An Overview

1
Quality
Map
Writing
An Overview
Presentation Created By
Janet Hale, Curriculum
Mapping Consultant www.CurriculumMapping101.com
2
MAPPING THE CURRICULUM
Curriculum Mapping
is all about
the full written disclosure
of both operational and planned
learning.
A learning organization collectively commits
to no longer making decisions
based on verbal statements. Instead, all
decisions and discussions are based on map
documentation that is
inter-related within a mapping
system along with other forms of pertinent data.
A verbal agreement isnt worth the paper its
written on. Samuel Goldwyn
3
Is Honesty an
Issue?

• Will my maps be used for my evaluation?
• Who will see the maps?
• How will my peers react to my maps?

Remember, Curriculum mapping is an
emotional journey,
especially in the first few
years!
4
BE AWARE
It takes time
and
practice, practice, practice,
before hitting the bulls-eye
and feeling confident in ones
ability to write a
quality map!
5
Important
Technology
Note...
If your learning organization is planning on
creating your own mapping system
or purchasing a subscription to
a commercial mapping
system, each
system has unique features that effect how a
map is recorded in the system.
Therefore, this overview is generic in that the
specific protocols per system are not included.
6
CM Seven-Phase (Step) Review Process

• 1. Collecting Ongoing Data (Initial
  Read-Through)
• 2. First Read-Through Review
• 3. Small (Like/Mixed) Group Review
• 4. Large (Like/Mixed) Group Comparisons
• 5. Determine Immediate Revision Points
• 6. Determine Points Requiring Some Research
  and Planning
• 7. Plan for Next Review Cycle
• From Mapping the Big Picture Integrating
  Curriculum and
  Assessment K-12 1997, ASCD, Jacobs, HH.

Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs states, Mapping is like a
two-sided coin One side is collecting the
data If you do not flip the coin and focus on
the other side using the datayou
miss the true value of mapping!
7
An Important Realization
The quality of a school, schools,
or districts curricular dialogues can
only be as strong as the quality of its maps.
8
Curriculum Maps
QUALITY
Noah Webster defines quality as
1. Characteristic elements
2. Basic nature, kind
3. The degree of excellence.
The Goal of Map Quality Map
readers do not need the map writer
or writers present to correctly
interpret the map data.
9
1. Collecting Ongoing Data

• Teachers in each building begin to, via
  the mapping system, input a first draft of a
  Projected Map/Diary Map or Consensus Map, based
  on a pre-determined content area/discipline.

Choose one discipline for initial
K-12 focus to maximize
district-wide articulation.
First Year Of Recording A Map One discipline
(Elementary), One
period (Middle or High School),
One grade level (Specialist),
One or two fully-included
students
or One pull-out group (SpEd)
10
Talk Time!

• Share with a neighbor which discipline or class
  you think youd like to begin mapping this year

11
Diary
Projected
TYPES OF
Consensus
CURRICULUM MAPS
Essential
The curriculum map that contains the most data is
the Projected/Diary Map. The Consensus Map and
Essential Map have less amounts of data based on
the collaborative agreements made by those
involved in the curriculum design process.
12
A CURRICULM DESIGN CAUTION DO NOT DESIGN MAPS TO
BE A COPY OF CURRICULUM ADOPTIONS
(e. g., Language
Arts Series, Social
Studies Textbook, Science Kits).
They are
RESOURCES. Curriculum
must be designed
based on
(broken apart)
state, national, or
self-produced
standards proficiencies.
13
What are the common initial
data elements included in a Projected/Diary
Map?

• UNIT NAME
• CONTENT
• SKILLS
• ASSESSMENTS
• STANDARDS
• RESOURCES
• ACTIVITIES (optional)

Some commercial mapping systems require a Unit
Name to enter map data.
INTRA ALIGNMENT
14

• Unit
• A unit name is similar in concept to the title of
  a binder of information on a shelf.
• You must give the unit of study a name.
• Discipline-specific state standards strand or
  concept names such as
• NUMBER SENSE
  GEOMETRY
• Or a broad term or phrase
  befitting the learning contained within
  the unit
• 1776
• BIOMES
• A UNIT NAME IS WRITTEN IN ALL CAPITALS

September
15
To distinguish between repeated unit names in
which each units content, skills, assessments,
standards, and resources vary, either incorporate
a sequential numbering system such as Roman
numerals NUMBER SENSE I
NUMBER SENSE II
NUMBER SENSE III or include a
signifier after the base unit name LITERARY
ELEMENTS LITERARY
AUTHOR STUDY LITERARY 19TH
CENTURY CLASSICS
16

• Content What Students Must KNOW
• Written as a
  Key Noun/Noun Phrase Descriptor
• Think Table of Content
• Write each word starting with a
  capital letter.
• 3-D Shapes Sphere, Cone, Cylinder Vs
• 3-D Shapes
• Poetry Haiku, Diamante Vs
• Poetry
• Graphs Double-Bar Vertical/
• Horizontal, Up To 6 Variables

Whenever possible, use a numeral instead of the
number word (0-9).
17

• Skills What Students DO in relationship
  to the KNOWing
• There are technically three parts to a
  quality written skill listing
• Measurable Verb
• Target (how students will be formally assessed)
  
• Descriptor (that provides clarity regarding the
  KNOWing)
• Do not begin with The student will

