Curriculum Matters
This blog covered news on the common core, literacy, math, STEM, social studies, the arts, and other curriculum and instruction topics. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: common core, reading & literacy, mathematics, STEM, social studies, and curriculum.
Curriculum
The Midterm Elections in the Classroom: Why They Matter, and How Teachers Are Preparing
In the kickoff of a blog series leading up to the midterm elections, Curriculum Matters explore how one teacher approached the topic of ballot initiatives.
Social Studies
The Slaughter in Pittsburgh Is Horrifying. What Can Schools Do to Prevent Another?
Anti-semitism is on the rise, young people know less about the Holocaust than older adults, and only a handful of states mandate by law the teaching of the Holocaust and genocide.
Education
Arizona's Final Science Standards Restore Evolution
The final draft, approved on a 6-4 vote, includes stronger expectations for teaching evolution and climate change.
Social Studies
Senators Eye Changes to Federal History and Civics Grants
The change would require grantees to teach about the U.S. Constitution.
Reading & Literacy
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor: Passion for Reading Powered Her Success
At a recent appearance, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor talked about her new children's book, which describes in words and pictures how her love of reading has changed her life.
Curriculum
How Can Students Learn to Distinguish Misinformation From Real News?
In a new free instructional game designed to build media literacy in students, young people pretend they are managing a news site and how to tell fake news from real news.
Social Studies
When Was the Constitution Written? Most Americans Don't Know
A new poll reveals a troubling lack of basic knowledge of civics and U.S. history.
Science
Defiant Ariz. Schools Chief Proposes Swapping Standards for Conservative Charter Curriculum Plan
Her department's science standards already under fire, Douglas has now proposed using a "scope and sequence" crafted by a Christian liberal arts college as the basis of nearly all the state's K-12 content standards.
Assessment
A Test to Assess Creativity? It's in the Works
Students who take the international PISA exam in 2021 could face a new kind of test: one that attempts to measure their creativity.
Standards
Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Vows to Stop Common Core
Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis is renewing a political trend that had fallen dormant: calling for the end of the use of the shared standards.
Reading & Literacy
Young Adults Lead the Way as Poetry Readership Increases Across the Nation
Despite a move towards using more nonfiction texts in the classroom, young adults' poetry readership in 2017 was the highest on record over a 15-year period.
Social Studies
Constitution Day Is Here. Here's a Roundup of Lessons and Resources
At a time when Constitutional issues are very much in the news, teachers and national organizations are gearing up materials and events to help students sort out what makes the 231-year-old document relevant today.
Science
Climate Change Is a Thing. You Should Teach It, Science Teachers Group Says
The National Science Teachers Association says teaching about climate change must be a key part of K-12 science instruction.
Assessment
Maryland Will Be the Next State to Drop the PARCC Common-Core Test
Maryland, one of the few remaining states to administer the full PARCC exam, will create its own test after the 2018-19 school year.