Curriculum Mapping

Curriculum development can be a long and involved process. Without the ability to clearly illustrate that an instructional plan is being followed and is effective, the time spent can be futile. Curriculum mapping provides a clear picture of what is happening in classrooms at specific times during a school year and is the easiest way to show what is being taught throughout the year. Curriculum mapping documents authentic data by which educators can structure constructive decisions.

At the classroom level, it is often hard to see the “big picture” of a curriculum. Curriculum mapping not only gives educators the ability to see the details of each map, but where subjects come together, where they do not, and where they should. (Jacobs, 1997) When subjects do not come together, there is a gap in the curriculum that can cause major deficiencies in fundamental instruction and assessment. Curriculum mapping makes these gaps identifiable during curriculum evaluations. (Jacobs, 2004)

Curriculum mapping supports collaboration as teachers come together to share best practices when comparing and discussing maps. Teachers often have a vague knowledge of what happens in the classrooms of their colleagues. Through curriculum dialogue, teachers can build their own skill-sets by learning from one another. (Jacobs, 1997) This awareness and knowledge of the curriculum gives teachers the data necessary to refine the curriculum to improve student learning.

Curriculum Mapper™ is the original curriculum mapping software. It is an easy-to-use program that allows schools to create and document operational curriculum as well as link a curriculum to standards. Curriculum Mapper allows teachers to attach relevant materials, and create a standards-aligned, on-line library of curriculum materials.

Experience tells us that a percentage of any curriculum is wasted in gaps, redundancies, and overlaps. Collaborative curriculum mapping with Curriculum Mapper effects refinement. Curriculum mapping helps articulate when a standard is going to enter the curriculum. Analysis reports reflect where standards have been introduced, developed, and reinforced. Through curriculum mapping, we know who is responsible for introduction of a concept, at what grade level development is expected, and when students are expected to master it.

Hale, Janet A. A Guide to Curriculum mapping: Planning, Implementing, and Sustaining the Process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2007.

Jacobs, Heidi H. Mapping the Big Picture: Integrating Curriculum and Assessment K-12. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Improvement, 1997.

Jacobs, Heidi H. Getting Results with Curriculum Mapping. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Improvement, 2004.

Udelhofen, Susan K. Keys to Curriculum Mapping: Strategies and Tools to Make It Work. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2005.

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