Lake Washington School District Curriculum Program

Standards
The Curriculum Framework is a guide for teachers that specifically describes what students should know and do as they progress toward the goals of the Student Profile. The content, understandings, processes and skills in each subject area establish clear standards for student achievement at every level. Teachers use the Framework to design lessons that incorporate meaningful instruction and assessment strategies. The Curriculum Framework is based on five underlying themes.

A parent handbook* of the Curriculum Framework has been designed to aid parents in understanding the how the Curriculum Framework serves as the foundation for determining what our students should know and be able to do as they progress from kindergarten through high school graduation. The overriding purpose is to prepare all students for success in their future and ensure that they are as well educated as any in the world. That is what we mean when we say students in the Lake Washington School District receive a world-class education.

Basic Skills Plus
Reading, writing and mathematics serve as the foundation for everything we do in schools. The Student Profile and Curriculum Framework emphasize the basic skills, plus additional knowledge and skills students need to succeed now and into the 21st century. These include the use of technology to access information, the ability to solve problems and the skills to work effectively in groups.

Higher Standards
By applying their skills to challenging problems and issues, students will reach higher levels of achievement. The Student Profile and Curriculum Framework establish higher standards for all children.

Learning By Doing
Students learn best and remember knowledge and skills when they are actively involved and have opportunities to solve real world problems that have meaning to them. The Student Profile and Curriculum Framework encourage active student learning, investigation and problem solving.

Shared Vision
The Student Profile and Curriculum Framework provide curriculum that is consistent across the district and is connected from preschool through 12th grade. It provides a common guideline for teachers, students, parents and community members to understand the expectations we have for all students.

School, Family and Community Involvement
We must all work together to offer the education our students need and deserve. Our schools belong to the community and need community participation and support. Parents and teachers must work in partnership to ensure that each student is successful in achieving the high standards outlined in the Curriculum Framework. Community members can lend support by participating in opportunities provided to set district goals, evaluate progress, make recommendations and volunteer in schools.

Concept-based Curriculum Frameworks
The Curriculum Framework is a concept and process-based curriculum guide. It goes beyond the traditional fact and topical curriculum by identifying and organizing Concepts, Essential Understandings, Processes/Skills and Critical Content. This model encourages teachers to design instruction that will lead students toward greater depth in thinking and learning. Assessment is an ongoing part of instruction and students demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

Concepts
Concepts are organizing ideas, such as interdependence and diversity. They transfer across content areas, help students make connections and lead them to deeper levels of understanding that can be applied to present and future life situations.

Essential Understandings
Essential understandings are universal and timeless generalizations related to the concepts and content. Students construct these understandings or "big ideas" through investigation and exploration of topics and ideas. Essential Understandings answer the question often posed by students: Why am I learning this?

Guiding Questions
Guiding Questions are open-ended questions that drive investigation of topics and ideas toward conceptual levels of understanding. Guiding Questions can frame the activities and lessons that lead students toward Essential Understandings.

Processes/Skills
Processes combine a variety of skills into complex performances. Students develop basic skills in order to use processes such as reading, writing and thinking.

Critical Content
Critical Content is made up of the most important topics and factual knowledge in each academic content area.


More detailed info ...