Unpacking and Mapping the Curriculum

Higher-Order Academic Expectations

Since the 1980s, America’s public schools have been steadily criticized for being ineffective and inefficient. Despite millions of additional dollars expended on various school improvement schemes and strategies, test scores continue to decline, and American students perform well-below their counterparts around the world. In the year 2017, the nation’s governors and state school superintendents adopted a set of higher-order academic standards in the academic arena, designed to challenge every school in the country to raise its academic expectations for students and staff.

Unpack the Curriculum Standards

EdFOCUS consultants help teachers examine each content standard at two important levels: (A) What will students  “do”  to demonstrate mastery - - consistent with how the standards are assessed on high stakes tests. How will students process the information provided and construct meaning for themselves? (B) What will teachers “do” to enable student mastery? What strategies and methods will facilitate student learning?   Two examples follow:

Grade 3 Math

Standard 3.OA.8: “Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies, including rounding.”

Student Demonstration of Mastery:  Create story problems to match each of three different equations; then solve problems written by other students, including a written explanation of the steps taken to arrive at the solutions.

Teacher Facilitation and Student Response to Promote Mastery:

1. Teacher leads students to examine sample 2-step word problems to discover the multiplication process as repeated addition.
2. Teacher models how to solve 2-step problems; have students tell how these are different than the ones they have done before. Teacher shows students how to determine what the problem is asking them to do, and how to write an equation/expression for the problem scenario.
3. Teacher presents simple “work samples” with all 4 operations and discusses the order of operations in 2-step problems. Teacher then models 3 or 4 problems, including a check for student understanding. Students label sample problems with the needed operations and then solve 4 or 5 problems independently. Students write equations and use them to solve problems.
4. Teacher assigns students to devise practice problems for other students, swap papers, and solve each others’ problems, writing the steps they used to solve the problems.
   

Mastery: Finally, each student is given several different equations. For each equation, the student creates a word problem. He or she then solves at least five problems written by classmates, writing the steps used to solve each.

Grade 6 ELA

Standard RI 6.4: “Determine meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in an on-level text.” [Connected to L6.4 and L6.5]

Student Demonstration of Mastery: Analyze an unfamiliar informational passage; use context clues to make valid predictions of unfamiliar words and phrases.

Teacher Facilitation to Promote Mastery:

1. Model how to use context to predict the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases; use a process called "Arrowing out" to show students how to work in the margins beside the term to apply "cues" that will help them predict definitions. Cues include:
2. context
3. root words and affixes
4. connotation
5. figurative language
6. Help students practice using simple passages, making predictions, citing the cue, and then using reference tools to verify or adjust.
7. Direct students to trade papers, examine each others’ work, and evaluate the logic of their predictions.
8. Provide students practice with on-level passages.
   

Mastery: Finally, each student is given an unfamiliar passage of 750-900 words. In the margins -- directly beside the term -- the student makes valid predictions as to its meaning. To check accuracy, each student answers comprehension questions requiring accurate use of context.

Curriculum Mapping

EdFOCUS helps grade-level writing teams (1) unpack each standard to fully understand what is meant by mastery and then (2) cluster standards from several strands or domains into topical or thematic Units. These Units are then placed in the most appropriate sequence for teaching and learning -- in the context of what occurred prior to, and what will follow. Several standards may be strategically assigned to multiple Units, since they may be developmental and take several repetitions to master.

Unlike popular Mapping software programs, EdFOCUS customizes the Mapping format and graphics to the specifications of each district. EdFOCUS uses a standard “word” format and downloads each Curriculum Map to the building website for easy access and allow for continuous editing. For sample Curriculum Maps in specific content areas and grade levels, contact EdFOCUS at (330) 842-1116 or e-mail kpeters@edfocus.org. Although each district selects its preferred features, the following are among the most frequently chosen components for units or chunks of the Curriculum Map:

• unit or chunk titles and duration (e.g., “Finding Your Own Way,” 3 weeks)
• the major topics, ideas, and skills involved
• the print text and media featured
• process skills and the level of thinking or reasoning required for mastery
• technology applications
• cross-content integration, where appropriate
• benchmark assessments
• key building events that will impact instruction