Running head: CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

Curriculum Design Assignment

Nathan Crosby
University of New England Online

EDU 707, Instructional Leadership, Module #5

Justin Roy
August 9, 2015

CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

Table of Contents
PLEASE NOTE: each section below is hyperlinked. Click on the title to go directly to that part of the document and
the title there to return to this table.
I. INTRODUCTION
II. CURRICULUM MAP

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................................................................ 6

III. NEWLY DESIGNED UNIT

IV. PROPOSED UNIT SCHEDULE

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

V. CROSS-CURRICULAR ADDITIONS
VI. ASSESSMENT AND RUBRICS
VII.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT

REFERENCES

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CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

I. Introduction
In 2009, Albertans gathered as part of Inspiring Education: A Dialogue with Albertans to share
their hopes and aspirations for education in the 21st century. This process highlighted values, skills,
and knowledge that would be vital for students growing up in todays rapidly changing world; the
aim, to articulate what an educated Albertan of 2030 would need to know and be able to
demonstrated in order to be an engaged thinker and an ethical citizen with an entrepreneurial
spirit (Alberta Education, 2010, p. 6). Out of these many conversations, a broad policy framework
was developed to illustrate the overall direction, principles, and long-term goals for education. A
subcommittee of Inspiring Education, High School Redesign (HSR), was also formed to address the
complexities at the high school level, including focusing on mastery learning, providing a more
rigorous and a relevant curriculum, and increasing the flexibility of scheduling and course
completion.
As the largest high school in our division, Foothills Composite High School / Alberta High School
of Fine Arts (FCHS/AHSFA), like many other high schools in the province, has been diligently
working toward school improvementboth culturally and structurally. The most recent data from
our Tell Them From Me surveya Canada-wide assessment that collects, analyzes, and reports on
factors that are known to affect Student Learning Outcomesindicates that there has been a decline in
student engagement within our system. Consistent with the overall trend documented by Alberta
Education (2011), the Accountability Pillar surveya provincially administered study used to gather
information on the quality of education provided by Alberta school authoritiesdiscovered that
73% of Grade 7 students were intellectually engaged and found learning interesting, enjoyable, and
relevant. However, the study goes on to explain how this dropped to 50% by Grade 12. The
researchers indicated that such a steady decline in engagement could not merely be a result of the

CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

transition from middle to secondary school; rather, students are becoming more and more
disengaged by the skill-and-drill approach of high school education.
The findings support the notionspearheaded by Inspiring Education and the HSR
committeesthat our curriculum needs to be relevant, rigorous, and interdisciplinary. In moving
learning from the exclusive domain of the classroom into the larger community, the presumption is
that teachers will more effectively engage students while maintaining or improving their overall
Diploma results. Data that is more recent continues to support this hypothesis as Albertas threeyear high school completion rate has increased to 74.9% in 2013 from 71.5% in 2009 with the
adoption of the HSR principles (Alberta Education, 2010). The increase follows efforts by schools,
boards, teachers, communities, and government to better engage students in the importance of
learning through the adoption of an integrated approach to developing programs of study,
assessment, and learning and teaching resources that encourage interdisciplinary learning.
Motivated by this data, FCHS/AHSFA has recently embarked on the journey of HSR and,
as such, we have been tasked with exploring the following action research questions as we move
forward with this work:
1) How do we design for and assess cross-curricular competencies to improve intellectual
engagement and academic performance?
2) What impact does intentional design and assessment of cross-curricular competencies
have on intellectual engagement and academic performance?
In order to delve deeper into these questions, the following is a plan outlining one possible method
of implementation of the Program of Studies (Alberta Education, 2003), and its Specific Learner Outcomes,
in a typical grade 11 English Language Arts classroomusing the novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde (Jekyll & Hyde). English Language Arts 20-1 is the second course in the academic
high school program, leading directly to English Language Arts 30-1, graduation, and Diploma
examinations (provincial standardized exam). Students enrolling in this course are expected to
possess sound reading and writing ability as well as a genuine interest in literature and the

CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

communication process. By narrowing the focus of the years overarching theme (Choices and
Influences) to an exploration of the dichotomy in the Balance of Opposites, our aspiration is to
construct a unit in which students can have authentic experiences in more than just a singular
content area (English Language Arts), but also, offer a range of learning activities and give students
choices in the projects they pursue and the ways they demonstrate their learning.
The unit has been designed using the process outlined by Rugg (1926, as cited in Wiles & Bondi,
2015, p. 7-8): (1) determine the fundamental objectives, (2) select activities and other materials of
instruction, and (3) discover the most effective organization and placement of this instruction.
Essentially, students will study the contents Jekyll & Hyde, as well as focus on its place in history
and the impact it had in the time that it was published. Students will be engaged throughout this
unit since many characteristics of Gothic literature mirror that of adolescence. Gothic literature
typically explores the depths of human nature as their characters are affected by their surroundings.
Adolescence is also a time for solidifying personas and for deciding what to be influenced by and
what to stand against. These texts also sympathize with the outcast and carry themes of loneliness,
confusion, and uncertaintyall things that teenage students often feel as they move closer to
adulthood. This unit will help students to understand that texts, particularly classic novels, are often
a reflection of their time, and should be regarded as much more than mere stories.
Daily reader-response and enrichment activitiesfurther outlined in section III. Newly Designed
Unit and the Jekyll & Hyde: Reading Guide (found at http://goo.gl/4Hn0Ej)will be used to
encourage students to dig deeper into the text and to assist students in continuously generating ideas
for their final Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Text essay. When students prepare to write, their
reading guide and class discussions will serve as a foundation for a thorough and in-depth
exploration of the text.

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II. Curriculum Map

Name of Unit
/ Anchor Text

THE POWER OF
PERCEPTION
THE DARK KNIGHT
(film)

Alberta Program of Studies:

Specific Learner Outcomes

Types of
Assessments

1.1.1. Form tentative understandings,

interpretations, and positions

Multiple-draft literary
thesis (graphic) essay

1.2.1. Consider new perspectives

Personal Response to Text

(Creative Short Story)

2.3.2. Evaluate the verisimilitude,

appropriateness, and significance of print Poetry quick write
and non-print texts
response
3.2.3. Form generalizations and
conclusions
4.2.3. Consider and address matters of
choice

Various formative
check-ins (i.e. exit
slips, homework
checks, quizzes)

4.2.4. Edit for matters of correctness

5.1.1. Use language and image to show
respect and consideration

THE

RESPONSIBILITY
FOR SELF
THE FOUNTAIN
(film)

1.1.2. Experiment with language, image,

and structure

Personal Response to Text

(CPU)

1.2.3. Set personal goals for language

growth

Sociogram

2.2.2. Relate elements, devices, and

techniques to created effects
2.3.1. Connect self, text, culture, and
milieu
2.3.3. Appreciate the effectiveness and
artistry of print and non-print texts
4.1.2. Consider and address form,
structure, and medium
4.2.3. Consider and address matters of
choice
4.2.4. Edit for matters of correctness
5.1.2. Appreciate diversity of expression,
opinion, and perspective

Various annotations /
end-commentaries
Poetry quick write
response
Various formative
check-ins (i.e. exit
slips, homework
checks, quizzes)

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Name of Unit
/ Anchor Text

* UNIT OF FOCUS*

Alberta Program of Studies:

Specific Learner Outcomes

STRANGE CASE OF
DR. JEKYLL & MR.
HYDE
(novella)
LORD OF THE FLIES,
NIGHT, OR THE
INVISIBLE MAN
(independent novel
studies)

Types of
Assessments

1.2.2. Express preferences, and expand

interests

Critical / Analytical
Response to Literary Text

2.1.1. Discern and analyze context

Text comprehension
exam

2.1.2. Understand and interpret content

2.1.4. Use reference strategies and
reference technologies

THE BALANCE OF
OPPOSITES

3.1.2. Plan inquiry or research, and

identify information needs and sources
3.2.1. Select, record, and organize
information
3.2.2. Evaluate sources, and assess
information
4.1.1. Assess text creation context
4.1.3. Develop content
4.2.1. Enhance thought and
understanding and supporting detail
4.2.2. Enhance organization
4.2.3. Consider and address matters of
choice
4.2.4. Edit for matters of correctness

Various annotations /
end-commentaries
Poetry quick write
response
Various formative
check-ins (i.e. exit
slips, homework
checks, quizzes)
Cross-Curricular
Competencies
Activities

CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

Name of Unit
/ Anchor Text

Alberta Program of Studies:

Specific Learner Outcomes
2.1.3. Engage prior knowledge
2.2.1. Relate form, structure, and
medium to purpose, audience, and
content

THE

8
Types of
Assessments
Critical / Analytical
Response to Literary Text
Text comprehension
exam

3.1.1. Focus on purpose and presentation Poetry quick write

form
response

CONSEQUENCES OF 3.2.3. Review inquiry or research process

OUR ETHICS AND
and findings
MORALITY
4.1.4. Use production, publication, and
presentation strategies and technologies
consistent with context
THE CRUCIBLE
(modern play)
4.2.3. Consider and address matters of
choice
MACBETH
4.2.4. Edit for matters of correctness
(Shakespearean
drama)
5.1.3. Recognize accomplishments and
events
5.2.1. Cooperate with others, and
contribute to group process
5.2.2. Understand and evaluate group
processes

Various formative
check-ins (i.e. exit
slips, homework
checks, quizzes)
Oral presentations
Culminating openended multi-step yearend project

CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

III.

