Layered Curriculum

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Permalink Reply by Mendy Gannon on January 8, 2009 at 8:10am

David - I'm very interested in layered curriculum - now that you've been using it for a full semester, how do you think its going? Strong points, weak points? Starter tips? Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by David Kampmann on January 8, 2009 at 10:45pm

I had to discontinue using it with the class I had chosen. The class size was too large and I didn't have an opportunity to get to all of my students adequately. I have started using it with a smaller class, and it is much more successful.

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Permalink Reply by Mendy Gannon on January 9, 2009 at 12:40pm

So how big is the new class versus the original class? My classes are about 24-26 kids. Any additional insights?

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Permalink Reply by Kev on January 8, 2009 at 6:41pm

I know this kind of got necro bumped and is an old thread but I figured I'd jump in in case anyone is still monitoring. I'd never heard of layered curriculum before this thread but it sounds awfully similar to what I do my in social studies class already. I don't do it quite to the level as the help4teachers lady. Instead, all students get the same input for a week or two (lectures, readings, labs, etc.) and then spend a week doing assignments of their choice. They can earn their points by choosing from what is now 45 different assignment types. It has worked out great.

The assignments are all posted at www.mrroughton.com in the assignments section. Hopefully that will help!

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Permalink Reply by Richard Gilson on May 26, 2009 at 3:55pm

I am just starting to convert my curriculum to a layered curriculum. I have looked at your website, and it is great. What I was wondering is, do the kids have a minimum number of assignments that they have to complete, or a maximum number? Or are they allowed to complete as many as they can in that week's time. Also what kind of rubrics do you use for the assignments?

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Permalink Reply by Nathan on January 15, 2009 at 1:42pm

I have been using layred curriculum in my high school social studies classes for 3 years now. I actually use a combination of layred curriculum/differentiated instruction/ and the Rigor & Relevance Framework which incorporates higher level thinking into my lessons. Since I have started using layered curriculum, my homework completion has increased, the failure rate for my class has decreased, and I have been able to meet the needs of all learners in my class. I even differentiate my semester projects and assessments. The response from my students has been great. When I introduce this learning model to them, and explain that they have choices on how they demonstrate what they have learned, they all kind of give me a funny look at first. I have found that they appreciate taking ownership in how they learn, instead of being told how they will learn. If I even attempt to give them a "blanket assignment," they immediately ask me what other options they have.

Basically what I have done is taken the essential outcomes/standards for each unit that I teach, and then developed activities for each essential outcome/standard. For each standard, I developed aan activity for a kinisthetic learner, a visual learner, or a learner who likes to be challenged with critical thinking or real-world applications. The work was front loaded as it took some time to develop, but now it is smooth sailing even though I am constantly tweeking my actvities. Some teachers pre-assess students to align them with the activities they should complete, but I have found that my students naturally choose the one that will help them learn the best. Please let me know if you have any questions.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on January 15, 2009 at 1:51pm

Kudos to you, Nathan.

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