The document outlines 9 steps for developing an aligned curriculum at Roosevelt Middle School. It discusses identifying a team, assessing current standards and skills, conducting a gap analysis, developing lesson plans emphasizing problem-solving, and assessing the curriculum alignment process. An aligned curriculum has common core state standards aligned to lessons, formative and summative assessments for all students, and skill levels specified for each standard at each grade. The document also defines horizontal and vertical alignment and discusses the rationale for aligning curriculum to provide clear expectations for student learning.

1. September 23, 2015
Roosevelt Middle School
Institute Day

2. Aligned
(or Coherent) Curriculum
September 23, 2015

3. Coherent vs. Incoherent
Curriculum

4. 9 Steps to Aligned Curriculum
2. Develop
curriculum
template that
reflects student
learning
experiences.
1. Identify
individuals to
serve on team.
3. Assess the
alignment of the
current essential
knowledge &
skills with
standards.
Identify gaps &
duplication.
5. Align
prerequisite
knowledge &
skills. Identify &
develop
assessments to
produce results
for all students.
4. Conduct gap
analysis to
identify the new
template that
reflects the
desired learning
experiences.
6. Develop lesson
plans & identify
strategies,
emphasizing
problem-solving
learning
opportunities.
8. Identify &
develop student
support services
to students who
need assistance.
7. Identify
resources
necessary to
create enhanced
curriculum and
develop written
articulation plan.
9. Assess
curriculum
alignment
processes as part
of the continuous
improvement
process.

5. Abstract thinking,
Complexity, and
Depth are added
to lessons.
Common Core
State Standards
are aligned to
curriculum.
Formative and summative
assessments are developed
to produce results for
all students.
ALIGNED
CURRICULUM
Skill level for each
standard is specified at
each grade.
Assessments
reflect “Depth
of Knowledge” levels.
Each standard gets
assessed somewhere
in the curriculum.

6. Next Steps for Curriculum Inventories
Goals
1. To build a shared
understanding of
curriculum alignment.
2. To explore how to assess
school curriculum
alignment efforts.
3. To create a plan to
support curriculum
alignment at the school.

7. Definition
Curriculum alignment is . . .
. . . how teachers organize and
present content in the
classroom. This includes what
they teach, how they teach it,
and how they assess learning. It
is the way in which written
content, instruction, and
assessment work together to
facilitate student achievement
as defined by standards.

8. Definition
Horizontal alignment . . .
. . . refers to alignment work
done at one grade level, in
discrete content areas, or across
content areas.

9. Definition
Vertical alignment . . .
. . . focuses on aligning
curriculum in a discrete content
area across grades within a
school.

10. Rationale for Aligning Curriculum
Students achieve more when
standards, curriculum,
instruction, and assessment are
aligned across, as well as within,
all grades and subjects. The
results are clear and consistent
expectations for student
learning. By developing an
understand of how to align
curricula, leadership teams can
support their schools’ efforts to
ensure all students excel.
Education Development Center

11. Reflective Department Questions
1. What gets in the way of curriculum alignment efforts at
our school.
2. What opportunities can we identify to enhance the
curriculum alignment in the department.
3. Can you identify a progression of the standards when
you read the 5–8 inventories?
4. Can you identify any shared practices across the 5–8
inventories.
5. In what ways can our leadership teams (including
district-wide, school-wide, department, and grade-
level teams) support and advance curriculum
alignment?