Newly Designed Unit Plan

COURSE / GRADE:

English 20-1

OVERARCHING (YEAR) THEME:

Choices & Influences

SPECIFIC (UNIT) THEME:

The Balance of Opposites

ANCHOR TEXT:

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Stage 1Desired Results

ESTABLISHED GOALS:
2.1.2.a Use a variety of strategies to comprehend literature and other texts.
4.1.3.f Develop content appropriate to form and context.
4.2.4.b & 4.2.4.c Know and be able to apply: capitalization and punctuation conventions correctly; spelling
conventions consistently and independently.

UNDERSTANDINGS:
Students will understand that
Literature does not exist in a
vacuum. It coexists with the society
in which it is created (i.e. the
philosophies, art, forensics, and
superstitions of London in the 1880s
directly influences Stevensons work).
Popular culture / media often
misrepresents classic texts.

Students will Know

Key facts about Freudian Psyche,
Victorian society, Darwinian Theory, etc.
Short Fiction / Novel
terminologycharacters, setting, theme,
etc.
A variety of strategies to
comprehend literature and develop a
daily practice of reading.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
Is humankind inherently good or evil? Or do we learn this
behaviour?
What is the relationship between freedom and responsibility?
Do individuals have a moral obligation not to allow their own
freedom to negatively impact other human beings?
How do individuals control their dark side and reconcile their
dual nature? What could Dr. Jekylls potion represent in our
society?

Students will be able to

Gain knowledge / understanding of Robert Louis Stevensons
Jekyll & Hyde; and recognize how the text connects to the
theme of The Balance of Opposites.
Describe the personality traits, motivations, attitudes, values
and relationships of characters developed / persons presented
in the texts; and identify how the use of archetypes adds to an
appreciation of text.
Identify and consider personal moral and ethical perspectives,
when studying literature.

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Stage 2Assessment Evidence

PERFORMANCE TASKS:

OTHER EVIDENCE:

Textual Response Activitiesincluding

Annotations, Poetry Analysis, and End-Commentaries
Critical Analytical Response to Literature
Unit ExamLiterature Directed and Terminology /
Concept Driven

Completion of historical webquest.

Utilization of graphic organizers to deconstruct
and comprehend text descriptions and text
structures.

Stage 3Learning Plan

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES:

19th Century Life Webquestto explore the art,

forensics, literature, and life of the Victorian era.

Media:

Chapter-based responses to stimulate critical

thinking of the daily readings.

Vocabulary lessons / activities to help develop

context and jargon.

BBC Sherlock: Reichenbach Fall

Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive by Men at Work
(song)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Character sketchesto help with annotations

and visualization of.

From Hell (2001trailer)

Read, discuss, and analyze thematically-textuallydriven poetry.

Goofy: Motor Mania

Research physiognomy and phrenology and

examine the criminal intent of fellow classmates
(based on Victorian views).
Practice descriptive writing by completing a
mock police report based on key events from the
novella.
Review and practice effective strategies for
Critical Analytical Response to Text writing
including PQC and quotation citation.

The Godfather (1972excerpt scene)

Looney Tunes: Hyde and Go Tweet, Hyde
and Hare
Tom and Jerry: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
(cartoon)

Nonfiction:
Articles on Physiognomy & Phrenology
Whitechapel Road on a Saturday Night

Construct a poem made up of a combination of

annotations and lines from the novella that
represents the theme of the text.

Poetry:

Practice narrative writing by scripting the

aftermath of the novella.

Peter Bell the Third by Miching Mallecho, Esq.

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

*Cross-Curricular Additions (see p. 12).

