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"Providing learning experiences
that will prepare students for success in the 21st century is the
primary focus for this department. We are striving to
increase the quality and relevance of our curriculum by creating an
electronic library of District 11 Diamond Lessons. These exemplary
lessons and units include research-based strategies and resources to
serve special needs populations and extended learning opportunities for
gifted and talented students. You will find examples of 21st century
learning in the matrix below.
~ David Malone, Director of Curriculum & Instruction
malonde@d11.org
ph. 719.520.2045
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Curriculum & 21st Century Learning
To meet the needs of our future graduates in these
Rapidly Changing Times, we are
developing 21st century learning experiences in a
guaranteed and viable curriculum. It is accessible by
students, parents, teachers administrators and support staff
24/7. As you look
through the course content for various grade levels, you
will find electronic resources, digitized instructional
videos, review games, and other supports for the variety of
student interests and skill levels we find in our classrooms
today. Parents will find helpful hints and strategies to
support and extend learning opportunities at home. Our
curriculum is aligned to support the
Profile of a
District 11 Graduate. |
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What We Believe
The degree of alignment between the written, taught and
tested curriculum ultimately determines the level of student
achievement and success. Read more about
Curriculum
Alignment and the School Improvement Planning Process.
District 11 Diamond Lessons are exemplary units and lessons that are
designed to support a common philosophy: students must be given support
to reach the minimal expectations set by the Department of Education,
but also must be given opportunities to develop their own, unique
strengths, interests and abilities in order to produce productive
citizens prepared to succeed and excel in the 21st Century.
Our district is focused on
developing and refining a
Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum.
- Guaranteed
Curriculum - what we decide is
imperative to teach, a curriculum that we communicate and assure to all
groups.
- Viable Curriculum - a
curriculum that we can realistically teach during the time we have available
during the course of a school year, causing us to focus on what is essential
vs. supplemental.
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Standards-Based Instruction
District 11 focuses on student
mastery of the Colorado State Standards for each subject area. These
standards are used to measure minimum competency. To add rigor and relevance
to each course, the District uses the
Understanding by Design lesson and unit planning format. As more of the
District curriculum becomes available online, district patrons will be able
to see examples of remediation strategies and extended learning
opportunities for students in each course, subject, or grade level.
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How District 11 Diamond
Lessons Are Developed
District 11 Diamond Lessons are
posted online and include the Six Facets of Understanding described in the
Understanding by Design Curriculum framework. Lessons that include
the six facets are designed to help students progress from basic levels of
understanding to more complex levels, incorporating higher order thinking
skills and strategies. The Six Facets of Understanding include the
following:
Curriculum Alignment Under Revision
Over the past few years, District 11 teachers and instructional leaders developed Curriculum Alignment Guides (sample),
and Pacing Guides (sample). This work provided a strong foundation for consistent curriculum delivery
across the district. However, teacher feedback on the format of those
documents revealed that although the documents are comprehensive, they lacked the simplicity needed for effective everyday lesson planning.
Read more about the reasons for
Combining the Curriculum Alignment Guides and Pacing Guides.
District 11 Current Curriculum Alignment Guides
and Pacing Guides Used Prior to 2007-2008
Training for Developing Online Curriculum
 Understanding by
Design Training - This solution serves as a model of a learning
experience that incorporates the curriculum design and assessment
concepts found in Understanding by Design, authored by Grant Wiggins and
Jay McTighe. It explains what it means for a learner
to truly understand, so the curriculum
and assessments teachers design can effectively focus on enhancing each
student's understanding. The training is an 16 hour blended
model of professional development. All content and resources are
available online, but only 12 of the 16 hours involve face-to-face team
meetings.
District 11
Teachers and Administrators Focus on Curriculum for 21st Century
Learners
Teachers participating in the summer curriculum project can click here
for the Teacher Resource Pages.
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