Concept Based Curriculum and
Instruction
What You Need to Know
Session Objectives and Learning
Targets
Objective
 Understand how conceptbased curriculum and
instruction can be used to
improve student learning
across content areas.
 Discuss how to implement and
provide feedback relating to
concept based curriculum and
instruction.
Learning Targets
 Demonstrate an understanding
of concept based curriculum
and instruction.
 share all information and
resources from this session
with the leaders and teachers
within LEAs and schools.
NCDPI K-12 Social Studies Team
Section Chief
Fay Gore
fay.gore@dpi.nc.gov
K-12 Consultants:
Ann Carlock
Ann.Carlock@dpi.nc.gov
Justyn Knox
Justyn.Knox@dpi.nc.gov
Dr. Steve Masyada
Stephen.Masyada@dpi.nc.gov
Michelle McLaughlin
Michelle.Mclaughlin@dpi.nc.gov
Program Assistant
Bernadette Cole
bernadette.cole@dpi.nc.gov
Ground Rules
A few agreements for our time together:
 Place electronic devices on vibrate or off
 Participate fully
 Limit side-bar conversations
 Respectfully disagree
Any additional suggestions from
participants?
Questions and Comments:
https://todaysmeet.com/SI14CBCI
Questions to Drive the Brain!
• What is concept based
curriculum and
instruction?
• What is the difference
between teaching
concepts and teaching
conceptually?
• What should you see and
hear in a concept based
classroom?
• What is the most
important type of
knowledge within concept
based curriculum and
instruction?
• What kind of
assessments should we
see in a concept-based
classroom?
What Is Concept-based Curriculum And
Instruction?
The Concept-Based Curriculum & Instructional
Framework is …
•A three-dimensional design model that allows
teachers to identify what is important for students to
know, understand, and be able to do in an organized,
planned unit of instruction that promotes student
engagement and thinking.
•During the instruction, teachers use concepts as a tool
to help students see patterns and connections
between facts and related ideas in order to reach a
deeper understanding of the content.
You must have a plan!
Trying to teach in the 21st century without
conceptual schema for knowledge is like
trying to build a house without a blueprint.
(Erickson, 2002, p. 8)
Let’s Observe Two Classrooms
Guiding Questions
1.What behaviors did you see the teacher exhibiting during
this lesson?
2.What behaviors did you see the students exhibiting
during this lesson?
3.How did the students respond to the teaching and
learning experience?
4.Can you connect anything you learned about the shifts to
what you observed in the clip?
Classroom #1
Guiding Questions
1.What behaviors did you see the teacher exhibiting during this
lesson?
2.What behaviors did you see the students exhibiting during this
lesson?
3.How did the students respond to the teaching and learning
experience?
4.Can you connect anything you learned about the shifts to what you
observed in the clip?
5.What are the differences between the traditional classroom and this
lesson experience?
Classroom #2
What Did You See?
• Based on the videos, what should you see
in a concept based classroom?
• Think of how these might be turned into an
observation protocol!
Unit Design
What is a principle/generalization in
concept-based curriculum and instruction?
Two or more concepts in a
relationship...
Concept
Concept
 CONCEPTUAL IDEAS THAT TRANSFER
 DEVELOP “DEEP UNDERSTANDING’’
What do I understand as a result of my study
that I can transfer?
What is the difference between a
concept and a topic?
“[A concept is] a mental construct that
frames a set of
examples sharing common attributes.”
- H. Lynn Erickson
Concepts are…




Timeless
Universal
Transferable
Abstract and broad (to
various degrees)
 Examples share common
attributes
 Represented by 1-2
words
Generalizations or Principles
may also be called…
 Essential Understandings
 Enduring Understandings
 “Big Ideas”
Students will understand
that:
 War may alter the
physical and human
geography of a place.
 The population of
a species will grow to
fill any available
habitat to which it
can adapt.
 Repetition of lines
can imply texture or
pattern.
Common Errors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Use of past tense verbs or proper nouns which makes
them facts instead of generalizations or principles
Use of proper nouns or pronouns
Only one concept represented
Use of value statements
Lack of clarity (poor word choice or sentence
construction)
Use of level 1 verbs: impact, affect, influence, is, are,
have (need to scaffold)
Evaluating Generalizations and Principles
 Do the ideas should grow in sophistication?
 Do the ideas become clearer from level to level because they are
more specific (use more specific micro concepts)?
 Did the writers answer their question at each level?
 Did the writer avoid using impacts, influences, affects?
 Are the verbs active and present tense?
 Are the ideas based in fact? (Use “often,” “can,” and “may” if not
true all the time, but still important)?
 Are the ideas developmentally appropriate?
Two or more concepts in a
relationship...
War
Resources
War may decrease the availability of resources.
Two or more concepts in a
relationship...
Organisms
niches
habitat
Organisms may occupy specific niches in
a habitat.
Two or more concepts in a
relationship...
Social injustice
submit
revolt
People
People faced with social injustice may
choose to submit or revolt.
So…
• How does a typical generalization or
principle differ from factual knowledge and
skills?
• Do you still NEED factual knowledge and
skills to get to the Big Ideas?
What Do You Need to Do
• Impediments to
change?
• Site based learning
teams
• SHARED VISION AND
COMMON FOCUS
• Staff development and
support
• Performance Tasks and
other assessments
District curriculum
provides:
– Clear expectations
– Common focus for
professional
conversations
– A criteria for selecting
resources
– A basis for decision
making
– Ongoing engagement
with community
members (p. 119)
Let’s Wrap It Up…
Respond in Today’s Meet
(https://todaysmeet.com/SI14CBCI):
• Based on our conversation today, is concept-based
curriculum and instruction ‘doable’ in your district or
school?
• Do you already do this in your district or school?
• What strategies do you/can you use to implement
concept based curriculum and instruction in your district
or school?
• What other questions, comments, or concerns do you
have?
Resources
• Social Studies CBCI Wiki:
http://cbci.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/
• Social Studies CBCI-Related Webinars:
http://ssnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/SS+Webin
ar+Series
• Concept Based Curriculum and Instruction for
the Thinking Classroom (H. Lynn Erikson)
• Transitioning to Concept-Based Curriculum
and Instruction (H. Lynn Erikson, Lois A.
Lanning)