Curriculum Research & Standards Alignment

Research subject matter and provide comprehensive analysis for curriculum design including standards alignment, prerequisite mapping, and pedagogical recommendations.

When to Use

Automatically activate when the user:

• Starts curriculum development for a new topic

• Asks "research [topic] for [grade level]"

• Needs educational standards alignment (Common Core, NGSS, etc.)

• Requests prerequisite skill analysis

• Says "what learning theory should I use for [topic]"

• Needs interdisciplinary connections identified

Required Inputs

• Topic: Subject matter to research (e.g., "photosynthesis", "quadratic equations", "Renaissance history")

• Educational Level: K-5, 6-8, 9-12, undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate

• Standards Framework (optional): Specific standards to align with (e.g., "Common Core Math", "NGSS", "AP Biology")

Workflow

1. Gather Topic and Level

User provides topic and level

Topic: [user specified] Level: [K-5 | 6-8 | 9-12 | undergraduate | graduate | post-graduate] Standards: [optional: Common Core, NGSS, state standards, discipline framework]

2. Conduct Subject Matter Research

Use WebSearch to gather:

• Core Concepts: Foundational ideas, terminology, definitions

• Scope & Boundaries: What's included/excluded at this level

• Common Misconceptions: Student difficulties, conceptual barriers

• Real-World Applications: Relevance, career connections, authentic contexts

• Interdisciplinary Connections: Links to other subjects

3. Align to Educational Standards

Use WebSearch to identify:

• Relevant Standards: Specific standards codes and descriptions

• K-12: Common Core (Math/ELA), NGSS (Science), state standards, C3 Framework (Social Studies)

• Undergraduate: Discipline-specific accreditation standards (ABET, APA, etc.)

• Graduate: Professional competency frameworks, research methodologies

• Performance Expectations: What students should know and be able to do

• Cognitive Levels: Bloom's taxonomy levels expected at this grade/level

• Assessment Boundaries: What's assessable vs. out of scope

4. Map Prerequisites

Analyze and document:

• Required Prior Knowledge: Concepts students must already understand

• Skill Dependencies: Procedural skills needed before this topic

• Cognitive Readiness: Developmental appropriateness

• Prerequisite Sequence: Order in which foundational topics should be taught

• Gap Identification: Common missing prerequisites to address

5. Recommend Learning Theories & Approaches

Based on topic and level, recommend:

• Primary Learning Theory: Constructivism, cognitivism, connectivism, behaviorism, etc.

• Instructional Approaches: Direct instruction, inquiry-based, problem-based, project-based, etc.

• Pedagogical Strategies: Scaffolding, modeling, think-alouds, collaborative learning, etc.

• Engagement Tactics: Hooks, real-world connections, student choice, authentic tasks

• Assessment Philosophy: Formative vs summative emphasis, authentic assessment, mastery-based, etc.

6. Generate Research Report

Create a structured document with:

Curriculum Research Report: [TOPIC]

Educational Level: [Level] Standards Framework: [Framework(s)] Research Date: [Date]

Executive Summary

[2-3 paragraph overview of topic scope, key concepts, and pedagogical recommendations]

Core Concepts & Scope

Foundational Ideas

• [Concept 1]: [Definition and importance]
• [Concept 2]: [Definition and importance]
• [Concept 3]: [Definition and importance]

Topic Boundaries

Included: [What this curriculum will cover] Excluded: [What's out of scope or saved for later]

Common Misconceptions

1. [Misconception 1]: [Why students think this and how to address]
2. [Misconception 2]: [Why students think this and how to address]

Educational Standards Alignment

Relevant Standards

[Standard Code]: [Full standard description]

• Performance Expectation: [What students will demonstrate]
• Cognitive Level: [Bloom's level]
• Assessment Boundary: [What to assess/what not to assess]

[Repeat for each relevant standard]

Cross-Curricular Connections

• [Subject Area]: [How this topic connects]
• [Subject Area]: [How this topic connects]

Prerequisite Analysis

Required Prior Knowledge

Recommended Prerequisite Sequence

1. [First prerequisite topic]
2. [Second prerequisite topic]
3. [Third prerequisite topic] → Then ready for [Current topic]

Common Gaps & Remediation

• Gap: [Missing knowledge students often have]
  • Remediation: [How to address in current curriculum]

Pedagogical Recommendations

Recommended Learning Theory

[Theory Name] (e.g., Constructivism, Cognitivism)

Rationale: [Why this theory fits the topic and level]

Implications for Instruction:

• [How this theory shapes teaching approach]
• [Specific strategies that align with this theory]

