Millcreek Township School District - Mission:
“The Millcreek Township School District provides a well-rounded, world-class education that promotes excellence and prepares students to reach their full potential as life-long learners and responsible citizens.” (eStrategic draft 4/9/07)
Curriculum Department
Welcome to the Millcreek Township School District’s (MTSD) Curriculum Web Site. This multi-faceted resource allows you to: (1) understand the structure of the district’s curriculum and its overall design principles, including the district’s mission, learning principles, and curriculum framework for all content areas; (2) examine the key elements of the K-12 programs of study that comprise the district’s curriculum; and (3) examine the relationship among the Millcreek Township School District curriculum, Pennsylvania Academic Standards, and related accountability testing programs and long-term results.
The MTSD curriculum has been developed based on the Pennsylvania Academic Standards, national standards, and research-based instructional practices. The organization of the curriculum follows the Understanding by Design framework, an approach to lesson, unit and course development based upon the concept of backward design (i.e., beginning with desired results, moving to a balanced and complete assessment process, and ending with teaching-learning activities that promote high level student understanding.)
At the district, program, course, and unit levels, the curriculum begins with setting goals and identifying desired results. These identified results then shape acceptable assessment evidence and guide the planning of learning experiences and instruction. The Four main parts to the MTSD curriculum website are as follows:
- Part I: “District Level: An Overview of Key Elements”: This section of the website provides an overview of curriculum components at the K-12 system level. It illuminates what understandings, knowledge, and skills students will need to become life-long learners and responsible citizens.
- Part II: “K-12 Programs: An Overview of Key Elements”: This section presents a overview of the key elements of each K-12 academic program and related content areas (i.e., Art, Business, English Language Arts, Family & Consumer Science, Industrial Technology, Library, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies, Wellness, and World Languages).
- Part III: “Grade Level / Course-Specific Curriculum Map”: In this section, the curriculum is mapped out to describe how units within the grade level or course should be sequenced with accompanying enduring understandings and essential questions. When appropriate, requisite background knowledge and skills for each unit identify what students should have learned prior to beginning that particular unit.
- Part IV: “Grade Level / Course-Specific Units of Study”: Exemplar units of study for each grade level and course are found in this section. Parents are encouraged to communicate with their children’s teachers if they would like more information regarding instructional plans.