At the heart of education are two fundamental questions: What should we teach? and How should we teach it? Educators striving to design and deliver the best-possible learning experiences can feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. To help them make these critical decisions, Angela Di Michele Lalor identifies five key priorities of a curriculum that matters--practices, deep thinking, social and emotional learning, civic engagement and discourse, and equity.

Emphasizing the importance of schools' determining their own path forward, Lalor provides a framework for action by

* Describing how each element contributes to a rigorous, meaningful curriculum,
* Providing strategies for incorporating each element into daily instruction and assessment, and
* Offering reflection activities to identify strengths, needs, and possible next steps.

With insightful observations, research-based background information, and real-world examples from a variety of schools and districts, Making Curriculum Matter presents teachers and administrators with a path for reaching their most important overall goal: to provide comprehensive, meaningful learning to all students.