Exploring Orientations to Coherent Curriculum

Due by March 3, 2025

This module is all about exploring orientations to curriculum and how this might impact learners. We define curriculum as a standards-based sequence of planned experiences in which learners have the opportunity to practice and achieve proficiency in content and skills.

Step 1: Read + Reflect

Take a look at this chapter from Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices. What are the characteristics of a 'good' science curriculum? Head over to this document and list one characteristic per bullet point. If someone has already listed your characteristic, add a mark or a 'me too' to the bullet point.

Step 2: Watch + Apply

Watch this brief (3 minute) video on the three types of curricula. Think: What are the three types? Where have you seen these in your teaching/learning experiences?

Then head to this document to apply what you learned in the video.

Step 3: Read + Apply

Read this brief (4 page) article from NSTA which discusses the perils of the nature of science (NOS) remaining hidden. Then head to this slide deck to apply what you learned.

Step 4: Case Studies

The NGSS Appendix D describes how the standards themselves as well as utilizing particular instructional strategies can make science more accessible to all learners. To accompany Appendix D, there are seven case studies of various student populations that are typically marginalized in science. Your task is to read one of the case studies and then head to this document to reflect.

Step 5: Read + Ruminate

Read the article "Ending Curriculum Violence" from the Learning For Justice organization. This article speaks specifically to curriculum violence related to race and ethnicity, but curriculum violence can happen to any demographic or population. No need to respond publicly, but we invite you to ruminate on these questions:

In what ways have you seen curriculum violence play out in your schooling, the schooling of others close to you, in the news, etc?
Thinking of the science curriculum in your school system, are there activities that may be promoting curriculum violence?
How might you incorporate learning around the prevention and remediation of curriculum violence into your support of teachers?

In our next synchronous session on March 3rd, we will be looking at our curricula, so make sure to have these accessible/available to you.

Page updated

Report abuse