Curriculum Topic Study CURRICULUM TOPIC STUDY

A Systematic Approach to Utilizing National Standards and Cognitive Research


Curriculum Topic Study
Science Curriculum Topic Study

Science Curriculum Topic Study “It is by far the best thing I have seen on how to effectively use the standards.”
From the Foreword by Harold Pratt, Former President
National Science Teachers Association (2001-2002)

"Without question, this book will be of great value to the profession of science teaching. Given today’s educational landscape of standards and high-stakes testing, curriculum topic study is an essential piece of the puzzle."
Cary Sneider, Vice President for Educator Programs
Museum of Science, Boston

Discover the "missing link" between science standards, teacher practice, and improved student achievement!

Becoming an accomplished science teacher not only requires a thorough understanding of science content, but also a familiarity with science standards and research on student learning. However, a comprehensive strategy for translating standards and research into instructional, practice has been lacking since the advent of standards-based education reform.

Science Curriculum Topic Study provides a systematic professional development strategy that links science standards and research to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Developed by author Page Keeley of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the NSF-funded Curriculum Topic Study (CTS), process can help educators align curriculum, instruction, and assessment with the specific, research-based ideas and skills required in local, state, and national standards.

The CTS process will help teachers:

  • Improve their understanding of science content
  • Clarify a hierarchy of content and skills in a learning goal from state or local standards
  • Define formative and summative assessment goals and strategies
  • Learn to recognize and address learning difficulties
  • Increase opportunities for students of all backgrounds to achieve science literacy
  • Design or utilize instructional materials effectively
Containing 147 separate curriculum topic study guides arranged in eleven categories that represent the major domains of science, this book provides the tools to both positively impact student learning and develop the knowledge and skills that distinguish expert science teachers from novices.

Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study

Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study "This book addresses the needs of teachers at every level in their teaching careers, as well as those who support and work with teachers. The processes can be used individually to guide professional learning and teaching, or within almost any professional development structure for facilitating group learning. "
-Katherine E. Stiles, Senior Program Associate, WestEd

"This resource supports continual professional growth of both content and pedagogical knowledge and will help teachers focus on the appropriate research. What a time saver this is!"
-Rhonda Naylor, National Board Certified Mathematics Teacher Campus Middle School, Englewood, CO

Attain the tools to plan and incorporate standards-based instruction that positively impacts student achievement!

Becoming an accomplished mathematics teacher requires not only a thorough understanding of content, but also a familiarity with mathematics standards and research. However, a strategy for translating standards and research into instructional practice has been lacking since the advent of standards-based education reform.

Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study provides a systematic professional development strategy that links mathematics standards and research to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Developed by authors Page Keeley and Cheryl M. Rose of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the NSF-funded Curriculum Topic Study (CTS) process can help educators align their practice with research-based concepts and skills required in local, state, and national standards. Successfully field-tested with hundreds of teachers, mathematics coordinators, and staff developers, this book contains 92 ready-to-use CTS guides arranged in seven categories that are aligned with NCTM content and process standards.

Designed to work in a variety of contexts, the CTS process will help teachers:
  • Increase their content and pedagogical knowledge
  • Better understand and access mathematics research
  • Translate standards to the classroom in a conscious, scholarly way
  • Learn to recognize and address learning difficulties
  • Increase opportunities for all students to achieve mathematical literacy
An essential investment toward improving student achievement in mathematics for K-12 teachers, staff developers, directors of curriculum, department chairs and math educators, this innovative resource is also appropriate for preservice teachers and preservice higher education faculty.

Facilitators Guide

COMING SOON!

A Leader's Guide to Science Curriculum Topic Study- Designs, Tools, and Resources for Professional Learning, S. Mundry, P. Keeley, and C. Landel. Anticipated publication date: May 2009

A Leader's Guide to Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study- Designs, Tools, and Resources for Professional Learning, S. MUndry, P. Keeley, and C. Carroll. Anticipated publication date: December 2009

Click here for more information on these publications


CurriculumTopicStudy.org © 2008
Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance
Nastional Science Foundation Curriculum Topic Study is supported with funding from the National Science Foundation Teacher Professional Continuum (tpc) Program Award #0353315. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance