Social Studies:

A K-12 Learning Continuum

Waterbury Public SchoolsSteven Strand, Director of Teaching and Learning

Dena Mortensen, ELA Supervisor

Maria Chapman, Elementary Literacy Facilitator

Karlyn Fitzpatrick, HS Social Studies Teacher

Curriculum Management Cycle

(CMC)

PHASE I:

Development / Revision

Step 1

Program

Evaluation

Step 2

Research &

Development

Representative

Curriculum Writers

Curriculum Management Cycle

Teaming Structures

Building Administration

and Teaching Staff

PHASE II:

Implementation

Instructional Data Teams – (IDT)

Step 1

Implementation

Step 2

Monitoring

Support StaffInstructional Data Teams

(IDT)

Paradigm Shift Past Practice vs. Present reality

“The way we’ve always done it” Strategic Planning

● Planning in isolation (just by teacher,

grade or school)

○ Limited # of “writers”

● Participation by EVERY teacher

○ Curriculum Councils; Administrator Forums;

Instructional Data Teams; Google

○ Lateral and vertical articulation (intentionally

structured)

Paradigm Shift Past Practice vs. Present reality

“The way we’ve always done it” Strategic Planning

● Planning in isolation (just by teacher,

grade or school)

○ Limited # of “writers”

● Content-centric

● Cursory knowledge and understanding of

the SS Frameworks/C3/CT Core

Standards

● Personal opinion

● Participation by EVERY teacher

○ Curriculum Councils; Administrator Forums;

Instructional Data Teams; Google

○ Lateral and vertical articulation (intentionally

structured)

● Concept-driven; standards-based

● In-depth analysis

● Defined protocols (e.g. resource adoption

criteria, etc.)

Non-Negotiables

● Four Literacy Claims:

○ Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, Research

● C3 Dimensions:

○ History, Geography, Economics, Civics

● Core Content EQs (K-12)

● Consistent templates across subject areas/grade levels

○ Performance Assessments, Common Formative Assessments, and rubrics

Elementary Social Studies Content

Elementary Social Studies: Pre-CMC process?

Let the truth be told (shhhhh): up to teacher discretion

• Social Studies (as a content area): essentially, left up to individual teachers.

• Cursory integration: content area provided (e.g. Colonial America, Branches of

Government, etc.) = NO guidance regarding implementation.

• Where do those grades come from related to social studies?

Secondary Social Studies Content

• Lack of consistency across district

• Professional Development

• Basic understanding of Framework/C3

• CFA/IDT time not utilized

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

● Create core EQs that will work on continuum for K-12

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

● Create core EQs that will work on continuum for K-12

● Brainstorm C3/SS Framework - relentlessly!

○ Professional Development days

○ Content knowledge supported by secondary teachers

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

● Create core EQs that will work on continuum for K-12

● Brainstorm C3/SS Framework - relentlessly!

○ Professional Development days

○ Content knowledge supported by secondary teachers

● Consolidate content into unit maps

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

● Create core EQs that will work on continuum for K-12

● Brainstorm C3/SS Framework - relentlessly!

○ Professional Development days

○ Content knowledge supported by secondary teachers

● Consolidate content into unit maps

● Unit Mapping: associate all questions and content with each standard broken

into units.

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

● Create core EQs that will work on continuum for K-12

● Brainstorm C3/SS Framework - relentlessly!

○ Professional Development days

○ Content knowledge supported by secondary teachers

● Consolidate content into unit maps

● Unit Mapping: associate all questions and content with each standard broken

into units

● EQs associated with standards in unit map (this is where we are)

Curriculum Development Process

● Create course sequence K-12

○ First 6-12, then backfill K-5

● Create core EQs that will work on continuum for K-12

● Brainstorm C3/SS Framework - relentlessly!

○ Professional Development days

○ Content knowledge supported by secondary teachers

● Consolidate content into unit maps

● Unit Mapping: associate all questions and content with each standard broken

into units

● EQs associated with standards in unit map (this is where we are)

● Next steps: expectations for student learning defined by CCS - text sets (and

vocabulary) - assessment (CFA/PA) and rubrics - Elementary Council vetting

process.

Questions?