Instructional Approach

Primary Approach: [e.g., Inquiry-based learning, Direct instruction, Project-based learning]

Supporting Strategies:

• [Strategy 1]: [How to implement]
• [Strategy 2]: [How to implement]
• [Strategy 3]: [How to implement]

Engagement Considerations

• Hook Ideas: [Compelling ways to introduce topic]
• Real-World Connections: [Authentic applications]
• Student Choice Opportunities: [Where students can make decisions]
• Differentiation Needs: [How to support diverse learners]

Assessment Philosophy

• Formative Assessment: [Recommended frequency and types]
• Summative Assessment: [Recommended culminating assessments]
• Authentic Assessment: [Real-world performance tasks]

Real-World Applications

• [Application 1]: [Description and relevance]
• [Application 2]: [Description and relevance]
• [Application 3]: [Description and relevance]

Resources for Further Development

• [Resource type]: [Specific recommendations]
• [Resource type]: [Specific recommendations]

Next Steps

1. Use /curriculum.design to create learning objectives based on this research
2. Identify assessment types in /curriculum.assess-design
3. Develop instructional content with /curriculum.develop-content

Artifact Metadata (for traceability):

• Artifact Type: Research Report
• Topic: [Topic]
• Level: [Level]
• Standards: [Frameworks used]
• Next Phase: Design (Learning Objectives)

7. Output Format

Support both human-readable and machine-readable formats:

Human-Readable (default):

• Formatted markdown as shown above

• Write to file: curriculum-artifacts/[topic]-research.md

JSON Format (use --format json ):

{ "artifact_type": "research_report", "topic": "string", "level": "string", "standards": ["array of standard codes"], "core_concepts": [ {"name": "string", "description": "string"} ], "prerequisites": [ {"concept": "string", "grade": "string", "rationale": "string"} ], "learning_theory": "string", "instructional_approach": "string", "real_world_applications": ["array of strings"], "next_steps": ["array of skill calls"] }

8. CLI Interface

Basic usage

/curriculum.research "photosynthesis" --level "6-8" --standards "NGSS"

With output format

/curriculum.research "quadratic equations" --level "9-12" --standards "Common Core Math" --format json

Graduate level (discipline-specific)

/curriculum.research "neural networks" --level "graduate" --standards "ACM Computing Curricula"

Help

/curriculum.research --help

Educational Level Adaptations

K-5

• Focus on concrete, observable phenomena

• Emphasize hands-on exploration

• Use age-appropriate vocabulary

• Prioritize foundational skills

• Heavy scaffolding needs

6-8

• Bridge concrete to abstract thinking

• Introduce symbolic representations

• Build on elementary foundations

• Support identity formation (relevance crucial)

• Moderate scaffolding

9-12

• Abstract reasoning expected

• Discipline-specific thinking

• College/career preparation focus

• Greater cognitive complexity

• Reduced scaffolding

Undergraduate

• Disciplinary frameworks & epistemology

• Research introduction

• Professional practice preparation

• High cognitive demand (Analyze, Evaluate, Create)

Graduate

• Original research & scholarship

• Cutting-edge knowledge

• Thought leadership development

• Expertise-level performance

Post-Graduate

• Specialization & innovation

• Field contributions

• Advanced professional practice

• Research dissemination

Composition with Other Skills

This skill outputs research artifacts that feed into:

• /curriculum.design

• Uses research to inform learning objectives

• /curriculum.assess-design

• Uses standards for assessment alignment

• /curriculum.develop-content

• Uses concepts, misconceptions, and pedagogical recommendations

Error Handling

• No search results: Broaden search, try related terms, inform user if topic is too obscure

• Standards not found: Suggest closest framework, document assumption

• Level mismatch: Warn if topic typically taught at different level, provide guidance

• Ambiguous topic: Ask user for clarification on scope

Output Example

User: "Research photosynthesis for grade 5"

Output: Complete research report with:

• Core concepts (light energy, chloroplasts, glucose production, oxygen release)

• NGSS standards (5-PS3-1, 5-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1)

• Prerequisites (plant structure, energy basics, cycles in nature)

• Recommended approach (Inquiry-based with hands-on investigation)

• Common misconceptions (plants eat soil, only leaves do photosynthesis)

• Real-world connections (food production, climate, oxygen generation)

File saved to: curriculum-artifacts/photosynthesis-grade5-research.md

Exit Codes

• 0: Success - Research report generated

• 1: Invalid educational level specified

• 2: Topic too vague - needs clarification

• 3: Standards framework not found

• 4: WebSearch unavailable - cannot complete research