Designing Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Grades and Special Education
What you need to read. concepts routines Integration Review phases of instruction. generalize and apply logically progressivesequence knowledge systems knowledge elements integrated Translate into clear and concrete objectives Here are some tips for sequences IN a subject.
correctingerrors, firming elements, and reteachingskills
You just got hired to teach math and science in middle or high school. Or, you just got hired to teach in elementary school. No need to panic. Follow these steps and you will be Commander of the Curriculum.
1. Read like crazy in your fields. Google, download, print, and bind docs that you find from searches for
a. Big ideas in (science, biology, botany, astronomy, history, social studies, children’s lit, secondary lit).
b. (Elementary/secondary) projects in science, math, astronomy, ecology, plants, volcanoes…
c. Research on effective in instruction in math, chemistry, science, beginning reading, remedial reading.
d. Publishers: sra mcgraw-hill, curriculum associates, sopriswest, Singapore math, core knowledge, saxon math.
e. Scope and sequence charts in math, arithmetic, beginning reading, science.
More resources.
Florida Center for Reading Research. Assesses lots of programs!
Mathematically Correct. Tells you how to teach math correctly. Tells you what to use and what NOT to use.
(reviews of materials)
GET THESE. Elementary
GET THESE. Secondary.
Especially Language for Learning and Language for Thinking. Reach System [!!!]
Especially Reading Mastery, Corrective Reading (grade three and up), DISTAR Arithmetic
Language!
DISTAR Arithmetic.
GET THIS BOOK!!!
Look up these.
2. Make blank tables for each subject, large enough to write in objectives without squeezing them.
Beginning Reading.My Objectives.
State Curriculum Objectives—some of which I add to MY objectives.
3. Use your subject matter knowledge (#1 above) to write in objectives for each subject semester or year. What do you want students to learn?
These tables are your Curriculum Map for each subject.
Arrange these in a logical sequence. Begin with the final performance: what concepts will students define and use, what rules or propositions about how things are connected, what models/theories, what descriptions will they develop, what projects will they do, what questions will they answer, what routines will they do?
NOTE: The final performance reviews and integrates what was taught throughout the curriculum.
Now work backwards from the final performance. Ask, “What do students need to know to DO these final objectives?... And what do they need to know before that?”
My objectives. By the end of the curriculum, students will
1. Blend compound, 2-syllable, and 1-syllable words.
2. Segment 1-syllable words into their sounds.
3. Say the sound that goes with
a. Vowels and consonants.
b. Consonant blends. st, bl
c. Digraphs. th, sh
d. Diphthongs. ou, oi, oy.
4. Sound out regular words
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
c. with suffixes. ing, ed, er
5. Read irregular words: the, said
6. Read fluently at all levels: letter-sounds, words, sentences, paragraphs, longer text.
7. Say definitions of words (vocabulary):
a. Verbal definitions. “A farm is a plot of land where people live, and where
they grow food and animals, such as cows and chickens.”
b. Synonyms. “A farm is where food is grown.”
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where, how many, sequences.
b. Explanations and predictions. why, what will happen next, causal sequences.
c. Evaluations. feelings, motives, character development, character relationships, conflict, lessons, rules.
Final performance: curriculum assessment; exit skills for my curriculum = entry skills for the next curriculum level. The final curriculum performance reviews and integrates all of the knowledge elements/objectives above.
Given end of first grade reading material that is 100% decodable (all letter-sounds and irregular words have been taught), 500 word connected text, students will
1. Read at a rate of 60+ correct words per minute.
2. Read with no more than one error in 20 words (95% correct) using knowledge of letter-sound correspondence.
3. Answer 8 out of 10 questions that are descriptive, explanatory/predictive,
and evaluative.
4. Now divide YOUR curriculum map (list of objectives from start to finish) into UNITS.
Think of large chunks---either.
a. Topic unitsin content knowledge systems, such as science and history (fundamentals of life, plants, animals, ecosystems, astronomy). Or
b. Main chunks of skills in tool skill knowledge system, such as math and reading (counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).
My objectives. By the end of the curriculum, students will learn
Unit 1. Basics. Lessons 1-20
1. Blend compound, 2-syllable, and 1-syllable words.
2. Segment 1-syllable words into their sounds.
3. Say the sound that goes with
a. Vowels and consonants.
b. Consonant blends. st, bl
4. Sound out words
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
5. Read irregular words: the, said
6. Read fluently: letter-sounds, words, sentences.
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where,
how many, sequences.
Unit 2. Expansion. More letter-sounds, words, sentences. Lessons 21-50.
1. Review blend compound, 2-syllable, and 1-syllable words.
2. Review segment 1-syllable words into their sounds.
3. Review earlier taught sounds that go with
a. Vowels and consonants.
b. Consonant blends. st, bl
c. Digraphs. th, sh
Teach diphthongs. ou, oi, oy.
4. Sound out new words before reading text that contains those words.
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
c. with suffixes. ing, ed, er
5. Review read irregular words: the, said
6. Review read fluently words, sentences, paragraphs.
Teach reading stories fast.
7. Say definitions of words:
a. Verbal definitions. “A farm is a plot of land where people live, and where
they grow food and animals, such as cows and chickens.”
b. Synonyms. “A farm is where food is grown.”
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where, how many, sequences.
b. Explanations and predictions. why, what will happen next.
c. Evaluations. feelings, motives, development, conflict, lessons.
Unit 3. Fluency, Stories, and Comprehension
4. Sound out new words before reading text that contains those words.
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
c. with suffixes. ing, ed, er
6. Review read fluently words, sentences, paragraphs, stories.
7. Say definitions of words:
a. Verbal definitions. “A farm is a plot of land where people live, and where
they grow food and animals, such as cows and chickens.”
b. Synonyms. “A farm is where food is grown.”
