Common Core Standards Elementary Level Sharing Curriculum Maps July 31, 2012

May 2012 Request for 1 teacher per grade level per school to meet together to work on a common curriculum mapping document.

Teachers brought materials with them to help with the task.

All morning, the curriculum mapping teams looked at resources, learned how to get logged into resource sites (which will be helpful at schools tomorrow) and shared what they were learning with one another.

The next task would take most of the afternoon. Remember, the mapping documents were not yet written.

Obviously, the goal was to have a curriculum map when the tasks were complete.

Parameters: 1. Create a document that will be made public, having a home on the new district webpage. 2. Create a document (1 document) that will be easily comprehended by teachers, parents, community and students.

3. Design a format that is agreed upon by the entire group. One format that will span all elementary grade levels. 4. Decide which content each person is going to work on, reading or math.

Discussions about what to put in the document varied from very detailed statements full of vocabulary that could only be deciphered by educators, to using the ‘I can’ statements teachers had worked to create a year earlier.

Then teachers worked to create the mapping documents you will be looking at today.

Expectations: All classrooms will be following the curriculum map per grade level. Principals will follow monitor the use of the curriculum map.

District administrators are expected to visit schools/ classrooms to monitor use of curriculum maps.

The document does NOT tell you how to teach or assess. The document DOES serve as a pacing guide, assuring that all students have access and potential for mastery of all standards per grade level.

Bring up the Curriculum Map for your grade level.

Guiding questions: How can having this document available to you, parents, students, and community be a benefit for you, the teacher?

How can you use the curriculum map contents as you begin to implement Standards Based Grading in your classroom? District-wide grade level?

How can the curriculum mapping document be used to develop common assessments in your grade level?

What about common grade level newsletters, sharing strategy, material items?

What other ways can you come up with to use this document to help you organize your work to replicate in following years?

Look at standards included in the grade level before your grade level and after grade level…you will need to know the knowledge students are bringing to your classroom and the level of understanding your students need for continued success the following school year.

Other ideas? Share…..