CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND

INSTRUCTIONH. Lynn Erikson

Lynn Erikson

• Independent consultant assisting schools and districts with curriculum design.

• Elementary principal.• Ed.D. Curriculum and Instruction, and

Advanced School Administration . • Curriculum coordinator.• Reading specialist.• Teacher for 1st, 2nd 4th, and 5th grades.• Elementary Education, 1968.

Author of:• «Stiring the head, Heart and soul. Redefining Curriculum and

instruction».• Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking

Classroom.• Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching Beyond the

Facts• And several presentations

A three-dimensional curriculum design

Goal

Integrating thinking- seeing the patterns and connections of knowledge at a conceptual and transferable level of understanding”.

So… Greater retention of information. Deeper levels of understanding. Increased motivation.

Structure of knowledge

Knowing vs understanding KNOW = Factual Knowledge which is

locked in time, place or situation. UNDERSTAND = Conceptual

Understanding which transfers through time, across cultures, and across situations.

Concepts

A concept is an organizing idea; a mental construct...

Timeless Universal Abstract (to different degrees) Represented by 1 or 2 words Share common attributes

Examples of Subject Area Concepts

Science Social studies

Literature Mathematics

Music Visual arts

Order Change/ continuity

Motivation Number Rhythm Line

Organism Culture Perceptions

Proportion Melody Color

Population Civilization Change Probability Tone Texture

Change Migration/ immigration

Conflict/ cooperation

Pattern Pattern Form

• Essential understandings.• Generalizations, principles.• Enduring understandings.• Big ideas.

Conceptual ideas:

Concept-based units

Focus: conceptual ideas. Integration of concepts Integrated

thinking within and across disciplines.

Understanding bigger conceptual ideas. Critical content: disciplinary concepts and

conceptual ideas. Teacher training.

Conceptual lens

Focus concept. Integration of thinking. Higher cognitive level. Challenge students to see beyond the facts. Systems approach. Idea-centered curriculum.

«Assigning a verb to a topic does not ensure that teachers will lead students beyond the facts to the essential conceptual understandings».

References:

Erikson, L. (2002). Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching Beyond the Facts. Corwin Press.

Erikson, L. (2007). Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. Corwin Press. San Francisco, CA.

Erikson, L. (2007). Concept-based Curriculum & Instruction For the Thinking Classroom. Presentation: Summer Institute on Academic Diversity. University of Virginia, Curry School of Education. July 12.

Erikson, L. (2008). Stiring the head, Heart and soul. Redefining Curriculum and instruction. Corwin Press.

Fayad, C. CONCEPT-BASED UNIT DESIGN According to Dr. Lynn Erickson. From: http://www.slideserve.com/andrew/concept-based-unit-design-according-to-dr-lynn-erickson

Images: http://carrotsareorange.com/7-tips-motivate-children-summer/http://www.lynnerickson.net/http://www.corwin.com/authors/503028http://www.clker.com/clipart-magnify-lens.htmlhttp://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/11/1115_in_short/source/3.htm