Where can I find resources for writing curriculum?

Question

I'm looking for resources to help write math curriculum for a high school.

Questions I have are:

What material must be covered?

What are the grade expectations for each level?

Answer 1

You need to look at state guidelines first. Your state education agency should have a website. Then you need to reconcile those guidelines to district and campus expectations. You also will want to check any assessments your state mandates (like TAKS in Texas) to ensure alignment.

My guess is that your state probably already has a curriculum (it's pretty much mandated by NCLB requirements), and what you're needing to write is more of a guide and scope and sequence. A scope and sequence lays out what activities can be done in a particular length of time for a particular topic. For example, a scope and sequence would lay out specific activities for a 5-day set of lessons on tessellations.

Doing a key word search will give you plenty of ideas for a scope and sequence or curriculum guide. Begin with your state education agency. Contact your local education service center and ask them for resources. Chances are, they will have something you can use to keep you from re-inventing the wheel. I know several school districts in Texas have their curriculum guides and scope and sequence plans on-line and available for use as a framework.

I hope this helps. No matter which guide you're writing, it can seem like a daunting task. Get help from those who have already done it and build from there.

Answer 2

Look on your state's webpage. You should be able to access state grade level content standards. You can also try your school district's webpage if you are writing for a particular school or district.

Answer 3

Try to get a hold of the textbooks from a high school. Or the library has a book called What every 9th grader...etc. should know.

Answer 4

That one you think is naked to your mind.