How to Develop a Curriculum

Define the curriculum goals. Your curriculum needs to have a clear subject and well-defined objectives. The subject should be age-appropriate for the students and suitable for the teaching environment.

• If you're tasked with designing a course, you should ask yourself about the course's overall goals. Why are you teaching this material? What do your students need to know? What lessons will students take away?
• For example, when developing a summer writing course for high school students, you should consider the knowledge you want them to gain from the lessons. A potential objective might be to teach students how to write a one-act play.
• Teachers are often provided with a subject, so they don’t need to worry much about this step.

Choose an appropriate title. Depending on the learning objectives, creating a title for your curriculum can be a simple process or require deeper thought. A curriculum for students preparing for the GED exam might simply be called 'GED Test Preparation Program'. However, a program designed for adolescents with eating disorders may require you to carefully think of a title that appeals to teens and addresses their needs.

Set a timeline. You should discuss with your supervisor the amount of time required for teaching each of your courses. Some courses will span the entire year, while others may only last a semester. If you're not teaching in a school setting, you can start breaking the curriculum into smaller parts.

Understand the amount of content you can cover within the given time frame. Use your knowledge of your students (age, abilities, etc.) and your expertise in the subject matter to determine how much information you can cover in the available time. You don't need to plan activities right now, but just start thinking about what is feasible.

• Consider how often you will meet with your students. A class that meets once or twice a week will yield different results compared to a class held every day.
• For example, imagine you're writing a stage performance program. The difference between a two-hour class that meets once a week for three weeks versus one held every day for three months is significant. In three weeks, you might only be able to spend 10 minutes on acting. On the other hand, three months would allow you to produce a full play.
• Not every teacher needs to follow this step. Elementary schools often adhere to state standards for ensuring certain content is taught throughout the academic year. Students are usually required to take end-of-year exams, so there is a high pressure to meet these standards.

Consider the desired outcomes. You should list the content you want students to learn and what they should be able to do by the end of the course. Having clear goals and being able to outline the skills and knowledge students will acquire is essential. Without this, you won't be able to assess students or evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum.

• For instance, in your summer playwriting course, you would want students to understand how to write a play, develop characters, and structure a plot.
• In Vietnam, teachers are often required to follow state standards regarding the content students must learn by the end of the academic year.

Refer to existing curricula for inspiration. You can search online for curricula already developed for your field. If you're a teacher at a particular school, you can ask other teachers and your supervisor about past curricula. Having sample lessons available to guide the development of your own curriculum can make the process easier.

Create a Template. A curriculum is often structured as a chart with designated spaces for each component. Some schools may require teachers to use a standard template, so it's important to check if there are any regulations you need to follow. If the school doesn’t provide a template, you can search online or design your own. This method will help keep your curriculum organized and neat.

Define Each Lesson in the Curriculum. A lesson, or topic, is the main subject of the curriculum. You should organize your thoughts or state standards into cohesive parts that follow a logical order. Lessons often cover big ideas like love, planets, or equations. The number of lessons may vary depending on the curriculum and could range from one to eight weeks.

• Lesson topics can be a single word or a short sentence. For instance, a lesson on character development might be titled 'Creating Complex Characters'.

Prepare for an Engaging Learning Experience. Once you’ve organized the lessons, you can begin thinking about the materials, content, and experiences students will need to understand each topic. This may include textbooks, passages you plan to read, projects, discussions, and field trips.

• Consider the audience. Remember that there are many different ways students can acquire skills and knowledge. Try to select books, multimedia technology, and activities that will engage the students.

Write Essential Questions for Each Lesson. Every lesson needs 2-4 overarching questions that should be explored by the end of the lesson. Essential questions help students understand the deeper concepts of a subject. These questions are generally broad and can’t be answered in a single lesson.

• For example, a question for a high school lesson on fractions might be 'Why does dividing not always make numbers smaller?' An essential question for a lesson on character development could be 'How do a person’s choices and actions reveal aspects of their personality?'

Set learning objectives for each lesson. Learning objectives specify the knowledge that students must grasp and be able to apply by the end of each lesson. You’ve likely given some thought to this when brainstorming ideas for the lesson, but now it's time to articulate them in more detail. As you write your learning objectives, keep the following essential question in mind: What knowledge does the state require students to master? How do I want my students to think about this topic? What will they be able to do by the end of the lesson? Typically, you can derive learning objectives from state standards.

• Use the SWBAT method – Students will be able to. If you’re feeling stuck, start each objective with 'Students will be able to...'. This is a useful approach for both skills and content knowledge. For example, 'Students will be able to write a two-page analysis on the underlying causes of the Indochina War.' This requires students to know the information (the causes of the Indochina War) and be able to use it (write an analysis).

Include an assessment plan. You need to evaluate students' performance. This step helps students determine whether they have mastered the material and enables teachers to assess whether they’ve successfully conveyed the content. Additionally, evaluation helps teachers decide if any adjustments to the curriculum are needed in the future. There are many ways to assess student performance, and evaluations should be conducted for each lesson.

• Use formative assessment methods. Formative assessments are small, informal evaluations that provide feedback on student progress. While these are often part of the daily teaching plan, you can also incorporate them into lesson descriptions. Examples include journal writing, oral quizzes, visual image assignments, or short written responses.
• Use summative assessments. Summative assessments take place after a full topic has been taught. These are typically used at the end of a lesson or course. Examples include exams, presentations, plays, reports, or portfolios that showcase a student's capabilities. These assessments focus on specific details to answer key questions or discuss larger topics.

Use the curriculum to develop lesson plans. Lesson planning is typically separate from curriculum development. While many teachers prefer to create their own curriculum, this is not always necessary. Sometimes, the curriculum developer isn’t the one who will be teaching it. Regardless, remember to ensure that every element outlined in the curriculum is used as a guide for developing your lesson plans.

• Transfer necessary information from the curriculum into the lesson plan. Include the title, key questions, and the learning objectives for the lesson you’re teaching.
• Ensure that the objectives of each lesson will help students achieve the overall learning goal. The objectives for each lesson (also called SWBAT) are similar to the overall learning goals, but they should be more detailed. Remember that students should be able to meet these objectives by the end of the lesson. For example, 'Students will be able to explain the four causes of the Indochina War' is specific enough to cover in one lesson.

Teach and observe the lesson. Once you’ve developed the curriculum, it’s time to implement it. You won’t know how effective it is until you try it with real students and teachers. Pay attention to how students respond to the content, teaching methods, and the lesson itself.

Review and Reflect. It’s essential to assess how students are responding to the material. This can occur during the course or once it has concluded. Some schools may wait a few years before revisiting their curriculum, but reflection is crucial, especially as standards, technology, and students continue to evolve.

• Ask key questions when reviewing your curriculum. Have the students met the overall learning objectives? Are they able to answer the essential questions? Did they meet the state’s standards? Are they prepared for learning outside the classroom? If not, consider revisiting the content, sequence, and teaching methods.
• You can review any aspect of your curriculum, but all elements should be interconnected. Remember, any changes you make to the overall theme should be reflected across related areas. For example, if you modify the lesson topic, ensure that you also revise the essential questions, objectives, and assessment standards accordingly.