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Timelinks: Communities 1

A Curriculum Analysis of Timelinks: Communities

Andrew J. Kruse

CIED 532 Curriculum Analysis

University of Saint Thomas


Table of Contents

Curriculum Documentation and Origins……………………………………………………………….3-4

The Curriculum Proper…………………………………………………………………………………..4-7

The Curriculum in Use…………………………………………………………………………………..8-9

Critique……………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

Reference List……………………………………………………………………………………………..11

Title Pages and Sited Pages…………………………………………………………………...(Attached)


Curriculum Documentation and Origins On what curriculum and standards documents and other resources will you base your analysis? Which state and national standards are relevant to the curriculum you have chosen? As a basis for my analysis I will use the student textbook, teacher’s edition, and supplementary materials for Timelinks: Communities. This program was published in 2009 by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill as new Social Studies curriculum meant to integrate national English and Language Arts standards with national Social Studies and Geography standards. In order to assist my analysis, I plan to address statements made in the article “Exploring Big Ideas in Social Studies” by program author Emily M. Schell. On what aspects of the analysis do the curriculum and standards documents focus? The teacher’s edition of the text includes all contributing authors to the program, scope and sequence, national standards, teaching strategies, and assessment strategies. Furthermore, the supplementary material extends assessment and instructional strategies. Statements made on the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill website offer philosophical foundations for the publishing organization. In the article “Exploring Big Ideas in Social Studies”, Schell addresses the philosophy behind the organization and content. What limitations in documentation do you find? At this time I feel the text, teacher’s guide, and supplemental materials provide excellent information for scope, standards, and strategies; however, they do not contain any direct insights into the development process for the curriculum. The article by Schell was provided by a regional sales representative for McMillan, McGraw-Hill. Two resources I was unable to acquire were resources related to the curriculum from any of the other program authors, and any other analysis or article written specifically on the Timelinks: Communities. General commentary on Timelink was available, but no reviews specifically on the third grade level of Communities could be located. What team development of the curriculum? Within the project team, who represented the learners, the teachers, the subject matter, and the milieu? Was there an obvious blind spot on the team? There are six main program authors listed for the curriculum. Dr. James A. Banks of the University of Washington, Kevin P. Colleary of Fordham University, Dr. Linda Greenow of State University of New York at New Paltz, Dr. Walter C. Parker of the University of Washington, Emily M. Schell or San Diego State University, and Dinah Zike or Dinah-Mite Activities, Inc. Outside of the six listed program authors, there are also listed two additional contributors, sixteen historian/scholars, four grade level reviewers, and sixteen members of an editorial advisory board. At the time the Timelinks was published, Dr. Banks was serving as a Professor of Diversity Studies and the Director of Multicultural Education in Seattle. It is my impression that because of the subject matter and social objectives of a Social Studies curriculum, Dr. Banks represented the milieu of this program. This would be especially true in elements such as Unit 3; Many Cultures, One Country, but also throughout the text. Kevin Colleary and Emily Schell both held roles in Teacher Education, and would have represented the teachers. Dr. Greenow and Dr. Parker represented their subject matter; Geography and Social Studies/Political Science, respectively. Dinah Zike is listed as an Educational Consultant, and is attributed as author of a curriculum supplement called “Foldables: Study Organizer”. She would represent program implementation, methodology, and ultimately the teachers as well. All of the additional contributors and historians represent expertise in a subject matter, primarily Social Studies or History. There appears to be an obvious blind spot, evident in the lack of representation by a learning psychologist or learning specialist to represent the learners. There are; however, four third grade teachers used as “grade level reviewers”. This gives the impression the curriculum was tested and reviewed before being sold nationally. If this were true, some of the learners needs could have been addressed by these reviewers.


