Creating QualityCreating QualityCurriculumCurriculum

for for Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

Cindy SheetsCindy Sheets

ALPS 2011ALPS 2011

cindys2449@aol.comcindys2449@aol.com816-525-7046816-525-7046

Access to PresentationAccess to Presentation

http://cindysheets.weebly.comhttp://cindysheets.weebly.comGoogle Docs for ALM 2011Google Docs for ALM 2011

CurriculumCurriculum

ComponentsComponents

GiftedGifted

What makes curriculum good for life-long What makes curriculum good for life-long learners?learners?

CurriculumCurriculum

The planned interaction of pupils The planned interaction of pupils with instructional content, with instructional content, materials, resources, and materials, resources, and

processes for evaluating the processes for evaluating the attainment of educational attainment of educational

objectivesobjectives

What KIND of Curriculum is Best?What KIND of Curriculum is Best?

Content Based Curriculum Content Based Curriculum (Joyce Van-Tassel Baska)(Joyce Van-Tassel Baska)

Parallel Curriculum Model Parallel Curriculum Model (Carol Tomlinson et al.)(Carol Tomlinson et al.)

Concept-Based Curriculum Concept-Based Curriculum (H. Lynn Erickson)(H. Lynn Erickson)

Problem-Based CurriculumProblem-Based Curriculum Multiple Menu Model Multiple Menu Model

(Renzulli et al.)(Renzulli et al.)

Some Underlying Assumptions About Curriculum Some Underlying Assumptions About Curriculum . .

complex and ambiguous issues and problemscomplex and ambiguous issues and problems

move students from novice to expertmove students from novice to expert

original work in the disciplinesoriginal work in the disciplines

embrace challenge in learningembrace challenge in learning

prepare students for change prepare students for change

sense of themselves and their possibilities sense of themselves and their possibilities

be compelling and satisfying enough be compelling and satisfying enough to encourage students to persist in to encourage students to persist in

developing their capacitiesdeveloping their capacities

((The Parallel Curriculum Model, Carol Tomlinson et al.)The Parallel Curriculum Model, Carol Tomlinson et al.)

““Teachers who are beginning to implement Teachers who are beginning to implement concept-process curriculum models are concept-process curriculum models are discovering techniques to help students discovering techniques to help students think think beyond the factsbeyond the facts. With a student population that . With a student population that has been trained to think more about facts than has been trained to think more about facts than ideas, the transition can be difficult. It takes ideas, the transition can be difficult. It takes patience and perseverance on the part of the patience and perseverance on the part of the teachers, but teachers, but if they persist, students will begin if they persist, students will begin to understand to understand that facts relate to bigger ideasthat facts relate to bigger ideas.”.”

((H. Lynn Erickson, Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction)H. Lynn Erickson, Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction)

What about Standards and What about Standards and Objectives?Objectives?

And those TESTS!And those TESTS!

Questions to ask yourself . . .Questions to ask yourself . . .

What do you really mean when you say What do you really mean when you say “I’m teaching a unit on __________”?“I’m teaching a unit on __________”?

Why are you teaching a unit on ______?Why are you teaching a unit on ______?What is the “big idea” or important lesson What is the “big idea” or important lesson

you want students to understand from this you want students to understand from this topic or unit?topic or unit?

What do you want students to know, What do you want students to know, understand or be able to do?understand or be able to do?

Concept Based Curriculum ++Concept Based Curriculum ++

Promotes greater depth of understandingPromotes greater depth of understanding Provides transferable learningProvides transferable learning Provides structure for studentsProvides structure for students Promotes higher-level thinkingPromotes higher-level thinking

Less emphasis on factsLess emphasis on facts Motivation!Motivation!

Designing Curriculum Starting Designing Curriculum Starting From the Big IdeaFrom the Big Idea

principles or conceptsprinciples or concepts

essential questionsessential questions

content to best convey content to best convey

conceptsconcepts

which process works bestwhich process works best

What skills will students need?What skills will students need?

What content or activities might be used to What content or activities might be used to demonstrate understandings?demonstrate understandings?

What activities will help the students What activities will help the students “uncover” the “big idea?”“uncover” the “big idea?”

NAGC Curriculum StandardsNAGC Curriculum Standards

Newly revised – outcomes basedNewly revised – outcomes based

Available on the NAGC website and in Available on the NAGC website and in written form as wellwritten form as well

Structure of KnowledgeStructure of Knowledge

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts

Facts

Principles

Generalizations

Theory

Topic

Concepts Concepts

Topic

Teaching for Meaning and Teaching for Meaning and UnderstandingUnderstanding

big ideasbig ideas inquire, think at high levels, and solve inquire, think at high levels, and solve

problems.problems.apply knowledge and skills in meaningful apply knowledge and skills in meaningful

tasks within authentic contextstasks within authentic contexts

Ten Components of a Comprehensive Ten Components of a Comprehensive Curriculum Unit*Curriculum Unit*

* As outlined in “The Parallel Curriculum Model” by Tomlinson, et al., 2002

• Content

• Assessment

• Introduction

• Teaching Strategies

• Learning Activities

• Grouping Strategies

• Products

• Resources

• Extension Activities

• Modification

Does that Make it Gifted?Does that Make it Gifted? Is it differentiated?Is it differentiated?

