Curriculum Standards

Addressing the standards with existing Web resources

You will start by choosing an activity from an existing Web-based module and then match it up to one or a few of the Illinois State Learning Goals and Chicago Academic Standards.  This procedure can be helpful if you don't have the time to create your own module or lesson plan, or if you find an outstanding web site that you want to incorporate into your curriculum.
 

Follow these steps: 

1.  Look at a minimum of two of the selected web sites depending on your interests or subject matter you teach:

Language Arts:

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lessonplans/slave_narrative.html
Grades 9 - 12

http://wings.ucdavis.edu/Curriculums/Mythology/flights_of_fantasy_howto.html
Grades 4 - 8

http://cuip.uchicago.edu/wit/99/teams/impressionists/art2.htm
Grades 5 - 9

Mathematics:

http://www.getsmarter.org/exit/newtestpractice.cfm?subject=Math
Choose a grade level for the Quiz.

http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/titanic.html
High school

http://www.usmint.gov/kids/index.html
Elementary school

Science:

http://www.mos.org/oceans/
Elementary - High School

http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/
Elementary - Middle School

http://www.nczooeletrack.org/
Grade 7

Social Studies:

http://www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/Using%20Chopsticks%20Lesson.html
Grades K - 5

http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/2_home/fs2.html
Grades K - 8

http://museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/index.html
Grades 3 - 12
 

2.  Things to think about as you look at the web sites you have chosen:

• Does the site have a Teaching Guide?
• Does the site list the standards that the curriculum addresses? (Warning: the site may not address the standards it outlines, you may want to double check!)
• If the site does not list specific standards, do the authors of the site mention the standards at all?  How?
• If the site addresses standards other than the Illinois State Learning Goals, can you easily apply the activities to your own classroom?
• Does this site take advantages of the unique capabilities of the Web?  Or do the activities seem like they could be easily reproduced on paper?
• Is this site directed mainly towards kids or teachers?  Or does it have special sections for both?
• Is this site interdisciplinary?  Is it mostly one kind of subject matter?  Keep  in mind that even though an activity may be of a certain subject, the skills needed to perform the activity may drawn on other subjects.  (For example, a chemistry equation draws on both science and math skills).

4.  Identify one or a few standards that the activity you have chosen addresses.  More standards per activity is not necessarily better.  You want your activity to directly address the standard, not be loosely related to it.

5.  Create a Curriculum Standards Correlation Table