curriculum mapping by kendra jensen & laura nelson

Curriculum Mappingby Kendra Jensen & Laura Nelson

What is Curriculum Mapping?

• Calendar-based process for collecting curriculum data from classroom

• Provides a basis for examination of that data• Maps the journey of learning!

Basic Mapping Elements

• Essential questions• Content• Skills• Assessments• Lesson Plans

Macomb High School’s Mapping

• Content– Topics are nouns and bold the topic words– Sub topics are to be bulleted

• Skills– IL Standards (www.isbe.net/ils/Default.htm)– Benchmarks– Introduced, Developed, Reinforced

• Assessments– Bold the “type” (noun) of assessment given– Bullet the short description of assessments– http://district185.macomb.com/

Why Curriculum Map?

• Knowing what occurs in each classroom• To promote alignment

– Internal curriculum within the same subject– Between grades and departments– To district and state standards

• To give students a seamless journey in their total K-12 experience

Communication Tool

• Between teachers across grade levels• Between teachers in feeding and receiving sites• For parents• For students

Planning Tool

• For curriculum reform/renewal• For meeting standards• For ordering materials, software, etc.• For assessment reform

Pedagogical Tool

• For the new teacher• For the special education teacher• For designing staff development• For sharing effective techniques/lessons

Technology

• The Curriculum Mapper• Web Based Program• Communication at our fingertips

Basic Steps of the Process

• Collect data• First read through• Mixed peer review• Large group review• Determine areas for immediate revision• Determine areas for long-term planning• Continue the cycle

Nuts N’ Bolts

• Diary Map– Personalized map written at the end of the month—

really took place in classroom

• Projected Map– Planned itinerary

• Essential Map– Master map created by team

• Skills– Measurable verbs (Bloome’s)– Descriptors (demonstrated, labeled, and defined)– Defined nouns (test, quiz, and project)

Best Practices—Engage Staff

• Map to identify gaps• Introduce CM as a tool to solve teaching and

learning problems• Introduce CM as a hub for integrating building

and district initiatives• Sometimes used as a tool to raise the level—

state standards too easy for some

Best Reason

• Increase student performance– Can meet virtually– Effective schools research– Clear purpose– Required product– Constant focus on students– Opportunity for collaboration and reflection– Establish common ground and shared vision

Results

• Over time, see significant gains (2 years)• See increased complexity in writing—word

choice and sentence variety• Increase in math scores—which are first and

foremost reading tests• Professional learning communities—formal

process

Staff Development Days

• Hire subs for two-hour work time to update maps

• Make a part of regular work load• Half-day school work days

Planning

• Provides an accurate road map

Resources

• Heidi Hayes Jacobs (Mapping the Big Picture, Getting Results with Curriculum Mapping, http://www.curriculumdesigners.com go to resources and then bulletin board

• Macomb School District—http://district185.macomb.com/

• Oswego School District—http://www.oswego308.org

• Midland School District—http://www.midland-7.org/Midlandframe/index.htm