Where innovative ideas meet great design
Curriculum Design & Teaching
This page highlights my 14+ years experience developing and teaching various curricula.
01
Curriculum Designer & Author: Beyond Maps Toolkit
Need:
In the AI age, students need more than memorization—they need to analyze, collaborate, and solve problems. Geography teachers often lack engaging, ready-made lessons that meet these needs while still aligning with academic standards.
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Solution:
I authored and published Beyond Maps: A Practical Toolkit for Teaching Middle & AP Human Geography. The book includes differentiated activities by age group, aligned with NCSS C3 and NGS standards. Each lesson is classroom-ready, featuring extension activities, grading rubrics, and answer keys. Formats range from riddles and scavenger hunts to cultural passports and climate mapping, designed to spark critical thinking and real-world connections.
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Results:
Now used by educators nationwide through Amazon and Teachers Pay Teachers, the resource saves prep time while improving classroom engagement. Teachers report it not only simplifies lesson planning but also builds higher-order thinking skills—helping students thrive in an AI-driven world.
02
Curriculum Design Example
This is an example of how to plan effective, C3-aligned lessons and assessment items. These activities and questions were written to align with California 8th Grade Social Studies standards.
Features:
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3 sources including culturally diverse perspectives
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2 multiple choice and 2 short answer questions aligned with specific standards
Click to Read Examples
The "It" Factor
Produced by the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools, this video was featured when I was nominated for district Teacher of the Year.
04
Class Presentation and Learning Activities
I integrate approaches to learning including collaboration, research, and social learning in this presentation with lessons that span several days.
*This lesson includes content found in Paul Grace's Authoritarian States: Study and Revision Guide, Hodder Education: London, 2018.
03
Sample Lesson Plan
This is an example lesson plan for an IB History Course designed for 11th and 12th graders studying the rise of the Chinese Communist Party.
Features:
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Guided Notetaking Worksheet
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Powerpoint Presentation with integrated primary and secondary sources
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Opportunities to apply Standford's Reading Like a Historian skills such as sourcing and close reading
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Inquiry-Based Learning that exceeds CCC guiding principals
Teacher of the Year
Student testimonials shared by the Pinellas Education foundation.