Is it adapted, modified, or a replacement of general Is it adapted, modified, or a replacement of general education curricula?education curricula?

Is the pace a match to gifted learners?Is the pace a match to gifted learners?

Are there opportunities to extend or go beyond the basic unit Are there opportunities to extend or go beyond the basic unit or curriculum?or curriculum?

Are there opportunities to explore personal areas of interest, Are there opportunities to explore personal areas of interest, or to highlight personal strength areas?or to highlight personal strength areas?

Does it demand sufficient depth and higher level thinking – Does it demand sufficient depth and higher level thinking – not based just on “factual” learning?not based just on “factual” learning?

What About the Affective Domain?What About the Affective Domain?

CreativityCreativityCreative productionCreative productionCreative problem solvingCreative problem solving

Understanding of SelfUnderstanding of Self Intrapersonal skillsIntrapersonal skills

Social Skills and InteractionsSocial Skills and Interactions Intrapersonal skillsIntrapersonal skills

ORIENTATION

IND

IVID

UA

L

DE

VE

LO

PME

NT

ENRICHMENTSEMINARS

IN-D

EPT

H

STU

DY

ALM

The Five Dimensions of the

Autonomous Learner Model

Using the Dimensions of ALMUsing the Dimensions of ALMto Design Differentiated Lessonsto Design Differentiated Lessons

Content = a representative topic based in Content = a representative topic based in aa

disciplinediscipline

Process = Autonomous Learner Model Process = Autonomous Learner Model

Environment = ALM Program StandardsEnvironment = ALM Program Standards ALM Program StandardsALM Program Standards

Product = Life-Long Learners Product = Life-Long Learners (Autonomous Learners)(Autonomous Learners)

Put the Horse before the Cart . .Put the Horse before the Cart . .Before you can differentiate Before you can differentiate

effectively:effectively:

You need to have quality core curriculum You need to have quality core curriculum You must agree on the “big ideas” and You must agree on the “big ideas” and

lessons students need to know, lessons students need to know, understand, and be able to do understand, and be able to do

You must understand the principles and You must understand the principles and concepts at the heart of the learning you concepts at the heart of the learning you expect from studentsexpect from students

Middle School ExamplesMiddle School Examples

Middle School Curriculum planningMiddle School Curriculum planningPrinciplesPrinciplesExampleExample

Curriculum Components/ALMCurriculum Components/ALM

Use Dimensions of the ALM and Ten Use Dimensions of the ALM and Ten elements of quality curriculum to develop elements of quality curriculum to develop

the structure of the curriculum unitthe structure of the curriculum unit

ALM and Curriculum ComponentsALM and Curriculum Components

ExamplesExamples

Endangered SpeciesEndangered SpeciesWestward Movement (Pioneers)Westward Movement (Pioneers)

Creative WritingCreative WritingTemplateTemplate

Two UnitsTwo Units

Awake Curiosity!Awake Curiosity!

PaleontologyPaleontology

Why Paleontology? Why Puzzles?

• Theories change over time

•Inquiry science process skills

• Understand the nature of science

•Practice methodologies and skills used in the discipline

• Science is a process of putting together puzzle pieces until the “big picture” becomes more clear

Tyrannosaurus Charles Knight

The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins

Make-a-SaurusMy Life with Raptors and Other Dinosaurs

Bambiraptor – KU Museum of Natural History

From the Farmer’s Field to From the Farmer’s Field to the White Housethe White House

More than fun with fruits and More than fun with fruits and vegetablesvegetables

A Unit for Fourth A Unit for Fourth gradersgraders Data collection and Data collection and

analysis; graphinganalysis; graphing Creative skillsCreative skills Propaganda and Propaganda and

PersuasionPersuasion Tie in to electionTie in to election

year themes year themes

What are we Learning?What are we Learning? Surveys & questionsSurveys & questions DemographicsDemographics Data collectionData collection OrganizationOrganization Graphs and ChartsGraphs and Charts Analysis, EvaluationAnalysis, Evaluation ResearchResearch Ad appealsAd appeals Creative productionCreative production Presentation skillsPresentation skills Creative language and Creative language and

persuasionpersuasion Technology skillsTechnology skills

Is that on the Test?Is that on the Test?

The Parallel Curriculum: A Design to Develop High Potential and Challenge High-Ability Learners, Carol Tomlinson, et al, Corwin Press, 2002

Understanding by Design, Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, ASCD 1998

Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching Beyond the Facts, by H. Lynn Erickson, Corwin Press, 2002

The Multiple Menu Model: A Practical Guide for Developing Differentiated Curriculum, by Joseph Renzulli, Jann Leppien, and Tom Hays, Creative Learning Press, 2000

Content-Based Curriculum for High Ability Learners, by Joyce Van-Tassel Baska (with Catherine A. Little) 2002

Resources and References

The Autonomous Learner Model, by George Betts and Jolene Kircher, Alps Publishing, 1999