Designing a Concept-Based Curriculum for English Language Arts

Foreword by H. Lynn Erickson Preface Acknowledgments Part I. Preparing for Curriculum Design 1. Curriculum Matters in Teaching and Learning Curriculum as the Master Plan What Is Concept-Based Curriculum? 2. The Components of a Concept-Based English Language Arts Curriculum Traditional Curriculum, Traditional Teaching From Traditionally Designed Curriculum to Concept-Based Curriculum Design The Relationship Between Knowledge and Process Understanding the Two Structures Support for These Structures Providing a Road Map for Instruction 3. Getting Started: Doing the Preliminary Work Leading Curriculum Change Assembling the Curriculum Leadership Team Review of Concept-Based Curriculum Summary Part II. An Introduction to the Design Process Assembling the Curriculum Writing Team The Role of the Leadership Team Unit Planning Pages 4. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 1 and 2 Step 1: Creating a Unit Title Step 2: Identifying a Conceptual Lens Summary 5. Designing the Curriculum: Step 3 Step 3: Creating the Unit Web Summary 6. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 4 and 5 Thinking and Understanding Step 4: Writing Generalizations Step 5: Writing Guiding Questions 7. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 6 and 7 Step 6: Determining Critical Content Step 7: Determining Key Skills Summary of Steps 6 and 7 8. Designing the Curriculum: Steps 8, 9, and 10 Step 8: Designing the Culminating Assessment Step 9: Suggesting Learning Experiences Step 10: Writing the Unit Overview Part III. What a Concept-Based Curriculum Looks Like 9. What Concept-Based English Language Arts Units Look Like A Sample Elementary English Language Arts Unit A Sample Middle School English Language Arts Unit A Sample High School English Language Arts Unit Summary 10. Voices From the Field References Index

"Lanning makes concept-based ELA curriculum writing extremely comprehensible for curriculum leaders and writers. Curriculum leaders will be able to use this book as a resource to provide training to curriculum writing teams. Curriculum writers will gain the knowledge and confidence necessary to forge ahead in designing concept-based ELA curriculum for their districts. I can envision using this edition with curriculum writing leaders in a 'book study', as a prerequisite to curriculum work." -- Rochelle DeMuccio, Coordinator, Language Arts and Reading "Lois Lanning offers teachers a practical, principled approach to designing a curriculum that will engage and enrich even as it addresses the core skills kids need if they are to succeed in and after school. Her experience and wisdom allow her to see the Big Picture when it comes to teaching kids about the Big Ideas we want them all to grapple with in the course of their time in schools." -- Jim Burke