This study presents a comparative case study of curriculum implementation strategies of four teachers in two school districts, the influence of teachers' decision making on the nature of instructional tasks, and the learning environment that emanates from the two settings. The aim of the study is to gain insight into the relationships among curriculum implementation strategy, instructional tasks, and the teacher-student interaction that characterizes the classroom discourse in these settings. The results integrate research on curriculum implementation strategies, instructional tasks, and classroom discourse. This study suggests that students have a better opportunity to learn in classroom environments where teachers use standards-based curriculum materials.