University of PittsburghTri-State Area School Study Council (TSASSC)

www.tristate.pitt.edu

Curriculum Management Series

Skill Level Curriculum Mapping (SLCM)

A Step-By-Step ProcessA Simplified Step-By-Step Template in Developing and Writing Curriculum Maps for the

Classroom and Increasing Student Achievement

Consultants: N. Bayat & M. A. Battaglia

C 1

University of Pittsburgh

Tri-State Area School Study Council (TSASSC)

www.tristate.pitt.edu

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This curriculum management program and curriculum-mapping template procedures were developed

by the TSASSC research team and is strictly the property of the consultants of TSASSC. The data and information

utilized in the various data collecting instruments is intended only for the individuals of the identified school system,

or the authors of this review. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this

report without permission. As a result, the auditors, consultants, Tri-State Area School Study Council (TSASSC) and

the University of Pittsburgh do not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this report and/or

recommendations. University of Pittsburgh, School of Education Administrative and Policy Studies, 4302 Wesley W.

Posvar Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Office: 412-648-7175

Note: This modified and adaptive curriculum-mapping program was developed and researched by Dr. N. Bayat and

Dr. M. A. Battaglia. The program is based on a set of curriculum management research reviews, as well as,

overview research of Marzano’s Meta-Analysis Database of Instructional Strategies/Curriculum Mapping, PA

Academic Standards, the PA Standards Aligned System (SAS), “The Understanding by Design GUIDE to Creating

High-Quality Units” by Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe” and the examination of Heidi Hayes Jacobs & J.A. Hale

Curriculum Mapping literature.

Unit Curriculum Mapping! The Purpose & Function of Curriculum

Management

The University of Pittsburgh Tri-State Area School

Study Council (TSASSC) provides educational and

leadership services in Western PA for over 60 years!

Comprehensive and Strategic Planning

Educational workshop sessions - on campus and off campus

Curriculum management programs

Curriculum reviews

Evidence-Based Curriculum Audits

Currriculum Mapping

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Curriculum Mapping!

The Purpose & Function of Curriculum Mapping

Curriculum Mapping

Curriculum and instruction is the cornerstone of any

successful educational program. Research indicates that

when students have:

Access to standards-aligned curriculum

Appropriate instruction materials

Grade-level standards-based instruction and best practices

taught by highly-qualified effective teachers

• Ultimately, this will lead to increased probability for

student academic achievement.

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Curriculum Mapping!

The EMEF Schools and the Diocese of Pittsburgh

Catholic School System:

The ultimate goal is to create comprehensive set of

“Curriculum Maps” that will provide coherence

(consistency) in each area of our curriculum across the

EMEF Schools and to ultimately increase student achievement.

In this way, NO matter what resources, textbooks and

materials individual teachers and schools are using, WE

will all be addressing the same student expectations, academic

standards and student skills. Teachers, parents and students

have a right to know what is being taught and what is

expected of their children.

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Curriculum Mapping!

Vertical and Horizontal Alignment:

Vertical Alignment - What students learn (Skills, Concepts &

Core Body of Knowledge – SCK)) in one lesson, course, or

grade level prepares them for the next lesson, course, or grade

level.

Horizontal Alignment – What students at School “A” receive

and learn in 5th grade mathematics is the same learning skills

at School “B” 15 miles away?

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Curriculum Management Curriculum Consistency: What is Vertical Curriculum

Alignment ?

Vertical Alignment - What students learn (skills, concepts & knowledge) in one lesson, course, or grade level prepares them for the next grade level, lesson or course.

5th Grade Skills

6th Grade Skills 7

Curriculum Management Curriculum Consistency: What is Horizontal

Curriculum Alignment ?

Horizontal Alignment – What students at School

“A” receive and learn in 5th grade Mathematics is

the same learning skills at School “B” 15 miles

away?

School “A” School “B”

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Curriculum Mapping!

Why curriculum mapping?

Curriculum mapping is our GPS in the world of educating

our children.

What is curriculum mapping?

Curriculum mapping allows teaches to identify the essential

academic standards, knowledge, skills and concepts that each

student needs to know and demonstrate at the conclusion

of each school year and grade level in all

schools.

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Curriculum Mapping!

What is curriculum mapping?

HOWEVER, curriculum mapping is NOT a daily lesson plan

and NOT an outline of each chapter of the textbook!

