Course Assignment and Rubric
Curriculum Project
ED 503
Dr. Jennifer L. Martin
Syllabus Description
Part I: Using state standards, common core, or district curriculum for a chosen subject matter, map
and analyze curriculum for its strengths and limitations.
Part II: Create a unit according to best practices, global relevancy (21 st century skills), and culturally
responsive pedagogy (as described by Wiggins & McTighe, Hayes Jacobs, and Sleeter).
Specific Assignment Description:
Problem: According to Hayes Jacobs (2010), “I have often heard the catchphrase ‘standards, not
standardization.’ The implication is that teachers need latitude to help individual learners reach
proficiency targets. Yet, in practice, classroom experience too often locks in rigid standardization,
with an overemphasis on low-level testing and dated standards” (p. 9). Additionally, Sleeter informs
us that teacher expectations matter: both high-achieving and low-achieving students are more likely
to fail lower-level than upper-level courses and do better in upper level courses; oftentimes, low
expectations on the part of teachers stems from cultural mismatch and teacher-held stereotypes. To
wit, culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) or culturally relevant teaching is crucial. Gay (2000)
defines CRP as “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and
performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and
effective for them. It teaches to and through the strengths of these students” (as qtd, in Sleeter, p.
71). How can teachers and leaders make the standards “work for them” in terms of fulfilling the
following requirements: Taking the aforementioned curriculum dilemmas into account (set forth by
Hayes Jacobs, Sleeter, and Gay), how can we develop a curriculum using the principles highlighted in
UbD that is culturally responsive and 21st century focused, based upon high expectations and higher
order thinking skills?
Purpose: To use the principles of Understanding by Design to create a comprehensive curriculum
design plan; using standards as a starting point, create a culturally and 21st century relevant twoweek unit plan including (at least one) rubric(s) and a culminating assessment.
Audience: Critical friends and colleagues, expert reviewers, and eventually prospective employers.
Genre: Curriculum map (or similar); analysis essay (if applicable); two-week unit plan with rubric
and culminating assessment.
Process: Complete brainstorming activities, such as graphic organizers and curriculum maps, in
order to organize your thoughts; vet your ideas through your critical friends network; receive
feedback from your professor as well as from expert reviewer(s) in the field; implement and assess
your curriculum; conduct research on the effectiveness of your curriculum; reflect on strengths and
weaknesses of curriculum; readjust as needed; communicate findings to the group.
Course objectives assessed in this assignment:
Knowledge of
 Current educational issues and dilemmas
 Different instructional approaches, such as 21st century skills, multicultural education,
culturally responsive pedagogy, etc.
 Curriculum theory
 The key theories that have shaped the history of multicultural education in America
 The rights of students and teachers
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Skills in
 Scholarly writing
 Problem-solving in preparation for curriculum design
 Examination of personal commitment to teaching and research through reflection
 Rubric development
 Development of essential questions that are key to learning
 Identification of reliable indicators of academic success
 Development of key assessments
 Working successfully with critical friends: providing and utilizing constructive feedback to
classmates
 Working successfully with expert reviewers
Attitudes and Values
 Demonstration of professional behavior
 Understanding of education - envisioning self as teachers, learners, leaders
 Understanding the relationship between theory and practice
 Avoiding biases based on race, color, language, socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality, etc.
Step One: Pre-assessment Thinking
You have done some brainstorming, thought about curriculum dilemmas in your
field and in your planning, and completed the following graphic organizers: p. 71, p.
137, p. 193, p. 212. Are you focusing on a “big idea?”
Step Two: Curriculum Mapping or UbD Design
Map your curriculum; or analyze a pre-existing curriculum map used in your district
(if you choose the latter, you must also compose a two-page analysis of the strengths
and weaknesses of this document). (This is Part I as described in the syllabus.)
Step Three: Two-Week Unit with Rubric and Culminating Assessment
Create a two-week unit including at least one rubric and one (updated, as opposed
to dated) assessment. (This is Part II as described in the syllabus.)