To what social, economic, political, or educational problem was the curriculum attempting to respond? As mentioned earlier, Timelinks was written with the intention of integrating Language Arts standards in a Social Studies curriculum. This indicates a strong adherence to national standards, as well as an obvious acknowledgement that so called core curricula, i.e. math and language arts, not only needs more attention, but needs so much attention that it had begun to take time completely away from so called secondary curricula, i.e. social studies, and science. This curriculum addresses the political and educational problem of the removal of social studies and geography studies to provide more time to language arts, most likely due to the emphasis placed on standardized test scores, and their impact on schools, school districts, and funding. In each unit, much effort was also made to reference environmental issues, especially conservation and so called green efforts. This indicated the authors chose to address the social and political problem the felt existed in the environment. What planning elements dominated the curriculum development process? The dominating planning elements appear to be the inclusion of language arts elements, specifically in the assessment materials and questions, and the inclusion of multicultural and culturally expansive content. This is can be seen in the national standards addressed in language arts and by examining the lessons content, observing the many different cultures represented in text and pictures. What perspective, if any, does the curriculum represent?

At this point, this is a very difficult assessment. I see two of the five perspectives strongly represented. Timelinks is driven by direct correlation to national educational standards, and responds to the problems outlined in No Child Left Behind legislation such as dropping national test scores in “core” subjects, specifically Language Arts. It is organized into a text book, and incorporates very standard forms of assessment, i.e. written tests and worksheets, and also includes learning activities. Based on the curriculum’s emphasis on educational standards in History, Geography, and Language Arts the curriculum appears to be answering the question; what should students be able to do at the conclusion of their study? What is the desired student response to the curriculum? This leads me to the behavioral perspective. If one were to incorporate Piaget’s concepts, this curriculum seems to open lessons by answering questions about the concrete, such as: What is a community? What was the Boston Tea Party? Where is Jamestown? The curriculum’s lessons then move toward a more abstract concept such as freedom, independence, or citizenship.

The inclusion of historical and geographical facts as well as the recurrence of the concept of citizenship leads me to the traditional perspective. This curriculum appears to be delivering cultural keepsakes, or passing down a cultural heritage to its readers. I imagine this is a common perspective taken by history text books. The Curriculum Proper What aspects of the curriculum are intended for training and what aspects are intended for educational context? The text strikes an interesting balance between training and education. In the context of the text as a Social Studies curriculum it includes more traditional perspective information and more educational context. It should be noted; however, that it does include geographical map and globe skills consistent with the philosophy of the training context. Notably, the underlying theme of this curriculum is the incorporation of Language Arts skill building and exercising. This can be found primarily in the lesson Assessments booklet, which is a collection of copy masters for worksheets following each lesson. These assessments follow a pattern consistent with the training context.


What level(s) of goals are assessed in your text? On which educational goals does your text focus more? National Standards played a large role in the creation of the curriculum, and are evidenced throughout the text. Based on the problems addressed by the text (weak test results in the area of Language Arts, limited time appropriation in schools for Social Studies, and pollution) there is evidence of focus on overarching educational aims and societal goals. The societal goals addressed are greater efforts, as advanced by citizens, for conservation of resources, and a general sense of American global placement in literacy. The text presents a dual nature based on its organization. Considering the text’s daily lessons, a focus on the traditional perspective, and the repetitive nature of commentary meant to formulate good knowledge and citizenship, the focus is overarching societal goals. Based on the underlying motivation to build skills in Language Arts, as driven by national standards, and as found in the assessments, the text focuses on the more narrow goals of learning objectives. Does the curriculum embody a view of multicultural education in its content? The first listed program author for this text is Dr. James A. Banks. In 2009 at the time of this text was published, he was a professor of diversity studies, and the director of the Center for Multicultural Education. It is immediately apparent that a multicultural consideration was given to this text. The content of the text reflects a multi-ethnic approach. New cultures are introduced with new topic, for example the Cahokia American Indians are used to introduce the topic of communities (Timelinks p.52-54). The concept of multiculturalism permeates each lesson. As another example, when examining the first American colonies such as Jamestown, there is an added section entitled “Africans in Jamestown” (Timelinks p.59). How is it determined if students have met the standards? / Is the curriculum aligned with the standards? The teacher’s edition to the text provides a “Standards Correlation” section on pages T9-T13. These pages reflect which standards are addressed by the text and on what pages. A simple determination on standards met is a thorough completion on all elements of the text and assessments in a given school year. The standards correlation shows that all standards in Social Studies, Geography, and Language Arts are met, save one. NCTE (Language Arts) Standards 9-11 are not addressed in the student material. Standards 10 and 11 are addressed in the teacher material; however, standard 9 is not addressed at any level. What conceptions of learning, objectives, curriculum, and teaching underlie the curriculum materials you are analyzing? As this text implements Language Arts themes and objectives, it is done as “contextualized practice” (Posner p.117). The Language Arts themes and concepts are lifted through the Social Studies curriculum. This implies an underlying consistency with constructivism. Other evidences of constructivism appear on a sweeping scale in the curriculum through recurrent themes in conservationism and cultural diversity. The positioning of these themes in the text would have the students develop empathy and pattern their world view around such themes.

