chapter two

Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom
Chapter 2 The Structure of Knowledge

“State and Local academic standards, as well as textbooks and other curriculum materials, can raise the intellectual bar for students and teachers by shifting from traditional lists of verb-driven objectives to clear statements of what students must know, (critical factual knowledge), understand (generalizations and principles), and be able to do (processes/skills).”

The Chart of the Structure of Knowledge is as follows:
Theory
Principle Generalization
Concepts Concepts
Topic Topic
4 facts 4 facts

There were specific examples for science, social studies, literature, art, PE and math.

The PE Chart:
Principle generalization: weight transfer, direction follow-through, and force determine the accuracy of a throw
Concepts: Weight transfer, follow-through, force, direction
Topic: Throwing a ball

A note for math: “the structure of knowledge is much more conceptual than in topic-heavy disciplines like history. So when mathematics teachers think of their organizing topic they are actually identifying a broader organizing concept”

Structure of Knowledge Components
“Topics: Organize a set of facts related to specific people, places, situations, or things.
Extension: Topics do not transfer. Related to specific examples.
Facts: Specific examples of people, places, situations, or things.
Extension: Facts do not transfer. Locked in time, place or situation.
Concepts: Mental constructs that “umbrella” different topical examples and meet these criteria: timeless, universal, abstract (to different degrees) different examples that share common attributes.
Extension: Concepts do transfer. A higher level of abstraction than topics because of their generalizability. Concepts come at different levels of generality, abstractness, and complexity.
Generalizations: Two or more concepts stated in a relationship that meet these criteria: generally universal application, generally timeless, abstract ( to different degrees), supported by different examples (situational). Enduring, essential understandings for a discipline. May need qualifiers.
Extension: Generalizations must be tested against and supported by, the facts.
Principles: Also two or more concepts stated in a relationship, but they are considered the foundational “truths” of a discipline.
Extension: Do not use qualifiers.
Theories: Explanations of the nature or behavior of a specified set of phenomena based on the best evidence available (assumptions, accepted principles, procedures).
Extension: Theories are supported by best evidence rather than absolute facts.”

She says that teaching inductively means that students are guided to understanding concepts, principles, and generalizations. Also, to raise academic and teaching standards, topics and facts should be supporting tools rather than the final destination.

She has taken a model for changing to concept-based teaching from Texas, called the Texas depth and complexity model, and adapted it to an updated form of Bloom’s taxonomy. This creates a deeper understanding of content, the ability to transfer knowledge, and the development and shaping of the conceptual mind.

“Students understand when they build connections between the “new” knowledge to be gained and their prior knowledge.”

She says that each discipline has concepts ranging from macro to micro. “Macro concepts, such as system, change, and order, are often called “integrating concepts” because they can collapse many different examples.” “Change, for example, is a macroconcept in all disciplines.”
“Macroconcepts provide breadth of understanding; but it is the microconcepts that provide depth of understanding.”
LA sample:
Macroconcepts: Elements
Microconcepts: Character, plot, setting

Reflection: (questions from the book)
What is the difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional curriculum?...instruction? What is your next step toward this goal?