Curriculum Mapping

I developed this ELA 12 curriculum map (Curriculum Mapping) with the aim of aligning Social Emotional Learning standards to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and objectives based in Webb’s Depth of Knowledge. As I built this curriculum map, I cross-walked SEL standards with MA Standards in order to plan unit goals by skill and content. If do not know what each student will know and do by the end of each lesson before the lesson and before the unit, then I know I need to revisit my curriculum map. Curriculum mapping for my practice is much more than a pacing guide; it is an evolving process of envisioning the big picture against the details of unit essential questions and daily agendas to create alignment and ensure clarity. Although I start the year with a clearly defined curriculum map for each prep, I also know how important it is to maintain an open mind towards adjustments and flexibility of practice. As I get to know my students through formative assessment and other data points, I refine my curriculum map as a way to be intentional about differentiation.

My goal with this ELA 12 curriculum map was to create a clear learning arc for the year that connects content, skills, and standards with an emphasis on cognitively demanding tasks, academic discourse, and student-centered learning. I also linked in specific strategies to use within each unit, thinking carefully about how the strategies would be scaffolded from beginning to end of unit and from one unit to the next. Each strategy is purposeful to not only the content and language objective, but to Webb’s Depth of Knowledge, as I scaffold the work to levels 3 and 4 of higher demand. Strategies also are directly aligned to state (MA Frameworks) and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) standards to ensure I am working with students based on individual learning style and need.

Curriculum Map for ELA 12 (College English 12) SY2018-2019 – McCarthy

Author: Jana McCarthy

Student advocate. Belief in teaching as service. Teacher of AP Language and ELA 10-12 in Boston Public Schools. Former ESL 3-4 teacher in a city outside Boston. National Board Certified Teacher. Always teaching on YouTube. Worked as Director of curriculum and instruction and adult learning specialist in Boston Public Schools as well as Director of Opportunity Scholarships for first generation students at a large private university in Boston. Passionate about access to opportunities for students and families in and beyond high school. Believer in Restorative Justice and trauma informed teaching. Sometimes photographer and all the time obsessed with street art. Learned to write as a grant writer for the Seattle Rep, Gardner Museum, and American Repertory theatre. Cat and dog mom. View all posts by Jana McCarthy