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Federal Programs Pilot Project

Content Maps for Reading/Language Arts & Math

In 2005, two groups of teachers and principals collaborated to create Content Maps for Reading/Language Arts (June) and Math (November).

The process looked like this *:

• Prioritized performance objectives into Essential, Important, and ‘Nice to Know’
• Clustered those objectives (in the three categories) into topics to guide instruction
• Arranged the topics into a sequence representing the year or course being developed
• Created a Content Map for each topic contained in the topic map

• Expanded the content maps to include all necessary elements:

  • Key Learning (What are the 1 – 3 most important big ideas that you want students to learn as a result of participating in this unit?
  • Unit Essential Question (What Question can you use to frame the overall learning you want your students to acquire in the Unit?
  • Key Concepts (What are the Big Ideas you want students to really know/understand/do? What is it you want students to be able to explain and apply?
  • Key Vocabulary (What words do your students need to know in order to learn the knowledge and skills included in your Topic?
  • Instructional Tools (What instructional tools might be used in helping students learn the content and performances of this unit?)

Prioritizing and Mapping Curriculum by Jim Riedl, Cindy Riedl, and Dr. Max Thompson

This process came from the work of Dr. Max Thompson, who has developed a framework for exemplary practice, part of which is the essential component of a guaranteed and viable curriculum. Jim Riedl, a consultant working with Dr. Thompson, guided the process of creating the content maps. The maps may be used not only as a planning tool but also a “guide to let students know where they are headed and what they are expected to learn”.

These maps are available to every school in Hamilton County. If maps are used, teachers are asked to please complete the Reflection Form and return it to the office of Federal Programs (pony or fax (423)209-8572). The feedback received from practitioners will be used to revise and improve the maps.