MIT Class of 2004
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
COLLABORATIVE UNIT PLANNING
Major Goals:
1. Group members will develop knowledge through experience that will
support them in becoming effective, creative designers of curricula and
knowledgeable adaptors of existing curricula based on a developmental,
anti-bias approach to teaching and learning.
As one part of this experience, they will learn to develop long term goals
appropriate for their students -- and the learning experiences that lead to
these goals -- both for school-specified curriculum and teacher-developed
thematic units.
2. Group members will gain experience in collaboratively creating a thematic
unit that may be implemented during student teaching. This unit will be
based on a developmental perspective, the MIT’s Principles of Curriculum
Development, and the anti-bias perspectives studied this year.
Final Project:
1. A collaboratively developed, in groups of at least 2 or no more than 3
students, two-week (elementary-- full day) or three-week (middle and high
school -- subject-specific) thematic, integrated unit that could be used
during student teaching. See guidelines on attached Thematic Unit
Requirements matrix.
These plans will incorporate ideas to accommodate differing
developmental needs and physical challenges, to expand learning styles,
and to make use of art, music, drama, storytelling and/or other approaches
that acknowledge multiple intelligences and cultural diversity.
2. Final presentation of a single lesson with related EALR’s, by curriculum
teams. Introduction to the presentation will include an overview of the
unit’s conceptual analysis and content web. Display of curriculum units
during end of the quarter presentations. This will serve as our Curriculum
Fair.
Notes: Each grade band group will be given guidelines for including additional
specific types of lessons in their unit plans.
The attached assessment forms for all teams are to be included at the front of
the curriculum unit that they submit. The items listed under the “Thematic Unit
Requirements”, “Teacher Candidate’s Knowledge Based Criteria” and “Teacher
Candidate’s Skills Based Criteria” must be addressed in each team’s unit project.
Each team must identify the location of each item by page number(s) for the
faculty reader in the final curriculum plan that is submitted.
Criteria for Assessing Curriculum Unit Plan
Thematic Unit Requirements
(These are the components that need to be in your unit.)
Thematic Unit
Includes
Statement of purpose
and major goals
Descriptive sketch of
anticipated
characteristics of
students with whom you
will be working -- age
range, probable
developmental level,
socioeconomic and
ethnic groups, differing
developmental and
physical needs
Brief description of
classroom management
plan(s) or approaches
you intend to use
Conceptual network
web or diagram
(see attached Sample)
Theme and content
possibilities web or
diagram
(see attached Sample)
Web or statement of
examples of students'
likely pre-existing
concepts about what
you plan to explore
Daily two-week (or
three-week) plan of
goals (include EALR’s),
objectives, procedures,
materials, teaching
strategies you plan on
using e.g. small groups,
individual research,
learning stations,
teacher presentation,
experiment, hands-on
exploration, etc.
Sample of reading
lesson appropriate to
Location in
Curriculum Unit
(page #'s)
Faculty Comments
grade level and content
area requirements.*
Sample of writing lesson
appropriate to your
grade level and content
area.*
Sample of lesson using
learning stations
Sample of lesson
designed as a workshop
Sample of assignment
using Internet sites
Example of at least one
pre-assessment,
formative (i.e. ongoing)
and summative
assessment (i.e. post),
including a rubric
An annotated
bibliography of trade
books to read with unit
An annotated
bibliography of Internet
sites appropriate for the
unit
* For middle and highschool students in all content areas, each teacher candidate on
the team must develop a reading and writing lesson individually. The team can,
however, collaborate on their design of the rest of the unit.
Criteria for Assessing Curriculum Unit Plan
Teacher Candidates Knowledge Base
(i.e. Assessing thinking and knowledge that you tap into when constructing the thematic unit.)
Curriculum Reflects
Knowledge of:
Examples from
Curriculum Unit
(page #'s)
Faculty Comments
Human development
learning theories
Age and content
appropriate methods
and materials
Principles of
integrated curriculum
Authentic assessment
Classroom organization,
structure, dynamics
Multicultural
perspectives throughout
curriculum
Culturally responsive
pedagogy that reflects
students’ cultures and
languages
Multiple Intelligences
Learning styles and
multiple modalities
Modification for special
needs and ability levels
Cooperative learning
Classroom
management
approaches
Criteria for Assessing Curriculum Unit Plan
Teacher Candidate Skills Base
(i.e. How you integrate your knowledge base and apply it to your practice)
Curriculum Reflects
Following Skills:
Identifies major goals
(include EALR’s)/desired
learning outcomes (i.e.
achievement targets)
Creates stimulating
environments based on
students’ own lives and
interests, drawing new
interests out of students,
and creating classroom
conditions that connect
subjects meaningfully to
real life. – e.g., applying
culture, age, learning style
appropriate strategies.
Preassesses student
knowledge and
understanding of topic
Facilitates active, inquirybased learning, poses
problems and questions
(i.e. disequilibration)
Creates elaboration
procedures and guidelines
for learning activities that
provide scaffolding for the
development of student
understanding
Creates opportunities for
students to reflect on their
experience and crystallize
their new concepts
Designs and structures
developmentally
appropriate learning
experiences – using
various modalities, styles
or intelligences.
Teaches reading and
writing skills as they relate
to subject matter
Builds community in the
classroom
Reflects attention to equity
issues in the classroom
Examples from
Curriculum Unit
(page #'s)
Faculty Comments
Leads students to
appropriate resources
Helps students set own
goals and self-evaluate
Provides teacher with
information about student
progress toward desired
learning outcomes
(achievement targets).