary 10. Voices From the Field References Index
Designing a Concept-Based Curriculum in English Language Arts features a step-by-step approach to developing ELA curriculum units that leverage student thinking and retention by bringing relevance to skills and facts. Based on Dr. Lynn Erickson's bestselling concept-based curriculum model, the book shows exactly what a concept-based English Language Arts curriculum looks like and guides readers through the creation of their own concept based curriculum. Guiding the reader, Lanning presents clear guidelines for implementation and sample units from real school districts. If we do not design curriculum so that teachers have an unambiguous picture of how to teach to understanding, the Common Core Standards will become yet another initiative that yields little impact on improving the state of U.S. education.