Curriculum Handbooks
Collaboration for Excellence: The North Dakota Curriculum Project
The total set of publications includes twelve separate handbooks. It should be emphasized that the processes suggested in these handbooks are recommendations, not mandates. The authors value the ability of North Dakota educators to develop their own processes that reflect the needs and resources of their schools.
Currently, you may download the handbooks in either WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, or pdf.
Laying the Foundations
1. Seeing the Big Picture
This handbook describes the project’s vision of an excellent curriculum, the timeline for the project, how the project was initiated, and key terms used in the project.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
2. Organizing and Planning for the Curriculum
This handbook suggests an organizational strategy for curriculum work and a long-term planning calendar for developing curricula.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
3. Evaluating the Curriculum
This handbook presents the nine types of curricula and gives a process for evaluating five of the curricula types: written, taught, tested, supported, and learned.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
4. Auditing the Curriculum
This handbook explains how to (a)conduct a do-it-yourself curriculum audit, (b) organize for the audit, (c) identify audit issues, and (d) conduct the audit.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
Providing Leadership
5. Providing Leadership at the District Level
his handbook discusses the importance of district leadership (from the superintendent and the school board) in the area of curriculum, defines the district-level curriculum responsibilities, and indicates how these responsibilities should be allocated.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
6. Providing Leadership at the School Level
This handbook explains the importance of school-level leadership and suggests processes for (a) developing a learning-centered schedule that supports the curriculum and facilitates student learning, (b) aligning various types of curricula, and (c) monitoring the curriculum.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
7. Providing Leadership at the Classroom Level
This handbook stresses the role of teachers in implementing a quality curriculum.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
Developing Curriculum Documents
8. Developing Scope and Sequence Charts and Curriculum Guides
This handbook describes how to develop and evaluate Scope and Sequence Charts (a graphic representation of the major elements of the curriculum) and Curriculum Guides.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
9. Developing Long-Term Plans for Teaching
This handbook indicates how teachers may develop and evaluate the long- term plans for the taught curriculum.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
10. Developing Standards-Based Units
This handbook explains how to develop standards-based units including the performance tasks for assessing student mastery of the unit.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
Focusing on Results
11. Focusing on Student Learning
This handbook discusses how students learn and suggests a way of improving learning by reducing the gap between the taught and the learned curricula.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]
12. Meeting Special Needs
This handbook presents the characteristics of a quality special curriculum and describes a process for developing a standards-based curriculum for special learners.
[WP] [Word] [PDF]