Designing a Concept-Based Curriculum in English Language Arts features a step-by-step approach to developing ELA curriculum units that leverage student thinking and retention by bringing relevance to skills and facts. Based on Dr. Lynn Erickson's bestselling concept-based curriculum model, the book shows exactly what a concept-based English Language Arts curriculum looks like and guides readers through the creation of their own concept based curriculum. Guiding the reader, Lanning presents clear guidelines for implementation and sample units from real school districts. If we do not design curriculum so that teachers have an unambiguous picture of how to teach to understanding, the Common Core Standards will become yet another initiative that yields little impact on improving the state of U.S. education.