It is your bi-weekly or monthly GPS and guide to assuring the essential skills, concepts and knowledge (SCK).

Remember, Academic Standards! They are NOT curriculum maps and were NEVER intended or designed to be a replacement of a CURRICULUM!!

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Curriculum Management What is Curriculum Mapping?

Point

Merely relying on academic standards or increasing teacher quality and accountability without curriculum mapping is misguiding our students and parents.

For decades we have in many ways blamed teachers and schools for “poor results on educational reform movements” when the real offender is the muddled and uncoordinated efforts in “what we ask teachers to TEACH!” (E.D. Hirsch Jr., 2016)

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Curriculum Mapping!

The Research from University Of Pittsburgh’s TSASSC

Based on a set of curriculum management research

reviews such as:

Robert Marzano – Meta-Analysis Database of Instructional

Strategies/Curriculum Mapping

PA Academic Standards

PA Standards Aligned System (SAS)

Grant Williams & Jay McTighe – The Understanding by

Design (UbD) Guide

Heidi Hayes Jacobs – Mapping the Big Picture

J. A. Hale – A Guide to Curriculum Mapping

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Curriculum Mapping!

The Research from University Of Pittsburgh’s TSASSSC

There are many Technology Assisted Curriculum Mapping

Programs

Rubicon Atlas

Standards Aligned System (SAS) PDE’s

IU#1 – Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Etc.

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Curriculum Mapping!NOTE: Curriculum Mapping is NOT:

Curriculum mapping is NOT a 180 day lesson plan of every instructional activity and set of student quizzes and tests!

This is a “Global View” NOT a detailed “GPS” street view!

Curriculum mapping is NOT a detail “chapter by chapter” outline of the textbook!

Curriculum mapping is NOT driven by a single textbook, but teachers can use a “guiding textbook” along with many other text materials, resources and technology assisted program and devises!

Curriculum mapping is NOT developed by a single individual but is rather driven by a collaborative group of professional classroom teachers and educators and guided by academic standards, best practices in instruction and student assessments, as well as, curriculum mapping formatting ideas that meet the needs to increases student achievement and curriculum consistency.

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Curriculum Management Point

Curriculum and instruction are the cornerstones of any successful educational program. Research indicates that student access to aligned curriculum, appropriate instructional materials, and grade level standards-based instruction taught by highly-qualified, effective teachers leads to increased student academic achievement. The “Curriculum Mapping” serves as the foundation for providing the evidence for the written, taught, reinforced and tested model of curriculum management.

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Curriculum Mapping!

Brief Review

What is your level of experience in curriculum writing,

curriculum mapping, performance tasks, authentic

assessment learning etc.?

Years of service?

Is it possible, your department may have completed the

“Curriculum Map” with the “OnHand Schools” format?

www.onhandschools.com

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Curriculum Mapping!What staff members have come to believe and what our

research indicates?

Teachers, parents, building administrators and central office

personnel are ALL interested in understanding the

CONTENT, SKILLS, and ASSESSMENTS addressed in

classrooms throughout a school or district.

However, while there are many questions regarding the

aspects of the educational system – perhaps NONE drive

the curriculum more so than the questions classroom

teachers ASK THEMSELVES and their colleagues.

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Curriculum Mapping! The teacher questions generally fall in line with the

following:

1. What do my students know before they arrive in my classroom?

2. What did they study last year?

3. What do I expect my students to know after they leave my classroom?

4. Is my colleague across the hall, who teaches the same grade level and subject - teaching the same content and within the same time frame?

5. Where do I begin, and how do I help my students understand the connections between my subject and the academic standards required for graduation?

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Curriculum Mapping! Why Curriculum Mapping?

What does the research indicate “Curriculum Mapping” can provide schools:

Increase the probability of learning for students

A solid bases for collaboration with and among staff – common curriculum language for all teachers to utilize and providing a step towards “Professional Learning Communities.”

To comply with the obligations to parents, community and taxpayers.

To comply with PA requirements for student achievement.

To comply with Middle States Evaluations requirement.

To comply with the case of “Equality of Educational Opportunity”

To comply with special education “Due Process” and a school systems due diligence to avoid litigation – failure to educate issues!

Schools that are academically bankrupt

Negligence

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Curriculum Mapping!

