Set Up Your First Curriculum

This guide walks you through creating your first curriculum in CurryCMS, from defining the structure to adding your first content.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Admin access to your CurryCMS account
• A clear idea of your curriculum's organization (e.g., Course → Unit → Lesson)
• Content ready to enter (or placeholder text for testing)

Overview

Creating a curriculum involves three main steps:

1. Define a Structure - The template that defines how content is organized
2. Create a Curriculum - An instance of that structure
3. Add Content - Populate the curriculum with actual content

Step 1: Define Your Structure

A structure is the blueprint for your curriculum. It defines what types of content exist and how they nest.

Plan Your Hierarchy

Before creating anything, sketch your content hierarchy:

Course (root)
├── Unit
│   ├── Lesson
│   │   ├── Activity
│   │   └── Assessment
│   └── Unit Overview
└── Course Overview

Create the Structure

1. Navigate to Structures in the main menu
2. Click New Structure
3. Enter a name (e.g., "K-5 Math Curriculum")
4. Add a description explaining its purpose
5. Click Create Structure

Add Node Types

Node types define the content containers in your structure:

1. Open your new structure
2. Click Add Node Type
3. For your root type (e.g., "Course"):
   • Enter the name
   • Set Is Root to Yes
   • Leave Allowed Parents empty (root has no parent)
4. Click Save

Repeat for each level:

Configure Attributes

Each node type can have custom attributes:

1. Select a node type
2. Click Manage Attributes
3. Add attributes like:
   • Duration (number) - Estimated time in minutes
   • Grade Level (select) - Target grade
   • Overview (rich text) - Summary content

See Attribute Bundles for reusable attribute sets.

Step 2: Create Your Curriculum

With a structure defined, create a curriculum instance:

1. Navigate to Curricula in the main menu
2. Click New Curriculum
3. Select your structure from the dropdown
4. Enter curriculum details:
   • Name: "Grade 3 Mathematics"
   • Description: Brief overview
5. Click Create Curriculum

You now have an empty curriculum ready for content.

Step 3: Add Your First Content

Create the Root Node

1. Open your new curriculum
2. The tree view shows an empty curriculum
3. Click Add [Root Type] (e.g., "Add Course")
4. Enter the title and any required attributes
5. Click Save

Build the Hierarchy

Add child nodes to build out your curriculum:

1. Select the parent node in the tree
2. Click the + button or Add Child
3. Choose the node type (based on your structure's rules)
4. Enter content details
5. Click Save

Continue until you have your basic structure:

Grade 3 Mathematics (Course)
├── Unit 1: Addition & Subtraction
│   ├── Lesson 1.1: Adding Within 100
│   │   ├── Activity: Number Line Practice
│   │   └── Activity: Word Problems
│   └── Lesson 1.2: Subtracting Within 100
└── Unit 2: Multiplication Basics
    └── ...

Enter Content

For each node, fill in the content:

1. Click a node to open the editor
2. Complete all attribute fields
3. Use the rich text editor for formatted content
4. Click Save when done

Step 4: Review Your Work

Check the Tree View

Navigate through your curriculum tree to verify:

• All nodes are in the correct positions
• Parent-child relationships make sense
• No missing sections

Preview Content

Click any node to view its content panel. Verify:

• Text displays correctly
• Attributes are populated
• Formatting looks right

Next Steps

Now that you have a basic curriculum:

Common Issues

"No node types available"

Your structure needs at least one node type with Is Root enabled. Edit the structure and ensure one node type is marked as root.

"Cannot add child to this node"

Check the parent node's type. The child type must list this parent type in its Allowed Parents setting.

"Required attribute missing"

Some attributes are marked required. Fill in all required fields before saving.

Tips for Success

1. Start simple - Begin with 2-3 node types, add complexity later
2. Use consistent naming - "Lesson 1.1" not "First lesson of unit one"
3. Fill root first - Create the structure top-down
4. Save frequently - Don't lose work on complex entries
5. Test the workflow - Submit one node for review to verify the process

Related Documentation:
- Designing Structures - Deep dive on structure design
- Working with Content - Content editing details
- Dashboard - Monitor your progress