Sympathy for the Devil by Rolling Stones

Tyger, Tyger by William Blake
Snake by D.H. Lawrence

Short Stories:
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Problem by Sir.
Arthur Conan Doyle

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IV. Proposed Unit Schedule

WEEK 1

DAY 1

The Original
Decalogue

Sherlock
Holmes: The
Final
Problem

WEEK 5

WEEK 4

WEEK 3

WEEK 2

Introducing
the Novella

DAY 2

Sherlock
Holmes: The
Final
Problem

DAY 3

BBC Sherlock:
Reichenbach
Fall

Holmes vs.
Moriarty
comparison
chart

BBC Sherlock:
Reichenbach
Fall

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Character
sketch

19th Century
Life Context
Quiz

Review
annotations /
reading
strategies

DAY 4

DAY 5

19th Century
Life
Webquest

Robert Louis
Stevenson:
The Man
Behind the
Novella

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Peter Bell
the Third by
Miching
Mallecho,
Esq. by
Percy Bysshe
Shelley

Physiognomy
& Phrenology

White
Chapel Road
on a Saturday
Night

Critical /
Analytical
planning chart

Chapter 10

Unit debrief
Metacognition
Reflection

Text Comprehension
Exam

19th Century
Life
Webquest

Chapter 1

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

The Carew
Murder:
Police Report
(Persuasive
Writing in
Context)

The Victorian
Gentleman

Chapter 6

The
Composition
of Evil

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 8

Poetry
writing: The
Ballad of
Jekyll and
Hyde

Replicating
Dr. Jekylls
formula

Chapter 10

Creative
writing: A
Walk Neither
Wishes to
Remember

Review
Critical /
Analytical
Writing

Review
Critical /
Analytical
Writing

Critical /
Analytical
Response to
Literary Text

Supporting
evidence

Quotation
integration

LEGEND
Cross-Curricular Activity

Enrichment Activity

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

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V. Cross-Curricular Additions
Besides English Language Arts, many other disciplines are to be incorporated into this unit. Art,
biology, chemistry, history, sociology, and psychology are all discussed in relation to Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hydes struggles throughout the novella.

The following is a sampling of possible cross-

curricular undertakings students could be asked to engage in.

BIOLOGY / CHEMISTRY: REPLICATING DR. JEKYLLS FORMULA

Dr. Jekyll does not share his method of creating the potion that divided his good self from his evil self;
probably because such a potion is impossible. Possible activities include having students:

Research salts (a major part of Jekylls potion) to determine what the potion might
have included.
Create recipes, giving points for plausibility and creativity, as well as for evidence of
research.
Building on the theme, wherein a scientific discovery can be seen as having both
beneficial (Jekyll) and detrimental (Hyde) aspects, students can argue the ethics and
social responsibility of scientific discoveries.

HISTORY: 19TH CENTURY WEBQUEST

Stevenson captured Victorian readers fears that their carefully built society was hypocritical and not at all
what it intended to be. To many readers, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was a symbolic representation of threats
to traditional British society. Others saw in the novella echoes of Charles Darwin, who earlier in the century
had challenged the status quo and peoples beliefs in Gods creation of the universe with his theory of
evolution. Religious certainty was replaced with social Darwinism (the survival of the fittest in society) and
many consider Hyde to be the strong yet evil individual who survives while Jekyll falls. Hyde is free from the
civilizing forces of society and religion, while Jekyll is bound to them. Possible activities include having
students:

Complete a webquest and view pictures of London in the late 1800s to gain a better
understanding of the Victorian Era as well as establish historical background on the
text before reading.
Explore elements of Gothic literature and the rise of the detective novel and its
influence on the construction of the novella.
Research the impact of Darwins work on life, literature, and science.

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PSYCHOLOGY: THE COMPOSITION OF EVIL

Psychology is represented through exploration of the themes of identity and reputation. Dr. Jekyll struggles
with identity through the novella because he wants to behave wildly, but does not want to be stigmatized.
Furthermore, Stevenson suffered from tuberculosis and was treated with a drug derived from ergot, a
hallucinogenic fungus. In reading an article on Stevensons experience, the author argues that Stevenson used
his experiences with this drug to develop the idea of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In other words, readers can
see Dr. Jekylls problem as a drug addiction. They will notice that he has to increase his dosage, suffers from
withdrawals, and eventually dies from a drug overdose.

Research the effect of drugs on personality and behavior.

Create brochures or media campaigns to outline the effects of drugs on personality
and behavior.
Explore Sigmund Freuds theories of the id, ego, and superego and how they are
represented in the novella.

SOCIOLOGY: THE VICTORIAN GENTLEMAN

It has been suggested that Dr. Jekyll represents the left hemisphere of the brain, which is rational and rulegoverned, while Mr. Hyde is a right brain creation, with the disorderliness and originality of the right
hemisphere. Does this imply that the left-brain is good and the right brain evil?

Learn more about the right and left hemispheres and draw info-graphics showing the
characteristics that might give someone this idea.
Research Darwinism and the effect that the Theory of Evolution had on Victorians.