Step Four: Vetting One
Vet your project through critical friends network, make necessary changes, then
submit to the professor
Step Four: Submit
After submitting, you will receive feedback from professor; then revise (if needed)
STEPS 1-4 SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 29
PARTS I AND II ARE DUE ON OCTOBER 29
NOW WHAT? LOOKING AHEAD: You will receive further direction on the
following steps in the coming weeks.
Step Five: Vetting Two
Submit your project to (at least one) expert reviewer(s) (e.g., experts in the field:
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colleagues, principal, curriculum director); revise (if needed)
Step Six: Implement Unit with Students
Reflect on strengths and weaknesses. You may want to utilize the Feedback Form
(Figure 11.8) on p. 272 to assist in gaining critical (and anonymous) feedback from
students.
Step Seven: Research
During the implementation phase, record your own field notes on what works and
what does not with your students. Take note of student reactions to lessons. What
were your dilemmas in the creation phase? In the implementation phase? Ask for
feedback. Note your own reactions on your successes and challenges.
Step Eight: Reflect
Write an informal reflection on this project. Reflect on the standards used: are they
valid? Are they student-friendly or do they need to be unpacked? Reflect on UbD.
Did it help you create a better unit plan? How did you incorporate 21st century
learning and multicultural education or culturally responsive teaching? Did you
grow throughout this process? What was the most valuable experience for you?
Describe how working with others and conducting research on your practice may
have assisted you throughout this process.
Step Nine: Articulate
Articulate your thoughts on the project from beginning to end in a more formalized
manner.
Step Ten: Post
Share the results of this process.
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Rubric for Steps Two and Three
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Scholarly
Tone
Project synthesizes key
concepts in curriculum
design, vocabulary;
application of
educational theory
Project applies some key
concepts in curriculum
design, vocabulary;
some application of
educational theory
No evidence
of meeting
standard
Design
Plan
Curriculum plan/map
applies established goals
(or standards) to create
essential questions and
understandings,
assessment evidence
(performance tasks),
and learning plans
(learning activities)
Unit Plan
Two-week plan
appropriately interprets
standards, reflects
conventions of UbD,
applies principles of
multicultural education
and 21st century skills,
reflects empathy in
design
Creates clear
expectations and
scoring, performance
tasks explicitly stated,
aesthetically pleasing,
student-friendly
language
Evaluates performance
tasks and enduring
understandings,
incorporates higherorder thinking skills,
uses student-friendly
language
Curriculum plan/map
utilizes established goals
(or standards) to create
adequate essential
questions and
understandings,
assessment evidence
(performance tasks),
and learning plans
(learning activities)
Demonstrates some
conventions of UbD
demonstrates sensitivity
to multicultural
education and 21st
century skills, attempts
empathy in design
Approaching basic for
understanding key
concepts in curriculum
design, vocabulary;
minimal application of
educational theory
Approaching basic
standard for
understanding established
goals (or standards) to
create essential questions
and understandings,
assessment evidence
(performance tasks), and
learning plans (learning
activities)
Approaching basic
standard for conventions
of UbD demonstrates
sensitivity to multicultural
education and 21st century
skills
Approaching basic
standard for providing
expectations and scoring,
performance tasks
explicitly stated, studentfriendly language
No evidence
of meeting
standard
Approaching basic
standard in the
development of
performance tasks and
enduring understandings,
and higher-order thinking
skills
No evidence
of meeting
standard
Rubric
Assessment
Adequate expectations
and scoring,
performance tasks
explicitly stated,
aesthetically pleasing,
student-friendly
language
Performance tasks and
enduring
understandings,
higher-order thinking
skills, student-friendly
language are adequate
No evidence
of meeting
standard
No evidence
of meeting
standard
Total Points Possible: 20
Translation of numeric categories:
4: Exceeds expectations
3: Meets expectations
2: Approaching expectations
1: Does not meet expectations
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