The emphasis previously noted on National Standards suggests; however, a strong emphasis on behavioral objectives. Phrases such as “Students apply”, “Students conduct”, “Students use”, “Students read” (Timelinks p.T13) are used repeatedly in each standard, suggesting easily measurable and determinable tasks. It is not uncommon for evidences of several different approaches to be present in one curriculum, and that certain relationships exist between the natures of constructivism and


behaviorism, but it should be stated that the behaviorist and traditional conceptions far outweigh the others. What aspects of a hidden curriculum are likely to accompany the conceptions and perspectives underlying the curriculum? The hidden curriculum likely to accompany the conceptions of this text includes the responsibility of each individual to come to the aid of fellow citizens and assist in earth-improvement activities such as recycling or volunteerism. Also, a feeling that diversity is a natural and normal condition of citizenship; expect to see visible differences between you and your neighbor. Accept those differences. To what extent is the curriculum likely to play a hegemonic role in its purposes or content? The overarching hegemonic themes purposed in this text’s content would be one stating we all must be mutually acceptable of all cultures. Additionally, there is a theme stating -we are currently being wasteful and misusing our resources, and must be more conservative as citizens is present. What provision, if any, is made for macro-level vertical and/or horizontal organization? Due to the structure of knowledge, the organization of this Social Studies text includes several areas of subject matter in varying degrees. By nature Social Studies employs content in history, geography, political science, economics, and anthropology (Posner p.151). Each of these individual disciplines is present in this text. The degree to which each is used in the curriculum organization varies. History and economics are transdisciplinary and used to organize the basic lessons taught. For example, the history of the Cahokia people is used to explain communities and give an example of the first communities. Basic economic concepts are taught by following the Canadian dollar in circulation. Anthropology is evidenced in the multi-ethnic nature of the text (see above), and is also transdisciplinary. Geography concepts are taught as linear skills which parallel the text and sequence the previous geography lessons, but are vaguely connected to the surrounding content. Also present at the macro-level is language arts, which would be expected to some degree, but are deeply integrated into the lessons and assessments of this specific curriculum. There are leveled reader suggestions for each chapter, vocabulary cards, and skill practice, such as finding main idea and supporting details of the lesson. Every chapter includes a “The Big Idea” activity which involves a written response and work with the “Foldables” graphic organizers, a curriculum extra created by author Dinah Zike. What kind of sequencing structure does your text have? Because each lesson is not dependent upon the skills taught in the previous lessons, it is possible to rule out a linear structure. There is evidence of a hierarchical structure if one presumes the purpose of the text is to produce a behavior such as citizenship. In this thread, concepts such as geography, cultural awareness, and history come together to form the desired result; good citizenship. This structure is in question, in my opinion, because the pieces used to form the result are not unrelated, as described in the text (Posner p.131). Because, geography, cultural awareness, history, community structure (the text’s theme), and citizenship are each related and recurring in the text, my initial instinct was that this text may be sequenced in a spiral. However, among further analysis, the text fits more closely to the discrete model. Even though I find relationship between units and topics, the content and topics are presented on a path, one after the other, culminating with a unit assessment. This is evidenced in the “Big Idea” unit themes. Schell describes organizing all important concepts of the unit together into one “Big Idea” as an organization to teaching a unit.