The Backward Design Template Worksheet

&

The Skill Level Curriculum Mapping (SLCM) Template

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 1: Using the “BACKWARD Design” (BD) Template

McTighe & Wiggins – Authors of the Backward Design –

stat with the end in mind.

YOU are the content expert! We are facilitators of the

process of curriculum mapping.

Documents of Math and ELA: Iowa Assessments, textbook

and PA Eligible Content.

What you know needs to be taught at your grade level and any

support materials.

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 1: Using the BACKWARD Design Template

Content/Core Body of Knowledge – What the students

“MUST know.”

Ex.: “Definition of math terms. Describing the process of . . .”

Skills: What students will be able to “DO”

Are the skills at an instructional or mastery level?

Ex.:” Multiplication is instructional level at 2/3 grade and mastery

level at 4/5.”

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 1: Using the “BACKWARD Design” (BD) Template and

Process

Looking at Stage 1 of the BD Template:

Write down ALL the CRITICAL concepts and skills you know

and are significant and essential from the textbook.

ORDER does not matter at this time!

Check your list against “PA Eligible Content”

Review the Data from the “Iowa Assessments” identifying

the students strengths and needs improvement areas!

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 1: Using the “BACKWARD Design” (BD) Template

Looking at Stage 2 of the BD Template:

Make a list of ALL your MAJOR assessments, performance

tasks and significant activities!

Look at Stage 3 of the BD Template:

This is a sample (format) ONLY of HOW to write your STAGE 3

section!

We are modify this stage 3 and moving directly to the SLCM

(Monthly) Mapping Template!

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 2: Using the SLCM Template

The “Team of Teachers” need the following resources and

documents available!

Copy of approved textbook(s) adopted for the subject area, grade

level and/or course

Copy of approved resource materials and reference texts used in

delivering the instructions

Copy of any assistant technology utilized in the delivery of

instructions, student activities, student assessments, etc.

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 2: Using the SLCM Template

The “Team of Teachers” need the following resources and

documents available!

NOTE: In order to comply with the utilization of the “Skill

Level Curriculum Map Templates” – ALL curriculum mapping

drafts MUST be submitted in PDF Word Documents OR

according the school systems preference for sharing a

review the final drafts. (i.e. Google Docs, etc.) The University

at this time will only provide a “Word Document” version of

the templates.

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Curriculum Mapping!Part 2: Using the SLCM Template

What are the general components of a SLCM?!

Utilizing the Backward Design information and Reference Tools data listing of the SCK’s:

Select the MONTH

Select the Subject (Name)

Select the Grade Level

Column A - Identify the SCK by month!

Column B – Suggested Critical Student Assessments by the Month/Unit

Column C – Suggested Text, Resources & Technology

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Curriculum Mapping!

FAQ & Your Questions:

How do we know what team we are on for this project?

Do textbook publishers use the PA academic standards?

Is this a daily lesson plan?

How do we know the number of SCK per month?

Your questions?

Let’s GET STARTED!!!!

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Curriculum Mapping!Contact Information

University of Pittsburgh Tri-State Area School Study Council (TSASSC) – www.tristate.pitt.edu

412-648-7175

Dr. N. Bayat nib35@pitt.edu

Dr. M. A. Battagliamab202@comcast.net

Dr. D. Kirk dlk31@pitt.eduDisclaimer: This audit review format along with the curriculum-mapping format procedures were developed by the TSASSC research team and is strictly the property of the consultants of TSASSC. The data and information utilized in the various data collecting instruments is intended only for the individuals of the identified school system, or the authors of this review. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this report without permission. As a result, the auditors, consultants, Tri-State Area School Study Council (TSASSC) and the University of Pittsburgh do not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this report and/or recommendations. University of Pittsburgh, School of Education Administrative and Policy Studies, 4302 Wesley W. Posvar Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Office: 412-648-7175

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Curriculum Mapping!

Part 1: Using the “BACKWARD Design” (BD) Template

Math Fact Rehearsal

There is NOT a set content, skills, and student assessments items per month!!

We ALL need to be cognizant of the “NUMBER” of days on your calendar!

Assessments: Textbooks and/or teacher-created

Are items test aligned with skills and content that had been taught that MONTH?

Do the problems actually assess the content and skills?

Are there any problems from previous learning for additional practice on the test?

During lesson instruction, there is NO NEED to complete every page or every problem on

the page UNLESS students do not show progress on acquiring the content and skills

taught?

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Curriculum Mapping!

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