The Curriculum Mapping Planner: Templates, Tools, and Resources for Effective Professional Development

Creating and using curriculum maps is a lot faster and easier when you use this in-depth resource in workshops, curriculum teams, and professional learning communities. Whether you're introducing curriculum mapping for the first time or working with teachers and administrators who are well into the process, the manual's collection of templates, samples, and tools helps you

- Establish the rationale for mapping.
- Ensure long-term support for curriculum mapping.
- Create quality maps for the first time or review and improve existing ones.
- Connect curriculum maps to assessment data, instructional strategies, and school improvement efforts.

Everything you need for differentiated professional development is included:
- Essential questions that focus the discussion and sharing.
- Activities for deepening understanding.
- Assessments to show evidence of learning.
- Instructional maps that guide your implementation of the training.

Plus, nearly 100 more tools and resources can be downloaded for free from the ASCD website

Curriculum mapping is a powerful tool for school improvement, but moving into mapping requires a genuine paradigm shift. Perhaps you've tried curriculum mapping in your school or district, but you've never found a way to get the most out of it. Or perhaps you've introduced teachers to curriculum mapping but are unsure of the next steps to ensure lasting change.

Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Ann Johnson have designed The Curriculum Mapping Planner to help schools deliver effective training in curriculum mapping. The planner describes a four-phase professional development program composed of 12 modules, which are presented as 12 curriculum maps for professional development. In short, this book will help you map "mapping."

Each module's curriculum map includes possible follow-up assignments and resources. The assignments can provide practice for the participants, help them maintain focus on curriculum mapping, and help set the stage and prepare them for the next training session. The resources provide additional information and can be used in the study groups or as a support for the activities. And an online component containing sample curriculum maps, templates, and handouts makes it easy to organize and distribute materials to participants.

With the systematic approach presented in this planner, staff developers, teacher leaders, and administrators can work successfully together to create a curriculum that truly challenges and supports all students.