“Working with many teachers who have sought to prioritize their standards and make sense of the social studies they teach, we have found that teachers benefit form the process of analyzing their standards, determining what is most important for students to know and do, and then developing a set of grade-level Big Ideas about social studies.” (Schell, “Exploring Big Ideas in Social Studies”)


Because each unit has a different big idea, it is accurate to say the curriculum follows a discrete sequence. How are various media and technology employed to deliver curriculum? What organizational principles does the curriculum employ? Does technology play a role in the curriculum organization? What are the social and political implications of technology in curriculum organization? Media and technology supplements are available for this text, generally in the form of CD-ROM and DVD. Available resources on the CD-ROMs include an assessment builder and lesson planner for teachers, supplemental presentation material for instruction, and a grade tracker and digital text for students. Also the “Foldable” graphic organizers, which are meant to be interactive study material, coordinate with each unit. The text is not dependent on the technology which may make implementation easier for schools with few technology resources.

This offers further support to the concept that this text was written with low achievement in mind (as noted below). Because low achievement often stems from lower income areas and schools, the ability of the text to stand alone (without technology) as well as the great emphasis on language arts, multi-ethnic points of view, and standards implies that this text was written for low achieving schools. Does the curriculum organization increase or decrease the likelihood that tracking will be used?

The nature and purpose of the curriculum denotes avoidance to tracking. This is observed through the nature of Language Arts integration and emphasis on reading and writing skills, primarily found through this text’s assessment style. Because these skills are meant to build rather than replace Language Arts skills, it is evident that tracking is not, from the perspective of this curriculum, something the program authors desired. In fact, one could argue avoiding such leveling was taken into specific consideration by the authors. Which approach is your textbook based on? The approach most strongly evidenced in this text is the bottom-up, or inductivist, approach. What evidence leads me to this conclusion? Though the entire curriculum circulates around the theme “communities”, the greater themes and structures taught in this curriculum are that of societal organization, cultural awareness, citizenship, and economics (to name a few). These structures are taught not through examining the philosophy from the point of view held by a historian, philanthropist, or economist, but through lessons structured around the learner. The student is led through series of mini lessons explaining the very basic ideas of the structure; for example, learning what an employee and consumer are (Timelinks: Communities, p.149-150). In this way the learner’s needs are addressed, and they are seldom asked to deduce their own conclusions about the greater structures. The learner is “scaffolded” from the bottom up. How does your textbook represent the subject matter?

The subject matter of social studies, in my opinion, can be conceptualized in three possible ways.

As a study of historical facts as they relate to common principles of social organizations which have developed over time, for example studying the history and facts of the Roman Empire to learn what an empire is and if empires exist today. I will term this the Timeline approach. It can be studied as a thematic study of human social and political interactions over time, for example the theme “War” functions as a gateway to examining social and political history. The War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Gulf War may be examined along with the political and social precursors and effects of those events. I will term this the Theme approach. Or as a means by which to study past and present societies for the purpose of identifying and building practical skills to improve on disparities or problems that exist in the world society at present. I will term this the Reform approach.

Timelinks: Communities as a curriculum is primarily conceptualized from a Theme approach,

though shades of Reform are visible as well. The text represents social studies subject matter through


the theme communities. This theme serves as the vehicle by which each unit introduces a specific aspect of society, such as the change communities’ face due to immigration, or the need for communities to have government. Reform finds its way into lessons about recycling, so called green efforts, and cultural inequalities. The Curriculum in Use What are the temporal, physical, and organizational requirements of the curriculum? The curriculum addresses, in its nature, an issue of temporal constraints faced by teachers in their daily work. As addressed previously, Language Arts standards are addressed in depth to combat the tendency of schools to drop or shorten time for Social Studies because of higher demand in the field of reading literacy, fluency, and ultimately, higher demand for improved standardized test scores. In so far as teacher planning time, instruction time, or evaluation time, I have found no outstanding demands other than to note this curriculum, by nature, is suggesting the need for increased time on this subject. “Increased” at some level may mean from nothing to something; however, I believe it is suggesting equal time allotment with what is regularly scheduled for Language Arts itself. No part of this curriculum appears to demand more than typical text, workbook, and standard classroom space or materials. Textbooks are a requirement for students. Teacher’s guide and copy master worksheets are required of the teacher, with optional workbooks available for ELS learners, leveled readers, remedial worksheets, and a TV/DVD player for a chapter related video. Another potential purchase, though it is not required, are the Dinah Zike’s Foldable Study Organizer materials.

