Curriculum Mapping Cheat Sheet Nancy Schmidt 8/2/2010
This document is designed to refresh the user’s memory on how to write high quality mapping statements.
Table of Contents Table of Contents...............................................................................................................................................2 Content..............................................................................................................................................................3 Conventions ..............................................................................................................................................3 Note: For all elements ...............................................................................................................................3 Examples ...................................................................................................................................................3 Skills....................................................................................................................................................................3 Measurable verb........................................................................................................................................3 Target ........................................................................................................................................................4 Descriptor...................................................................................................................................................4 Conventions...............................................................................................................................................4 Examples....................................................................................................................................................4 Assessment........................................................................................................................................................4 Abbreviation Conventions.........................................................................................................................5 Intra-alignment Conventions.....................................................................................................................5 Examples....................................................................................................................................................5 Activities.............................................................................................................................................................5 Conventions...............................................................................................................................................5 Examples....................................................................................................................................................5 Resources...........................................................................................................................................................6 Conventions...............................................................................................................................................6 Standards...........................................................................................................................................................6
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Content Key Noun/Phrase: Descriptor Content is what students must know. • The key noun/phrase is a topic, theme, or concept (which may be precursory horizontally or vertically). • The descriptor is the specific learning expectation(s) in relation to the topic, theme, or concept for this particular unit of study. Conventions • Intra-alignment coding includes letter(s) preceding the Content listing(s). • The letter is followed by a period (e.g., A. / B. / C.). •
Always start with the letter A. for each new unit of study.
•
Each word in Content listing begins with a capital letter, similar to a Table of Contents.
Note: For all elements • Quantities less than 10 are written as a numeral, not a number word because it is easier to read when scanning the map elements (exception: when students are learning to recognize/write number word[s]). Examples • A. Time: Elapsed • C. Non-Verbal Cues: Posture, Facial Expressions, Gestures •
B. Oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic
Skills Measurable verb-target-descriptor: Skills are what students must do (cognitive abilities/actions) in relationship to the aligned knowing (Content). Measurable verb • Do not start a skill statement with Demonstrate ... Understand ... Know... Show ... Learn... (these are not measurable terms in that skill(s) lead to measuring the acquisition of what these terms require) • Do not start with Practice... Review... (they represent an activity, not a skill) • Do not start with Use... This word is often a part of the descriptor (e.g., Find slope using a calculator) •
If you start with Apply... You must write it using the word "to" Apply _______ to ________
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Target • • •
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Represents "how" the students are measured regarding the learning (in writing, visually*, orally, aurally*, manipulatively, kinesthetically, manually, digitally). *When using an asterisk target, it must be paired with another target (Examples = Identify aurally and orally... Critique visually and in writing ...) If you are writing a map in a discipline such as mathematics where a Skill statement is written using recognizable math terms (e.g., Solve... Calculate... Find... Graph...), you do not need to include the target in writing since this is how the verb will be measured. (If orally is a target, both orally and in writing need to be included the skill statement. For example: B2. Solve orally and in writing... ) Another example--PE: If a Skill statement begins with Throw... The teacher(s) do not need to include the target kinesthetically as it should be obvious to the map reader that this will be the assessment measurement mode. But, if the PE teacher(s) start with the term Identify... this is not a PE-specific term and, therefore, needs the appropriate target or targets included in the Skill statement (Example = A1. Identify visually and orally court lines)
Descriptor • The information after the target in a Skill statement details and enhances the Content listing, not repeats it. A skills\'s descriptor should aid map readers in explicitly recognizing student-learning expectations. Conventions • Intra-alignment coding for the Skills includes letter(s) and number(s) when Assessments are included in the unit of study (e.g., A1. / A2. / A3.). • The beginning of a Skill statement\'s measurable verb starts with a capital letter. •
No period is needed at the end of the statement
Examples • B5. Strike caps lock key to type in all capital letters/strike caps lock key to return to lowercase letters. • D1. Describe in writing 3 variables that affect weathering (Climate, Differential Weathering, Particle Size) using real-world examples
Assessment Assessment title is written as a Defined Noun. Think of it as giving the assessment a title that summarizes the assessment focus(es). • •
Assessments can be products or performances that measure single or multiple learning expectations (e.g., 25 MC Test / Persuasive Essay / Hand-Finger Placement Performance Task) While there are no specific wordings for the noun portion of the Defined Noun, common terms include (but are not limited to) Test / Quiz / Exercise / Performance Task / Project / Essay. If there
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are multiple assessments given to measure a particular skill or skills, indicate by using plural form of noun. For Example: A1-A3. 2-5 Item (MC, FinB, M) Pop Quizzes Abbreviation Conventions • Selected Response Abbreviations: MC = Multiple Choice / FinB = Fill in the Blank / TF = True and False / M = Matching •
Respond to Text/Illustration Response Abbreviations: SA = Short Answer (1 word, 1 phrase, or 1 sentence) / SR = Short Response (a few sentences or complete paragraph) / ER = Extended Response (multi-paragraph) / DBQ = Document-based Question(s)
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Evaluations include the manner (e.g., Teacher Ob / Peer Ob / Peer Review) and tools (Checklist, Rubric, Scoring Scale, Student Feedback) used to judge students\' abilities related to the assessment requisites. An included evaluation begins 1 space after the Assessment name/title. For Example: A1B3. Town Square Persuasive Essay (Evaluation: Teacher Ob/Rubric)
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Formative Indication = FOR It is written prior to the Assessment name/title (e.g., B1-C2. FOR 3 SA Pop Quizzes). If FOR is not included, it is assumed that the Assessment is a summative.
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The assessments that measure the most or majority of Skills, even if given last, are listed first in a unit of study (e.g., A1-B3. would be listed as the first assessment since it includes A1.)
Intra-alignment Conventions • Intra-alignment coding includes letter(s) and number(s) for an Assessment(s) included in the unit of study. • A period is used after the letter/number coding (e.g., A1. / A1-A3. / D1, D3.). •
Each word in an Assessment name (title) begins with a capital letter.
Examples • A1-C1. 40 Item (MC, SA) Unit 1 Test • A4. Original Fable (Evaluation: Teacher Ob-Peer Review/Rubric) •
C1, C3. 20 FinB Quiz
Activities •
Best-practice experiences that aid students in learning Content/Skills learning expectations.
Conventions • Intra-alignment coding always includes letter(s) and number(s) for the Skill(s) aligned to the Activities/Strategies included in the unit of study. Examples • A1. Smartboard Lesson: Introduction to perimeter • B2. Ruler activity: Find perimeter of 3 things in classroom 5|Page
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A1-C2. Grow and nurture a plant using soil, seed, water, and sunlight for 2 weeks
Resources Materials, technology, and Web 2.0 tools such as books, textbooks, manipulatives, DVDs, SMART board lessons, hyperlinks (using the hyperlinks feature*) that aid in student learning.
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Conventions Intra-alignment coding may include letter(s) if used intra-aligning to a total Content/Skills set(s) and/or letter(s) and number(s) if intra-aligning to a specific Skill or Skills. A double-hyphen is used prior to each listing.
Example: A. --Chapter 12, pp. 131-156 --It Does Matter!DVD --Brainpop Mind or Matter (Underline indicates a hyperlink*) •
*To use the hyperlink feature, begin by writing a short title or phrase that describes the URL destination.
Standards Select appropriate Standards\Level of Learning Expectation for each standard statement: • •
Introduce Develop
•
Reinforce, which can be going beyond statement expectations or in a cross- or multi-curricular learning expectation
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