Assignment 1: Social Forces and Issues Shaping Curriculum Planning 

 

Due Week 4 and worth 300 points 

 

Research the student population and neighborhood demographics of your immediate area such as your county or city and the demographics of your state. Look at the most recent election results, especially for school board and elected state officials, and see what their opinions are about education. Especially note if your area is either aligned with your larger state or differs from your larger state.  

 

Student population description includes age, cultural diversity, family situation, academic achievement levels, and general attitudes toward school. Neighborhood refers to geographic setting, income levels, physical surroundings, and crime/safety challenges. Access demographic information from your district, city, county, and/or state Websites. Cite the URLs for this information in your paper.  

 

Assume you are leading a team of administrators, parents, students, and teachers to plan curricula that includes the grade and subject you have been using to answer your discussion questions. Determine the top five social forces that you want to address. Describe three key issues of each social force, recommend a method to address the issues, and discuss the benefits expected. You can apply your paper to just the one grade and subject or broaden it to a grade range such as K-2, 3-5, middle school, etc. Or, you can expand the grade range of your subject such as elementary science or middle school ELA.  

 

Write a 6-8 page paper in which you: 

 

1. Describe the demographics of your school district and compare them to the demographics of the county or city in which it resides. 
2. Compare your local demographics to your state demographics, including recent election results, and note any major education issues that came up during the most recent election.
3. Describe the top five social forces that you want to address through curriculum planning.
   1. Explain why you think these are the top five. 
   2. Explain why you think curriculum planning will help address these social forces. 
4. Describe three key issues for each social force.
   1. Recommend a method to address the issue. 
   2. Discuss the benefits expected.

 

Your assignment must: 

 

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. 
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. 
• Use references to support your claims, including quotes, facts, and illustrations from the articles in the text and at least three (3) other outside scholarly sources published in the two years. 

 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: 

 

• Analyze current and future curriculum leadership issues of K-12 schools and/or students. 
• Identify explicit expectations for high-quality education. 
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in curriculum policy and leadership. 
• Write clearly and concisely about curriculum policy and leadership using proper writing mechanics.