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where, how many, sequences.
b. Explanations and predictions. why, what will happen next.
c. Evaluations. feelings, motives, development, conflict, lessons.
Final performance: curriculum assessment; exit skills for my curriculum = entry skills for the next curriculum level. The final curriculum performance integrates all of the knowledge elements/objectives above.
Given end of first grade reading material that is 100% decodable (all letter-sounds and irregular words have been taught), 500 words, students will
1. Read at a rate of 60+ correct words per minute.
2. Read with no more than one error in 20 words (95% correct).
3. Answer 8 out of 10 questions that are descriptive, explanatory/predictive/
and evaluative.
Note: You need to develop a final performance assessment for each unit.
5. Now copy and paste relevant sections of your state’s curriculum into one big fat document. Get on the web and open the docs (“Common Core” and/or “Essential Standards”) for the subjects you’ll be teaching.
6. Now examine sections of the state curriculum that are relevant to each subject in your curriculum.
Paste these into your Curriculum Map UNDER your objectives.
My objectives. By the end of the curriculum, students will learn
Unit 1. Basics. Lessons 1-20
1. Blend compound, 2-syllable, and 1-syllable words.
Relevant State Objective.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2b Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
2. Segment 1-syllable words into their sounds.
3. Say the sound that goes with
a. Vowels and consonants.
b. Consonant blends. st, bl
Relevant State Objective.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
4. Sound out words
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
5. Read irregular words: the, said
6. Read fluently: letter-sounds, words, sentences.
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where,
how many, sequences.
Unit 2. Expansion. More letter-sounds, words, sentences. Lessons 21-50.
1. Review blend compound, 2-syllable, and 1-syllable words.
2. Review segment 1-syllable words into their sounds.
3. Review earlier taught sounds that go with
a. Vowels and consonants.
b. Consonant blends. st, bl
c. Digraphs. th, sh
Teach diphthongs. ou, oi, oy.
4. Sound out new words before reading text that contains those words.
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
c. with suffixes. ing, ed, er
5. Review read irregular words: the, said
Relevant State Objectives.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3g Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
6. Review read fluently words, sentences, paragraphs.
Teach reading stories first sounding out and second fast.
Add these from Common Core
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1a Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
Notice, the above list of print sentence features is not complete. Can you think of the MOST general print feature?....How about WORDS? Isn’t that the first thing to teach? “Boys and girls. I’ll read you a story. Look at this. These squiggles are words. Every one of these words SAYS something. Look at this word…It says, BEANS.”….etc. and so forth.
7. Say definitions of words:
a. Verbal definitions. “A farm is a plot of land where people live, and where
they grow food and animals, such as cows and chickens.”
b. Synonyms. “A farm is where food is grown.”
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where, how many, sequences.
b. Explanations and predictions. why, what will happen next.
c. Evaluations. feelings, motives, development, conflict, lessons.
Unit 3. Fluency, Stories, and Comprehension
4. Sound out new words before reading text that contains those words.
a. 1-syllable
b. 2-syllables
c. with suffixes. ing, ed, er
6. Review read fluently words, sentences, paragraphs, stories.
Relevant state objectives.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4b Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
Notice that that is three separate objectives. Should we state it as three?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
7. Say definitions of words:
a. Verbal definitions. “A farm is a plot of land where people live, and where
they grow food and animals, such as cows and chickens.”
b. Synonyms. “A farm is where food is grown.”
8. Ask and answer questions about text (comprehension).
a. Descriptions. who, what, when, where, how many, sequences.
b. Explanations and predictions. why, what will happen next.
c. Evaluations. feelings, motives, development, conflict, lessons.
Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories;
Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
Relevant state objectives
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.2Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.9Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories. Add this.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.1Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.2Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.3Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. Add this.
Final performance: curriculum assessment; exit skills for my curriculum = entry skills for the next curriculum level. The final curriculum performance integrates all of the knowledge elements/objectives above.
Given end of first grade reading material that is 100% decodable (all letter-sounds and irregular words have been taught), 500 words, students will
1. Read at a rate of 60+ correct words per minute.
2. Read with no more than one error in 20 words (95% correct).
3. Answer 8 out of 10 questions that are descriptive, explanatory/predictive/
and evaluative.
STATE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES
Examine these. Identify which are the same as YOURS; which are irrelevant or not needed; and which would be good ADDITIONS. Paste these additions into YOUR list, above.
English Language Arts Standards. Foundational Skills Grade 1 ELA-Literacy/RF/1
Note. The first objective for each area---the one that has just numerals (such as 1.1)---is a general objective. The specific objectives---to work on—are below the general one, and have numerals plus letters, such as 1.1a.
Print Concepts
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1a Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
Phonological Awareness
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2a Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
Not needed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2b Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2c Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
Not needed
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2d Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
Phonics and Word Recognition
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3a Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3c Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3d Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
Does anyone need to do this when reading? If not, do we need to teach it?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3e Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3f Read words with inflectional endings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3g Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Fluency
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4a Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4b Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
Notice that that is three separate objectives. Should we state it as three?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4c Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Note needed if you decode using letter-sound correspondence.
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.2Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.4Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.5Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.6Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
- (RL.1.8 not applicable to literature)
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.9Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.10With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade.
Key Ideas and Details
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.1Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.2Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.3Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.4Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.5Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.6Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.7Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.8Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.9Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.10With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
Decide:
a. Which state objectives are much the same as yours. Indicate this. For example,
My objective. “Students say compound, 2-syllable, and 1-syllable words fast (blend).
Common Core XXXX.”