Curriculum Mapping Improving Curriculum

							   Curriculum Mapping:
Improving Curriculum Communication


  Jeanette Borich and Staci Mayer

    Ankeny Elementary Schools
         Ankeny, Iowa
    The focus of this session

• Mapping--an integration tool--the
  importance of making Connections
• The 2nd grade curriculum—integration and
  assessment
• Using sample maps to communicate about
  potential integration
       Curriculum Mapping Defined


A calendar-based technique for recording
 curriculum (content, skills, assessments, and
 essential questions)
Allows data analysis of the “fit” between
 curriculum and assessment
Assists teachers in identifying gaps and
 repetitions within curriculum
Components of a Curriculum
       Unit Map
             • Essential Questions—
               What is essential for
               the learner to explore?
             • Content
             • Skills
             • Assessments
             • Activities
             • Areas to integrate
     Alignment and Integration

§   Alignment across elements
   Correspondence among components?
   Integration of skills?
§   Standards and Benchmarks
   List included?
   Guide the development of the unit?
§   Assessment—products or performances?
§   Activities—best practices?
    Mapping provides opportunities

• To gather information      • To identify potential
  about what is taught         areas for teaming and
• To acquaint all district     integration if
  educators with all           appropriate
  taught curriculum          • To align the
• To examine data that         curriculum
  indicates horizontal       • To discuss timeliness
  and vertical gaps in         of taught curriculum
  curriculum planning
District’s initial focus--several
          years ago…
                 •   Established the
                     district’s essential
                     questions and
                     departmental
                     standards
                 •   Month by month
                     mapping with
                     instructional
                     activities included
Current focus

       3. Revise and refine to
           align assessments,
           skills, content
       4. Participate in data
           analysis for reading
           and problem solving
       5. Learn use of
           Curriculum Compass
        Where we are going

•  Integrate reading,
   writing, problem
   solving skills
7, Use technology to
   share maps with
   other teachers
K-12 programs strengthened

• Articulation leads to proficiency in target
  language—many teachers/styles of teaching.

• Individual teachers can build on previous years
  with a K-12 overview.
Benefits for Teachers and
        Students
             • Helpful guide for new
               teachers
             • Maps identify gaps
               and repetitions
             • Activities—a way to
               share teaching ideas
             • Potential to allow for
               teaming and
               integration among
               disciplines
   elementary foreign language:
      a rationale for mapping
High-stakes testing—
  When FLES connects
  to the core curriculum,
  student learning
  increases.
  National Standards for Foreign
       Language Learning

• Goal 3--connecting with other disciplines
  empowers students to acquire knowledge in
  different ways and skills that open new doors

Standard 3.1—reinforce/further knowledge of other
  disciplines through foreign language
Standard 3.2—acquire information/viewpoints only
  available through foreign language and culture
Integration challenges

           • Complementing the
             curriculum—when to
             teach similar topics
           • Time to share and
             communicate so that
             real integration can
             happen
    A closer look: 2nd grade

• What we found—Is there evidence of
  integration?
Reviewing the maps
Dialogue journal assessment tool—review
  notes on assessment for alignment and
  integration

• Can we improve the integration of the
  curriculum?
   Using sample maps—a small
          group activity

• What did you learn as you looked at this
  map?
• What info helps you as the foreign language
  teacher/designer of curriculum?
• How would you use the map and Goal 3 of
  the National Standards to build your own
  map? Improve your second language
  program?