The "Missing Link" in Implementing State and National Standards and Findings from Research on Student Learning

Curriculum Topic Study (CTS) is an NSF-funded Teacher Professional Continuum (TPC) project that is developing a coordinated set of science and mathematics materials to help K-12 educators deepen their understanding of the important science and mathematics topics they teach. CTS builds a bridge between state and national standards, research on students' ideas in science, and opportunities for students to learn science and mathematics through improved teacher practice.

The CTS process, tools, and materials engage educators in a systematic and scholarly method of using national and state standards and research on student learning to study a curricular topic; analyze findings; and apply the content, curricular, instructional, and assessment implications discovered through the CTS process, to their own teaching and learning context. Rather than providing the answers, CTS promotes inquiry among educators in discovering new knowledge about teaching and learning connected to the topics they teach.

The three books resulting from the project include: Science Curriculum Topic Study- Bridging the Gap Between Standards and Practice (published in 2005), Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study- Bridging the Gap Between Standards and Practice (2006 release), and The Handbook for Using Curriculum Topic Study (2008 release). Additional materials to supplement the books will be available on this web site as they are developed.

What's New at Curriculum Topic Study!

Thank you to all who participated in our summer and fall field test.

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Anatomy of a Study Guide: Click Here
Section I. Identify Adult Content Knowledge- This section helps users identify what all science literate adults (including teachers) should know about science as well as what all students should know at the end of their high school education. It also provides content explanations for science or mathematics ideas encountered in the media, public issues, and other popular science venues in which an adult understanding of science is important.

Read More... Click Here for Anatomy of a Study Guide

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CTS and Atlas 1 & 2 Crosswalk: Click Here

• Science CTS Study Guides
• Science CTS Templates
• Math CTS Study Guides
• Math CTS Templates
• Sample CTS Study Guides
• Sample CTS Applications
• CTS Source Material
• Ordering CTS
• Updates and Corrections

Newest Supplement! Click Below

Title: Teaching About Energy

Description: This paper can be used to supplement CTS Sections II and IV. The paper addresses commonly held ideas students have about energy, why the concept of energy is so difficult to learn, considerations for teaching energy-related ideas, and suggestions for teaching specific energy-related concepts.

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Newest Supplement! Click Below

Title: Teaching Realistic Mathematics Modeling: A Teaching Experiment with Fifth Graders

Description: This article can be used to supplement CTS Sections III and IV. The article describes the design and the results of an exploratory teaching experiment carried out to test the hypothesis that it is feasible to develop in pupils a disposition toward (more) realistic mathematical modeling. This goal is achieved by immersing them in a classroom culture in which word problems are conceived as exercises in mathematical modeling, with a focus on the assumptions and the appropriateness of the model underlying any proposed solution.

Go To CTS Database