Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom

Think Beyond the Facts!



Knowing the facts is not enough. If we want students to develop intellectually, creatively problem-solve, and grapple with complexity, the key is in conceptual understanding. A Concept-Based curriculum recaptures students’ innate curiosity about the world and provides the thrilling feeling of engaging one’s mind. 



This updated edition introduces the newest thought leadership in Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction. Educators will learn how to

Meet the demands of rigorous academic standardsUse the Structure of Knowledge and Process when designing disciplinary unitsEngage students in inquiry through inductive teachingIdentify conceptual lenses and craft quality generalizations Explore deeper levels of learning and become a Master Concept-Based Teacher.



"This book is smart, wise, and energizing. It honors the disciplines we teach by reminding us of their inherent meaning. It honors teachers with the belief that they grow as human beings through understanding the power of what they teach. It honors students by expecting them to become thinkers capable of reasoned stewardship of the world they live in and will inherit."

Carol Ann Tomlinson, William Clay Parrish, Jr. Professor

University of Virginia, Curry School of Education



"As factual and procedural knowledge are a click away, education needs to foster contextualization and higher order thinking through a focus on transferable conceptual understandings. This essential book translates the needed sophistication of concept-based learning into actionable classroom practices."

Charles Fadel, Author of "Four-Dimensional Education" and "21st Century Skills"

Founder, Center for Curriculum Redesign

Visiting Scholar, Harvard Graduate School of Education