When students in urban settings confront curriculum or pedagogy that is not responsive to their diverse learning experiences, the result is underachievement. Educators, parents, and teachers recognize that meeting the needs of academic, cultural, economic and linguistic diversity among learners occurs when their individual diversity is met with a diverse curriculum.The Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) is designed to be responsive to different populations in different contexts. PCM implementation in heterogeneous classrooms assists students in demonstrating abilities that are not visible when the traditional, or regular rubric, is used. The authors provide lessons that show educators how to reinforce basic content, connect previously and newly acquired content to form new understandings, and affirm a student's identity as a scholar. Using the Parallel Curriculum Model in Urban Settings, Grades K-8 provides educators in urban settings with detailed parallel curriculum lessons and strategies to enhance the learning experience of diverse students.

'The Parallel Curriculum Model helps teachers not only strengthen their knowledge and pedagogy, but also rediscover a passion for their discipline based on their deeper, more connected understanding. Our students think critically and deeply at a level I have never before witnessed.'uTony Poole, PrincipalSky Vista Middle School, Aurora, CO'What makes this book unique is its insistence on the development of conceptual understanding of content and its focus on the abilities, interests, and learning preferences of each student.'uH. Lynn Erickson, Educational ConsultantAuthor of Stirring the Head, Heart, and Soul'The approach honors the integrity of the disciplines while remaining responsive to the diversity of learners that teachers encounter.'uJay McTighe, Educational ConsultantCoauthor of Understanding by DesignEngage students with a rich curriculum that strengthens their capacity as learners and thinkers!Based on the premise that every learner is somewhere on a path toward expertise in a content area, this resource promotes a curriculum model for developing the abilities of all students and extending the abilities of students who perform at advanced levels. The Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) offers four curriculum parallels that incorporate the element of Ascending Intellectual Demand to help teachers determine current student performance levels and develop intellectual challenges to move learners along a continuum toward expertise. Updated throughout and reflecting state and national content standards, this new edition:Helps teachers design learning experiences that develop PreKu12 learners' analytical, critical, and creative thinking skills in each subject areaProvides a framework for planning differentiated curriculumIncludes examples of curriculum units, sample rubrics, and tables to help implement the PCM modelThe Parallel Curriculum effectively promotes educational equity and excellence by ensuring that all students are adequately challenged and supported through a multidimensional, high-quality curriculum.

The Parallel Curriculum Model in the Classroom, Book 2 contains a series of essays designed to further develop key ideas from the original book, including model guidelines, applications, and experiences from high quality educators that have utilized the Parallel Curriculum Model. The book presents curriculum units that were developed by using the PCM. The units included in the book represent primary, elementary, middle and high school. Disciplines include social studies, science, art, and language arts.