The leveled readers may coincide very well with some existing curriculum organizations, or not, depending on how reading class is organized at the school. A program like SRA would partner with this curriculum nicely. The curriculum’s organization fits most cleanly into a traditional classroom with the potential for some cooperative learning and collaboration on aspects like the study organizers. What are the probable costs and benefits, and required technologies for implementation of the curriculum? Depending on the amount of materials desired and quantity, the actual physical cost appears to be consistent with standard curriculum purchases from major providers such as McMillan-McGraw Hill. Faculty training is offered for implementation, but not required. Costs regarding staff training and additional time are relatively limited and consistent with standard prep time, with the exception of faculty familiarizing themselves with new materials. The benefits received are meant to be made by administrators and faculty who feel the pressure of a high demand on language arts and feel constrained in their attempts to incorporate social studies. Other benefits to learners come through increased skill work with language arts, an emphasis on cultural education, and the promise of improved educational quality with the promise of adequate social studies time. The costs of this curriculum would be felt by all faculty members as time may be shifted and allocated toward social studies, should less time have existed earlier, by the potential of having some of their time reduced. The potential for cost-benefit shift remains rather high. Should the implementation of the curriculum yield no improvement in the category of language arts specifically, its purpose and legitimacy would be questioned.

No digital or electronic technology is required as a part of implementation, though there are optional aspects of the curriculum that require audio and visual components, such as a television and DVD player. To what extent will the curriculum be consistent with and appropriate for the teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and competencies? This depends on the nature of the teacher! The curriculum provides a safe delivery system for the “average” teacher. There are no additionally demanding aspects of the curriculum (outside of “regular” teaching). Unlike a Structure of Disciplines approach, this Traditional/Behavioral curriculum does not require heightened teacher ability in the subject matter, or a heightened organizational ability, as


in a Constructivist approach curriculum. In order for this curriculum to find a niche, teachers must be open to multiculturalism and environmentalism. What values are embedded in the curriculum? The values represented by the curriculum are the responsibilities of global citizenship, such as conservation of resources, knowledge of economic systems, and multicultural awareness and acceptance. Possible basis for disagreement may come from sections of the community that dispute political aspects of environmentalism, such as global warming. Other aspects offensive to a community may be the focus on multiculturalism, and the students’ inability to relate to the curriculum. For example a completely Hispanic classroom may find it difficult to relate because they have very little background knowledge on Native American or European studies. The curriculum lacks in alternate theories to issues such as global warming, incorporation for the argument against would go far with certain parts of the community. The multicultural perspectives offered in the text would be difficult to gear towards one part of the community without changing the nature of the text. Perhaps this is the point. Which approaches to curriculum change seem to be consistent with the curriculum?

Timelinks: Communities is consistent with the RD&D approach to change. As noted by Posner on page 236, there is middle ground, and the curriculum has evidence of the Collaborative approach as well, though in small ways. Evidences of Communities connection to the RD&D approach are found it the adherence to National Standards, the structure of the text and lessons, and the research based development and pilot program it went through in initial implementation. Which approach is dominant in evaluating students?

