1. Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction
For the Thinking Classroom
2013 H. Lynn Erickson
We will identify the components of a concept based curriculum.
I will work with my team to explain why a concept based curriculum is
important and apply these skills in my lesson planning process.

2. Let’s look at BES Data
Data Gathered from the Walkthrough process last year at BES indicated that we need PD in:
Questioning
Wait Time
Higher Level Thinking

3. What is concept-Based Curriculum?
Concept –based curriculum is a three-dimensional curriculum design model that frames the factual and skill content of subject areas with disciplinary concepts and generalizations. Concept-based curriculum is contrasted with the traditional two dimensional model of topic and skill-based curriculum design.
Silently read, what does this mean to you?
Two-dimensional models focus on facts and skills.
Three-dimensional models focus on concepts, facts and skills to gain deeper conceptual understanding of disciplinary content.

4. Topic BASED AND CONCEPT BASED
Think about these visuals and talk at your tables about two dimensional curriculum vs. three dimensional curriculum. How do you want instruction in your classroom to look? How has it looked in the past and how can we move our thinking into the three dimensional model? Draw a model at your table of 2D and 3D Learning
Topic BASED AND CONCEPT BASED

5. Tw0-dimensional vs. three-dimensional
Key Points
Tw0-dimensional vs. three-dimensional
Coverage-centered “inch deep, mile wide” Intellectually shallow lacks a conceptual focus to create a factual/conceptual brain synergy. Factual knowledge does not transfer facts do not transfer; locked in time place or situation. Fails to meet the intellectual demands of the 21st century.
Idea-centered facts provide a foundation to understand conceptual, transferable ideas. Intellectual depth a “conceptual lens”, or focus, requires mental processing on the factual and conceptual levels—producing intellectual depth in thinking and understanding. Concepts & Generalizations Transfer allows the brain to make connections and see patterns. Develops the intellect to handle a world of increasing complexity and accelerating change.
Let’s compare two dimensional and three dimensional curriculum, write down some ideas of three dimensional instruction within your class. Be sure to write down some ideas as we are going to share in just a few moments. Write on paper or sticky notes.

6. Give one to get one activity
Walk around the room and give/get ideas from fellow teachers about how their classroom is set up for two dimensional and three dimensional thinking.
Give One to Get One works well when students are using their interactive notebooks or class notes. Each student is asked to find a partner with whom he/she will compare notes. The students take a moment to identify the information they have in common. Each student identifies something he did not record but his partner did. This new information is then recorded in each student’s notebook. In effect, each student gives one and gets one. Pairs can report to the whole class sharing what they learned.
After the give one to one activity we are going to share out with the entire group.

7. Types of knowledge Factual Conceptual procedural
Now we are going to discuss different types of knowledge: factual, conceptual and procedural.

8. Think about this….
Know=Factual knowledge which is locked in time, place or situation. Understanding=Conceptual Understanding which transfers through time, across cultures, and across situations.
Let’s think about this: what we know is factual knowledge which is locked in time, place or situation. When we understand we are entering conceptual knowledge which transfers through time, across culture and across situation.

9. Notice/Wonder Chart
Create a thinking map at your table where you will write down ideas that you are noticing and wondering about.
I Notice…I Wonder
I Notice…I Wonder is a technique where students will create a thinking map where on one side they list things or characteristics they have noticed about the content, including connections they make. On the other side of the map students list questions they have about the content.
Create a chart with sticky notes or a thinking map about what you notice and wonder about two and three dimensional thinking.
Concept Based Curriculum and Instruction
I Notice I Wonder

10. Key Points Structure of Knowledge and Process
Knowledge has an inherent structure of topics, facts and processes/strategies/skills framed by concepts, which combine to form generalizations and principles.
Traditional, two-dimensional curriculum/instruction models focus more on the topic, fact, and skill levels and assume an understanding of related concepts and principles.
Concept-based, three-dimensional curriculum/instruction models raise the intellectual bar by teaching to ideas (generalizations/principles) and using the topics, facts and skills as support for the deeper understanding.
What type of instruction do we want to see in our classrooms at BES? Why do we want to see this? How are we going to make sure that we see this is every classroom everyday?

11. Key Points Continued Structure of Knowledge and Process
Topics and facts do not transfer. They are locked in time, place or situation. Skills transfer across applications but need to be related to generalizations to apply with deep understanding.
Concepts and Generalizations transfer through time, across cultures and across situations.
The concepts, generalizations, and principles add the third intellectual dimension to curriculum and instruction. Curriculum and instruction models must address the factual/skill and conceptual levels if students are to think at higher levels, achieve deeper understanding, and gain the ability to transfer knowledge.
What is the importance of us teaching generalizations? How are we going to pushing our students to apply knowledge and express an understanding of concepts and topics taught in class?

12. Structure of Process

13. The structure of knowledge
Cultures use available resources to meet their basic needs. The beliefs, values and heritage of a people help shape their cultural identity. Beliefs/values Identify Culture Needs Resources Mexican-American Culture
We are discussing all of this today to introduce the structure of knowledge model to you. We are going to use this model to come up with content specific generalizations. First we are going to look at a few generalizations and then we are going to look at our IFD’s and see how we can find generalizations and how we can come up with our own generalizations.

14. The structure of knowledge
People migrate to meet a variety of needs. Migration may lead to new opportunities or greater freedom. Migration Opportunity Needs Freedom Westward Movement Early American Early Americans settlers migrated settlers looked west. for new opportunities.

15. Let’s connect our learning
Let’s look within our Instructional Focus Document and find:
Facts-highlight in yellow
Topics-highlight in blue
Concepts-highlight in yellow
Generalizations-highlight in green
Please get out our IFD document and we are going to connect them to

16. What do you know about the structure of knowledge model and how does it connect with our IFD Document?
Write down some ideas with a shoulder partner and we
Will use the Whip Around Teaching Strategy to Check
for Understanding.
Whip Around
Whip Around is often used as a closure activity. Students are asked to make a list of three items related to the lesson, unit or study. Students individually respond on a piece of paper. After they have listed at least three items, they stand up. The teacher randomly calls on a student to share an item. Students check off any items shared by another student and sit down when all of their ideas have been shared with the group, whether or not they were the one to share the idea

17. The Why….
When we teach to the levels of concepts and generalizations we are teaching for deep understanding and the transfer of knowledge.

19. Universal generalizations
Broad and Abstract
Universal in Application
Generally Timeless
Represented by different examples that support the generalization

20. Let’s look at our IFD’s and see if it follows the guidelines.

21. Circle, Triangle, Square
(Circle) Something that is still going around in your head
(Triangle) Something pointed that stood out in your mind
(Square) Something that “Squared” or agreed with your thinking.