Model Curriculum Units, Assessments, and Maps: An Overview
In March 2011, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted new frameworks for Math, English Language Arts and Literacy that incorporate the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The model curriculum units with embedded performance assessments and curriculum maps will be housed on the Teaching and Learning System and are designed to:
- Promote growth and development of leaders, teachers, and districts through curriculum design aligned to the frameworks,
- Provide models for creating curriculum with embedded performance assessments in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and history/social science
- Provide models for identifying a sequence of topics in a curriculum map
- Provide templates for districts to create their own curriculum units with embedded performance assessments and maps
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) is committed to supporting effective implementation of the new Frameworks that incorporate the (CCSS), and is using federal Race to the Top grant funds to do so. ESE is developing model curriculum units, embedded performance assessments and curriculum maps that districts can choose to adopt, adapt, or download templates to create their own. The Department is working with Race to the Top districts to develop the model curriculum units, along with innovative digital resources provided by WGBH, embedded performance assessments and curriculum maps. All of these will be housed in the Teaching and Learning System and linked to the standards, student assessments, and digital resources.
Karen White, the History and Social Science Content Lead for this project is soliciting school district level curriculum maps that are aligned to the MA History and Social Science Curriculum Frameworks. If you are a social studies educator in the Commonwealth and you are currently working with or developing school district level curriculum maps in history and social science please consider submitting those maps as samples for this project. For more information and to make a submission please contact:
Karen P. White, History and Social Science Content Lead
Curriculum and Instruction
Department of elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant St. Malden, MA 02148
District level curriculum maps from all social studies subject areas and grade levels will be accepted.