Curriculum Components

  • Curriculum is made up of three components:

    1. Learning Targets: Often referred to as standards. (What students learn.)
    2. Assessment: Methods for determining if students are learning.
    3. Instruction: How we ensure learning occurs through differentiation.

    This section of the website provides brief descriptions of the general instruction programs District 2 children are offered.

Illinois Learning Standards

  • Common Core State Standards and Bensenville District 2

    • District 2 has fully implemented the new Common Core State Standards in math and English/ language arts across all grades, Pre-K through eighth grade.
    • District 2 teachers have been fully involved in guiding this shift to more rigorous standards.
    • Students need to meet higher standards earlier in their education so they’re better prepared to succeed in high school and beyond. Three-quarters of Illinois high school graduates are unprepared for college and the workforce, and fewer than 40 percent of students earn a degree from a two- or four-year institution of higher education. 
    • District 2 is collaborating with Fenton High School – as well as Wood Dale District 7 – so that students successfully transition to high school with the skills they need to succeed.
    • The standards are the product of governors and state education chiefs from more than 40 states coming together for the first time ever to develop learning standards for English and math at each grade level in order to better prepare students for postsecondary education and careers in the 21st century global economy.
    • The standards are also modeled after the strengths of the highest-performing states and countries in the world. They emphasize 21st century essentials: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. 
    • The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by 45 states. Most children across the country will move from grade to grade with the same knowledge and skills.
    • The Common Core State Standards go deeper than the previous learning standards. Teachers will focus on developing an understanding of concepts instead of rushing to cover content. Students will be required to demonstrate that they can apply their knowledge. 
    • The Common Core State Standards are adopted nationally – the standards provide what students should know. Every school district – in fact every teacher – provides the how – how students will learn.
    • District 2 has spent the last three years on this transition. We’re not waiting for new textbooks to show the way. Our teachers developed the ‘scope and sequence’ for students and utilized multiple sources to bring together the classroom work in a dynamic learning environment.

    Additional Resources

Standards by Grade Level