J.P.

Caruso
Curriculum Definition and Action Plan
PART I - Definition of Curriculum
Curriculum is the content, values, and ideas that students are exposed to in
a school setting as well as the expectations of what students will be able to
do with what has been learned. (That which is taught and learned through
both a formal and informal instructional framework.)
What did you consider when writing your definition?
When developing this definition I reflected upon our discussions in class,
particularly those centering on how curriculum is both a reflection of what
a community wants its students to learn as well as those things that
students formally and informally learn. I also took into consideration the
difference between what we want our students to learn, what is actually
taught to students, and ultimately what students internalize.
What ideas, conversations, and learning from class have impacted
your definition
During the better part of the last 15 years I have had numerous
opportunities to participate in the creation of content, assessment, and
instructional strategies within the field of social studies for the Lincoln
Public Schools. Within those opportunities I have realized that there are as
many different definitions of curriculum as there are people willing to give
their opinion.
How do you think your definition has changed during your tenure in
education?
I believe my definition has certainly evolved as my career has progressed.
Looking back at my journals about curriculum from my social studies
methods class, I used to think curriculum was everything that was taught
to students. In many respects I would have defined it as all of the
subjects that were taught to students. What has changed is that I have a
much more realistic understanding of the topic. When looking at
curriculum on a district level there is a real difference between what a
school board and central office believe is happening in a classroom and
what is actually happening. (Though, I believe this occurs less at an
elementary level than it does in middle and high schools. This is due in
large part to the fact that what is taught in elementary schools is much
more scripted by the District with much less teacher autonomy than on
the middle or high school.)
PART II Action Plan
Learning Goal To better understand what is curriculum and how it should
be developed in order to improve the current high school U.S. history
curriculum in the Lincoln Public Schools. (Currently, U.S. History is taught in a

haphazard fashion within the Lincoln Public Schools. Some teachers use the
U.S. history standards last developed in 2003, others are using lesson plans
developed by the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG), and others are
using a combination of both. In each case, teachers are attempting to teach
more content than the amount of instruction time is available.)
Resources I would like to discuss with LPS Social Studies Curriculum
Specialist to discuss the current status on the development of high school
U.S. history standards and to then take this information and create a new
content plan based on Understanding by Design by Wiggins and McTighe
Reading
1. Wiggins and McTighe, Understanding by Design, 2nd ed, 2005
2. Wineburg, Sam, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts, 2001
3. Nash, Gary, The National History Standards for History, Revised ed.
1996.
4. Barton, Keith C. and Linda Levstik, Teaching History for the Common
Good, 2004.
5. Donnelly, Mark and Claire Norton, Doing History, 2011
Outcomes
Instructional Leadership - Working to shape the U.S. History standards in
Lincoln Public Schools falls into the Instructional Leadership outcome in
part because I am seeking to actively participate in the design and
implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment of this high
school course.
Action Steps
1. Meet with the LPS Social Studies Curriculum Specialist to determine the
scope of this project and how it might fit in with the Districts current
vision.
2. Develop a proposal for the creation of standards, curriculum and
assessment for the 11th grade course.
Resistance One of the obstacles that I could experience is that the District
is not in a position to accept my proposal. The scope of this plan requires a
certain amount of acceptance on the part of individuals within the
Curriculum Department of the Lincoln Public Schools.
Risks The development and implementation of any new plan has the
potential to upset the status quo and comfort level of 11th grade U.S. history
teachers within the district, I believe, however, there now exists a significant
opportunity to change the course and direction for this content area.
Traditionally, this course has been driven by content standards to such an
extent that few teachers feel that students are really learning history. Our

students neither read nor think like historians. In fact, because we have such
a heavy emphasis on marching students through content it is far faster to tell
students the content than it is to allow them to read, explore, and make
sense of it themselves.
I suspect the most significant risk is that the scope of this plan may be too
large. If that proves to be true one possible solution would be to narrow the
scope and instead focus on the use of PLCs to refine elements of assessment
and instruction of U.S. history content.