At the heart of education are two fundamental questions: What should we teach? and How should we teach it? Educators striving to design and deliver the best-possible learning experiences can feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. To help them make these critical decisions, Angela Di Michele Lalor identifies five key priorities of a curriculum that matters-practices, deep thinking, social and emotional learning, civic engagement and discourse, and equity. Emphasizing the importance of schools' determining their own path forward, Lalor provides a framework for action by * Describing how each element contributes to a rigorous, meaningful curriculum, * Providing strategies for incorporating each element into daily instruction and assessment, and * Offering reflection activities to identify strengths, needs, and possible next steps. With insightful observations, research-based background information, and real-world examples from a variety of schools and districts, Making Curriculum Matter presents teachers and administrators with a path for reaching their most important overall goal: to provide comprehensive, meaningful learning to all students.

We know that curriculum is the core of the classroom experience, but what makes a quality curriculum? How can educators be sure that what they teach is strongly aligned to the specific standards that their district or school has adopted? What kinds of lessons, learning experiences, and assessments are most effective, and how should they be embedded within the curriculum? You'll find the answers to these and many other questions in this definitive, step-by-step guide to curriculum design and evaluation. Drawing from her work with teachers and administrators to facilitate curriculum development, Angela Di Michele Lalor offers targeted advice and real-life examples from elementary and secondary units of study across a variety of content areas and standards, as well as field-tested rubrics, protocols, and other tools. She provides criteria for evaluating each component of a curriculum and end-of-chapter checklists to help you ensure that the criteria are met. Relevant to anyone who is creating or revising curriculum, or evaluating options among published alternatives, Ensuring High-Quality Curriculum is a comprehensive and accessible roadmap to developing a solid foundation for teaching and learning-and better results in the classroom.