The dominant approach of Timelinks in evaluating students is the traditional approach. The curriculum evaluates students primarily end of lesson and end of unit assessment work sheets and similar questions in the textbook, both of which includes the formats of multiple-choice, short answer responses, fill-in-the-blank, and extended written answer questions. (The teacher materials at this point incorporate technology and offer a CD ROM which allows the teacher to build their own worksheet by swapping out questions and writing their own.) A majority of the questions focus on basic facts of the unit material, e.g. dates, related definitions, and current application of themes. The unique aspect of this curriculum, as mentioned previously to great degree, is the incorporation of Language Arts standards. This is most evident in the lesson assessment worksheets. It is evidenced by questions occurring every lesson assessment and unit assessment which ask the student to write a paragraph using the vocabulary words, read a related material and answer reading comprehension questions, and long answer questions based on hypothetical situations that relate to the unit theme-a kind of “put yourself in the situation” question. I believe these qualify as evidences of a behavioral approach.

A weakness or limitation in this case is the lack of sufficient writing criteria or checklists for evaluating written answers, which leads me to believe the evaluation is to be based on the connection to social studies more so than language arts. That fact, among many others, has led me to determine traditional as the dominant approach.

The text also provides a “Big Idea” for each unit which provides some unit ending project options. The teacher materials provide a rubric for grading these projects. This offers some variety of evaluation, but does not show evidence of a new approach. Seat-work is offered typically in the form of a graphic organizer, but also does not show evidence of a new approach. Does the evaluation approach of your curriculum seem “measurement-based”? In what ways can you claim that the evaluation seems “integrated”?


Timelinks: Communities fits cleanly into the traditional and behavioral context, and is measurement based to a very great degree. Nearly all assessment and evaluation material have an outcome based expectation and can be measured. It is clearly apparent that the focus on national standards guides the learning objectives of the lessons and units.

As I explore deeper, searching for signs of the integrated approach, I am drawn to consider the included supplement of Dina Zike’s Foldable graphic organizers. I have not considered them under the context of evaluation because I consider them to be an instructional tool and there are no rubrics or checklists provided to measure student involvement. A case could be have; however, that by offering the opportunity for students to take ownership of and participate in gathering evidence for a large scale graphic organizer within a classroom could build intrinsic motivation and be evaluated by the teacher informally. Critique What are the strengths, weaknesses, limitations, and blind spots of the curriculum? How would you adapt the curriculum? The strength of this curriculum is its ability to increase language arts skills practice time while simultaneously teaching social studies and geography concepts. Ideally making room for more social studies time and better preparing students for both social studies and language arts standards that they will encounter in testing. This curriculum is also strong in delivering a multicultural and multiethnic view of the world and drawing connections between cultures and ethnicities instead of divisions. This curriculum’s weaknesses are a lack of differentiated assessments and a lack of checklists or rubrics for assessing the language arts components. The program author group did not have a learning or child’s psychologist on it; therefore the learner’s needs may not have been fully considered during the development. Political-environmental themes of “going green” and “global warming” were represented, and could disrupt implementation in different communities. The curriculum does not represent experiential learning, and offers only a few “hands on” activities. As an instructor, incorporating all of the supplements, especially the leveled readers, may find that the curriculum exceeds allotted class time, or that it disrupts transition times if the students or teachers move from room to room. Finally, schools may be limited by the cost of all the leveled readers, where they simply cannot pay for all the aspects of the curriculum and receive the full benefit.

I would purchase only those leveled readers that coincided with themes being taught in reading and language arts class, to make further learning connections and save on expenses. I would likely exclude “Foldables” as an exercise done for the class. Instead I would use the “Big Idea” project options, or one of my own ideas, to be the ongoing organizer of thoughts for the unit. I would make the lesson assessments a part of cooperative learning. I would attempt to find one outside the classroom or outside the school activity for each unit. I would likely keep many traditional aspects of the curriculum as they are.


Reference List

Posner,G. (2004). Analyzing the curriculum. Cornell University: McGraw-Hill

Banks,J.A., Colleary,K.P., Greenow,L., Parker,W.C., Schell,E.M., Zike,D. (2009). Timelinks:Communities. Columbus,OH: McGraw-Hill

Schell,E.M. (2009). Exploring big ideas in social studies. Columbus,OH: McGraw-Hill

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