Question about classroom materials and curricula.

[Igel]

Rather a long question, I'm afraid, and I hope this is ok with the forum rules.

My mother-in-law is thinking about using some of her materials. She's an entomologist, and has become an expert on the wildlife in "her" ecosystem; she's married to a botanist, they're emeriti from a state university. They have 30 years of slides and materials from fieldwork and teaching; she worked as the education specialist at an arboretum where her husband also worked. She wants to package stuff up and sell it, or write a grant and make her materials available. Sort of, "I have all this stuff, and it's a shame to let it go to waste" point of view. She loves her subject matter and wants to share; I'm not convinced money's a big deal to her.

Problem is, she did university, not public schools. She's thinking that she'd like to produce video segments, slides and video with voice-over commentary on DVD. Videos would be 10-20 minutes long on assorted topics. Xeriscaping, or desert animal adaptations to heat or dry conditions. She'll do the necessary footwork--track down curricula and texts that are used to make sure she's both relevant and complementary--but isn't sure about a thing or two.

For example: How long should video segments be? 10 minutes too short? 20 too long? Is DVD the best way to go--what kinds of tech do most classrooms have? What kinds of ancillary materials would be best? Is there a single kind of process for procuring such materials--at the BOE level? School? Do teachers have input? Do they have time, or are they so scripted these days that on day 1 in the fall they have a script indicating how to introduce themselves?

I think she's thinking "get them while they're young", so elementary school. But that could change, I think, once she's looked at elementary school curricula.

Suggestions appreciated. I'll check back in a day or two, and periodically after that (since most fora are sparsely populated ... and it's summer vacation :)

[Kerrytravelers]

1. Quite honestly, to be the most marketable, she should do a variety of versions of her materials.

In California, where I am in Education, we have Title I schools, which reequire different kinds of supporting materials to meet the needs of struggling students. There are some areas, however, where that is less of an issue.

Also, I would suggest creating materials that match a particular state's standards as found on the State Department of Education ewbsite. All curriculum should conform to these standards. The ultimate goal is to make the materials meaningful to the final state testing at the end of the year. In a majority of the schools in California, the main focus is on the test when considering curriculum and materials.

Hope this is helpful. Feel free to ask me anything. I work in a K-12 setting, so I am fairly familiar with all kinds of curriculum.

[Igel]

3. Thanks.

They helped with their state's science curriculum long ago, so they know to coordinate things with big states' (and small states, to the extent possible) curricula.

But you're right: They should develop materials for a variety of audiences, and in a variety of formats, even if it's essentially the same material.

One question, though (although I'll likely be back with more): Do you know if these days there's some state-wide teaching-materials vetting board, or do teachers have the final say?

I also keep hearing different things--"my day is scripted" to "the curriculum maps out nearly every day's material" to "I've decided to have them read X, Y, and Z because I have the latitude to do so." Must depend heavily on school district and the students involved: I'd imagine that low-performing students are treated in a Distar-like manner, while those teaching students in the upper decile have the freedom to simply do what they do best.

[glowing]

2. I would say about 15 minutes.

And I would target elementary and middle school...one being more sophisticated than the other...

I would find a friend who is a teacher and look at their curriculum.. see where it would fit in as a supplement to what the teacher is already teaching.

Perhaps, in this day of technology, she could use a web-site to post the video sections on. Have the School and/ or school board decide it is worthwhile the supplement for classroom instruction. Have them pay for a PassWord onto the site.. this way children would be able to take this home and watch different series or be able to access it at school. AND she could make the web-site interactive with games and pictures and other really neat things. A web-site is the way I would go to market the idea to various science teachers, schools, and school boards. AND keep it cheap for paid access.

Include a blogging page as well, so that students around the country can interact with one another and discuss the materials.. and post pictures and videos of their "backyards" to engage them even more... The child living in Hawaii will have a different perception and landscape than someone in Maine....

Def. a WebSite.. Its easier to maintain and update any info or videos.. Much more marketable to a school so that they can interact and have the kids be able to interact with the site on their own time after school.. also, the teacher would be able to copy any of these videos onto a disk or DVD to play during a lesson..

[madeline_con]

4. I've seen lesson plans that spanned a few days.

The film is shown after a brief prep period, then the activity is done the day after the film.
Depending on content and how in depth the info is, 20 or 40 minute films are fine.

[donco6]

5. We probably wouldn't buy it if it wasn't in Spanish and English.

In states without "local control" like California and Texas, the curriculum is set by the state. This would probably be a "supplemental" material, so I don't know what the vetting process would be - it wouldn't be as stringent as that of a textbook. In other states where local boards set the curriculum (like in Colorado), the main question is going to be how the materials match up with state standards, and is it available in Spanish and English.