18

• Skills
• Non-allowable verbs as measurable verb
  Demonstrate, Understand, Know, Show, Use. They
  are not measurable.
• Understand making connections to text
• Distinguish text-to-me, text-to-text,
  text-to-world
• Use clipboard to transfer graphics between
  applications
• Transfer graphics between applications using
  clipboard

19

• Skills
• If standard verbs are not measurable, or
  struggling with selection, Blooms Verbs may
  prove helpful, but should not become a crutch.
• 2. Targets How Modalities
  orally, in writing, aurally, visually
  kinesthetically, manipulatively
• Identify in writing 5 phases of growth
• Distinguish aurally between ½, ¼ notes
• Tell visually and in writing time using analog
  and digital faces
• Note Some measurable verbs do not need
  targets (e.g., Memorize, Recite, Read, Write).
  In
  mathematics Solve, Calculate, Figure are
  considered written unless otherwise noted.

20

• Skills What Students Must Be Able To DO
• 3. Descriptors add clarity to the aligned content
  listing not duplicate the data.
• Moving Toward Quality
• Content Addition 2-Digit With Regrouping
• Skill Add addition problems
• Quality
• Content Addition 2-Digit With Regrouping
• Skills Solve horizontal and vertical problems
• Solve 2-step word problems
• Note A skill statement starts with a capital
  letter, but needs no period at the end of the
  statement.

21

• Unit
• LIFE SCIENCE ORGANISMS
• Content
• Human Cells Plasma Membrane, Nucleus,
  Organelles, Golgi, Mitochondrion
• Skill
• No Demonstrate knowledge of human cell
  structure
• Yes Label and define in writing 5 key features
  of cells structure

22
A bit of fine tuning is oftentimes needed in
that some may have difficulty differentiating
between a SKILL and an ACTIVITY.
A skill is what students must be able to do. An
activity provides practice concerning a
particular skill or skills
development or reinforcement.
No Review times tables No Practice editing
marks No Walk around room and interview
23
Talk Time!

• Skill or Activity?
• Watch video clips
• Brainstorm ideas for fundraising
• Practice using library materials and computer
  skills
• Discuss reasons for entry into war using at least
  3 Internet primary sources to justify reasoning

24

• Learning is a continuum.
• Therefore, there will be times when learning
  starts as content, moves to be a skill, and
  becomes an activity.
  For example, compare and contrast
  
• Content
• Comparison/Contrast Term Differentiation
• Skill
• Compare and contrast, visually and
  written,
• Activity
• Working in groups of 3, students compare
  and contrast

25

• Assessment Product or Performance
• Title of Assessment is recorded as a Defined Noun
  
• Think Naming the Assessment
• There is no way (or would be appropriate
  map-wise) to record ALL of the
  students assessments. Why?
• Summative At a stage the sum of
  the learning
  verification of the
  learning up to that point
  Formal
  Assessment (officially
  graded and affects report card)
  
  Assessment OF Learning
• Formative An informal check
  of learning wherein students
  interaction and
  motivation are
  crucial for progress in learning
  
  Assessment FOR Learning
  Informal Assessment (not officially
  graded)
  

Curriculum Maps
Most often in Lesson Plans
26
Assessments and Evaluations One must be
aware of the difference between an assessment
(product or performance) and an evaluation
(a judgment and the given value
for the product or performance). 50 MC
Test Vs Test (Does not need evaluation/process
included) PowerPoint Cells Project Vs
Project (Does need an descriptive
evaluation/process included via attachment or
supplemental info.)
27
Each mapping system has a different method for
including evaluation documentation
and process information.
28
If map readers cannot determine
how students will be/were evaluated
and a
teacher is not yet able, or ready,
to technologically attach/add the
information, the teacher instead
includes the statement
(Evaluation ___________)

directly after the assessment name. Molecular
Structure Lab (Evaluation Teacher
Obs/Journal/Checklist) FOR Pyramid Building
(Evaluation Peer Discussion/ Checklist) FOR
An Assessment FOR Learning 25
MC/FinB/Short-Answer Test
(Does not need evaluation
information.)
Hmm
29

• Resources
• Adopted Text or Materials are always the first
  recording(s) in a Resource list. List
  Chapter/Lessons (title appears in course
  description area). Only need to include specific
  page numbers if total chapter is not used.
• A.
• --Chapter 5, pp. 186-192
• --Lessons 18/19
• Begin each listing with a double-hyphen
• B.
• --Periodic Table Chart
• --Video It Does Matter!
• All systems have the ability to create hyperlinks
  (URL) or attach files,photos, etc. to a map.
• Only include key or critical-to-learning
  resources

30
Each mapping system has a unique method for
intra-aligning the content-skills-assessments to
standards. Each method can be
explored when testing each companys system.
31
CREATING INTRA-ALIGNMENT (via
Content listings)
is recommended using a
Letter/Number Coding The coding process
is designed to allow map readers to not need map
writer or writers present to correctly interpret
data.
32
Intra-Alignment Coding
33
Intra-Alignment Coding
Rubicon Atlas
34
Intra-Alignment Coding
35
Intra-Alignment Coding
Some prefer to practice using a Microsoft Word
Table Template before purchasing a system.
36
MAPPING
High above the hushed crowd, Rex tried to remain
focused. Still he couldnt shake one thought he
was an old dog and this was a new trick.