In presenting the concepts and skills of curriculum development and showing how to apply them to actual course planning, an attempt is made to bridge theory and practice in curriculum development. By developing a greater awareness of the important decisions to be made and the alternative courses of action available at each decision point, teachers are assisted in becoming flexible and systematic curriculum planners. Intended to be used as: (1) a textbook for graduate and undergraduate courses in curriculum development and instructional design or as a supplement to a "methods" course; (2) the basis for in-service workshops for classroom teachers; (3) material for individual teachers desiring to increase their professional competence; and (4) a self-instructional "lab" portion of courses in curriculum development or instructional design. The text begins with a set of guidelines for course development, and outlines the procedure for designing for an actual course. The planning process is explained by the provision of relevant design theory, frequent exercises, representative examples, a glossary of terms, and sample course designs completed by students. Four appendices represent course or unit designs in social studies for grade 5, Western art, social studies for sixth graders, and metric measurement for grades one and two. References appear at the end of each chapter, and a bibliography provides 16 additional resources. (MAS)