Course files for publishers and curriculum writers
The simple file format Gatherings uses for courses, so you can offer your lesson plans to families.
Families can bring a whole course into Gatherings from one file. If you publish or write curriculum, you can offer your lesson plans this way: families import the file, then schedule it in their planner.
The file
A course file is a JSON text file (we suggest a name ending in .gatherings-course.json). It has these fields:
- format: always "gatherings-course"
- version: always 1
- title: the course name (up to 120 characters). Required.
- subject, source (your name or the book), grade, description: optional text.
- minutes: optional usual lesson length.
- lessons: the lessons in order. Each has a title (up to 200 characters), and optional notes (up to 2,000) and minutes.
A course can have up to 500 lessons. For example: {"format": "gatherings-course", "version": 1, "title": "Nature Study, Year 1", "source": "Your Press", "minutes": 30, "lessons": [{"title": "Week 1: Birds at the feeder", "notes": "Field guide pp. 4–9"}]}
The easiest way to make one
Build the course in Gatherings, then tap Download course file on its page. That file is ready to share.
Families importing it
On Courses, they open Have a course file?, choose the file and tap Import course. See How to build a course.
Interested in offering your curriculum to Gatherings families? Contact us.
Up to date as of October 29, 2026.