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VI. Assessment and Rubrics

1. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Reading Guide Comprehension Rubric
Used to holistically assess students progression through the reading guidei.e.
completion of the vocabulary, comprehension questions, and extension activities.

2. The Ballad of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Poem Rubric

Used to assess students creative poetry writing assignment (Chapter 8).

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3. Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Rubric

A modified version of the Diploma exam rubric (standardized provincially for Grade 12
writing), this is used to assess students essay composition skills.

CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSIGNMENT

4. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Text Comprehension Exam
Multiple-choice / short-answer exam used to assess students comprehension of the
novellas major characters, events, and themes.

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VII.

17

Professional Development and

Support Networks

Every teacher struggles with taking an abstract concept or idea and transforming it into a
concrete unit or lesson plan.

The benefits of peer encouragement in effective curriculum

implementation is immeasurable; in fact, teacher-to-teacher exchanges provide much needed

instructional support more effectively than any other form of professional development. As Dunkle
(2012) indicates, [a]dults desire to be the origin of their own learning and will resist learning
activities they believe are a criticism of their competence (p. 81). In framing the need for crosscurricular or interdisciplinary instruction in a safe and non-threatening manneri.e. allowing
teachers to develop and modify their own belief systems, the move toward effective and lasting
implementation is greater. It is for these reasons that organizing adults into collaborative learning
communities that are inquiry- and problem-based and embedded in the continuous work of
instructional improvement (p. 83) is paramount to school development. In moving forward with
the initiatives of HSR and advancing cross-curricular competencies that will both engage and enrich
our students learning experiences, it is essential that as much thought be put toward the design of
professional development as there is for curriculum improvement.
First and foremost, and understanding of the nine guiding principles of HSR is essential to
all parties involved in the implementation of any such interdisciplinary curriculum. At present, a
variety of professional development resources are available in both print and non-print form
through Alberta Educationwith even more scattered throughout the various participating boards
web pages. During the 2015/2016 school year, the bi-weekly professional development days at
FCHS/AHSFA will focus on not only the distribution of this information but also modeling
strategies to adapt the principles to any classroom setting. As part of the HSR team, I will have the

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opportunity to be a part of this processtasked with exploring how to plan for rigorous and
relevant curriculumand will share this implementation guide at that time.
With the reorganization of FCHS/AHSFAs timetable to coincide with the initiatives of
HSR, a new block of flextime has been incorporated daily into the present schedule. This release
time is deliberate and will allow students to seek out assistance and/or enrichment of their learning
beyond the traditional class period. Part of this restructuring includes embedding weekly PLC time
into teachers schedules as well. As Wiles and Bondi (2015) assert, [c]ommon groups of students,
shared by common groups of teachers, with common planning times are necessary for
interdisciplinary teaching to succeed (p. 259).

Having teachers from across disciplines come

together during this time will be essential for the success of this initiative. Within these cohorts,
teachers will have the opportunity to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each lesson or strategy
they have attempted to implement and its effectiveness in achieving its intended goal.
Finally, establishing protocols for observations of other teachers practices will need to
occur. In order to truly engage in interdisciplinary teaching a thorough understanding of not only a
teachers primary but also their ancillary curriculum is key. Without a working knowledge of biology
or chemistry, for instance, it would be difficult for an English Language Arts teacher to guide their
students through an exploration of the chemistry involved in producing Jekylls potion. However,
with a supportive PLC in place, as well as the opportunity to observe a chemistry teacher in action,
these endeavors have a greater chance of success. At the same time, the English Language Arts
teacher could also assist the biology / chemistry teacher in helping their students to develop the
skills necessary to read and navigate non-fiction texts such as their textbookskill that may not be
currently taught outside of the ELA classroom.

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19

References
Alberta Education. (2003). Program of studies: English language arts (senior high). Retrieved from
https://education.alberta.ca/media/645805/srhelapofs.pdf
Alberta Education. (2010). Inspiring education: a dialogue with Albertans. Retrieved from
http://education.alberta.ca/media/7145083/inspiring%20education%20steering%20commit
tee%20report.pdf
Alberta Education. (2011). Tell them from me student survey: year in review 2010-2011. Retrieved from
https://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media/64692/ttfm_yearinreview2010_11_approved_final
.pdf
Dunkle, C. A. (2012). Leading the common core state standards: from common sense to common practice.
Thousand Oaks, Ca.: Corwin.
Wiles, J. W. & Bondi, J. C. (2015). Curriculum development: a guide to practice (9th Ed.). Upper Saddle
River, NJ.: Pearson.