Thinking About Curriculums

“This doesn’t sound radical” and “It’s actually logical” were my initial thoughts on backwards design. Understanding by Design (UbD) is not a new concept and it reflects research. So what’s new here? A step-by-step process and supplementary tools provided by Wiggins and McTighe are new. When teachers sit down to arrange and plan their curriculum, helpful steps and visual organizers now exist.

Before I read chapter one, I imagined that I was a first year teacher who was ready to start planning a curriculum. Where would I start? I would begin by looking at the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and write a list of the standards I was responsible for teaching. Next, I would spend lots of time researching and writing down ideas. I would have lots of questions for my new colleagues and mentors about their opinions or experience. I would spread myself so thin asking so many questions and overthinking every step. By using the UbD framework, my time spent planning would be more productive. I’d also be more confident about my curriculum because I would be focusing on learning goals, not the activities a colleague suggested or a book I want to incorporate by any means.

One of my favorite processes that Wiggins and McTighe suggest is using full sentences when planning, specifically when formulating an essential question. A detailed, well thought out plan is the goal so quick notes jotted down will not suffice.  This will help me create a solid curriculum as a new teacher.

A general question that came to mind after reading all about UbD is, how often should teachers plan a curriculum? I’m not talking about making updates each year to an old curriculum; I’m referring to major changes like learning goals. Should a teacher make changes to a curriculum if the CCSS and essential question doesn’t change? If not, the same curriculum can last 5-8 years or longer, right? Is that effective?

A Scavenger Hunt in Central Falls

What’s the name of the oldest health care provider in Central Falls?

Notre Dame Hospital. It was opened in 1925 and is located at 1000 Broad Street. (Picture of the entrance of Notre Dame Hospital.)

How many schools are in the city? Colleges and Universities?

There are 9 schools in the city. Only online colleges/universities serve the area. (Picture of Saint Ann - The only private school in CF.)

Is there a post office in town?

Yes! It is located at 575 Dexter Street.

Is there a movie theatre in town?

Unfortunately, no.

What are the public recreation facilities? Are there organized community sports teams?

Higginson Ave/Francis Corrigan Sports Complex, Macomber Stadium, Saul T./High St. Ball Field, and 4 playgrounds.

Yes. There are Football teams, Youth Soccer teams, Little League, Adult Basketball teams, Basketball Camp, Special Olympics Softball event, and Track & Field teams and events.

Are there public parks?

Yes! There is Lewis & Hunt Park, Pierce Park, River Island Park, and Jenk’s Park.

Name the 3 professional baseball players from Central Falls:

Max Surkont, Jim Siwy, and Charley Bassett.

She became wealthy during the Gold Rush of 1849, remembered her hometown, and donated $50,000 to build the most recognizable feature in the city. Who is she?

Caroline Cogswell!

She was a champion of the underdog and with the help of her husband she helped slaves escaping to Canada. Later she worked for the rights of woman. Who is she?

Elizabeth Buffum Chace

What else did you find?
There was a Pawtucket-Central Falls stop on the MBTA line until 1981. (Picture of the old train station on Barton st. in CF.)

The Reality of Teaching Reading

I am happy to know that a school like Best Practice High School exists. It was exciting to read about the fast-food project because the students responded strongly and that’s what I desire as a teacher. The Common Core State Standards seem intimidating, almost like they are demanding too much, but the way this project executed multiple requirements is impressive. It took creativity and an interdisciplinary team of senior teachers to make such a great learning experience that also checked off core standards. An important detail that helped me realize that the CCSS should be less intimidating is that they are goals, not a starting point. Still, I appreciated Daniels and Zemelman’s critique of the standards. The standards are helpful but lack consideration and revision.


Another great thing about BPHS is that they value deep reading in all content areas. The example of Mr. Cosgrove’s biology class was a sad but realistic instance of how other teachers often teach reading because it’s the way they were taught. In Teaching Adolescent Writers, Kelly Gallagher agrees that teaching reading and writing skills are usually seen as an English teacher’s job. In reality, literacy in all content areas is essential in student success. Students need to be taught how to read different material according to the content, such as Scientific Journals versus Poetry for example. Personally, as an English content major, Math would be a scary subject to teach because I am terrible at it. I wonder if Science, Math or other content majors feel the same way about teaching reading skills in their classrooms.