Creating QualityCreating QualityCurriculumCurriculum

for for Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

Cindy SheetsCindy Sheets

KGTC 2008KGTC 2008cindysheets@smsd.orgcindysheets@smsd.org

OverviewOverview

What is curriculum?What is curriculum? What is justifiable gifted curriculum?What is justifiable gifted curriculum? What are the components of quality curriculum?What are the components of quality curriculum? What makes curriculum a good fit for gifted What makes curriculum a good fit for gifted

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

learners?learners? (Is it possible to learn and have fun at the same (Is it possible to learn and have fun at the same

time?)time?)

Fluff ’n StuffFluff ’n Stuff

Justifiable CurriculumJustifiable CurriculumMeet the needs of gifted learnersMeet the needs of gifted learnersDifferentiated from general curriculum, but Differentiated from general curriculum, but

based on core concepts/skillsbased on core concepts/skillsEmbed skills in a larger curriculum – not Embed skills in a larger curriculum – not

isolatedisolatedGifted facilitators as leaders in curriculum Gifted facilitators as leaders in curriculum

design and modificationdesign and modification

What KIND of Curriculum is Best What KIND of Curriculum is Best for Gifted Learners?for Gifted Learners?

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 CurriculumMultiple Menu Model Multiple Menu Model

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

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

guide students in masteryguide students in mastery key information, ideas, and the fundamental skills of the discipline.key information, ideas, and the fundamental skills of the discipline.

help students grapple with complex and ambiguous issues and help students grapple with complex and ambiguous issues and problems.problems.

move students from a novice to an expert level of in the move students from a novice to an expert level of in the disciplines.disciplines.

provide students opportunities for original work in the disciplines.provide students opportunities for original work in the disciplines.

help students encounter, accept, and ultimately embrace help students encounter, accept, and ultimately embrace challenge in learningchallenge in learning

prepare students for a world in which knowledge prepare students for a world in which knowledge expands and changes at a dizzying pace. expands and changes at a dizzying pace.

help students determine constants in the past help students determine constants in the past and in themselves while helping them prepare and in themselves while helping them prepare for a changing world.for a changing world.

help students develop a sense of themselves as help students develop a sense of themselves as well as their possibilities in the world in which well as their possibilities in the world in which they live. they live.

be compelling and satisfying enough to be compelling and satisfying enough to encourage students to persist in developing their encourage students to persist in developing their capacities.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 think discovering techniques to help students think beyond the facts. With a student population that beyond the facts. 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 if they persist, students will begin teachers, but if they persist, students will begin to understand that facts relate to bigger ideas.” to understand that 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!

Checking the “Standards”Checking the “Standards”

Are they really just objectives?Are they really just objectives?Skill based, instead of concept-based?Skill based, instead of concept-based?Discreet skill instead of big ideas?Discreet skill instead of big ideas?

Do they challenge students to go beyond Do they challenge students to go beyond factual thinking – knowledge and factual thinking – knowledge and comprehension?comprehension?

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 student to know, What do you want student 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 understandingProvides transferable learningProvides transferable learningProvides structure for studentsProvides structure for studentsPromotes higher-level thinkingPromotes higher-level thinkingLess emphasis on factsLess emphasis on factsMotivation!Motivation!

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

What are the principles or concepts we What are the principles or concepts we can explore?can explore?

What are the essential questions that can What are the essential questions that can be asked about these concepts?be asked about these concepts?

What content would best illustrate these What content would best illustrate these concepts?concepts?

Which processes should be taught or Which processes should be taught or applied?applied?

What types of skills will students need to What types of skills will students need to be able to demonstrate?be able to demonstrate?

What instructional products might be used What instructional products might be used to demonstrate understandings?to demonstrate understandings?

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

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

Understanding big ideas in content is Understanding big ideas in content is central to the work of studentscentral to the work of students

Students can only find and make meaning Students can only find and make meaning when they are asked to inquire, think at when they are asked to inquire, think at high levels, and solve problems.high levels, and solve problems.

Students should be expected to apply Students should be expected to apply knowledge and skills in meaningful tasks knowledge and skills in meaningful tasks within authentic contexts.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

Embedded within the curriculumEmbedded within the curriculum

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

Would you like to be a Would you like to be a Paleontologist?Paleontologist?

FossilsFossilsMy, how dinosaurs have changedMy, how dinosaurs have changedCareersCareersCreate-a-saurusCreate-a-saurusMuseumMuseum (Evolution)(Evolution)The Big DigThe Big Dig

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 or other year themes or other

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?

More, More, More . . . More, More, More . . .

Mock TrialMock TrialGeneticsGenetics

Bridge BuildingBridge BuildingArtifact ExchangeArtifact Exchange

SeminarsSeminarsMessages From Space (Astrobiology)Messages From Space (Astrobiology)

Archaeology (DIG) (Interact)Archaeology (DIG) (Interact)Video ProductionVideo Production

RoboticsRobotics

Middle School ExamplesMiddle School Examples

Middle School Curriculum planningMiddle School Curriculum planningPrinciplesPrinciplesTemplateTemplateExampleExample

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