Curriculum Mapping KnowledgeBase

The Curriculum Mapping KnowledgeBase is an online resource supporting education professionals with the development and use of curriculum mapping as part of their instructional strategies. The KnowledgeBase is based on four elements derived from The Curriculum Mapping Planner: Templates, Tools, and Resources for Effective Professional Development authored by Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Ann Johnson, and published by ASCD.

Element 1: Lay the Foundation

Purpose: Applying curriculum mapping within a district or school begins with an understanding of the fundamentals. These include being knowledgeable about the basic concepts, defining a vision for the initiative, and creating a leadership structure to support it. Element 1 outlines these tasks and offers resources for the teacher to gain such an understanding.

Activity 1: Understand Curriculum Mapping Concepts

Activity 2: Create a Shared Vision for Curriculum Mapping

Activity 3: Define the Leadership Structure to Support Mapping

Task 2: Develop Consensus Maps


Guideline: A consensus map is a school site map covering the whole school year. Each school's consensus maps address subject areas at each grade level.

Bloom's Taxonomy

This document provides links to websites offering resources on Bloom's Taxonomy.


Building Academic Vocabulary

This link is to the Oklahoma State Department of Education's academic vocabulary initiative. As noted at its website, "This manual is designed to help school districts or individual schools systematically enhance the academic vocabulary of their students to better prepare them to learn new content in mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies."

Curriculum Map Samples

This is a link to sample curriculum maps available at Janet Hale's Curriculum Mapping101 website. Sample diary and consensus maps are provided in generic form as well as for specific mapping systems. As noted at the site, "each document is meant to be read with a focus on wording, format, and intra-alignment with curriculum design in mind."


Development of a Consensus Map

This link to chapter three of the book Getting Results With Curriculum Mapping edited by Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs offers an approach to developing consensus maps.

Curriculum Mapping: Types of Maps

In this video Janet Hale, a national curriculum mapping consultant and trainer, reviews the types of curriculum maps and the purpose of each one. The video runs 1 minute and 25 seconds.


Video: Consensus Maps

In this video, provided by Curriculum Designers, Inc., Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs explains her thoughts on creating consensus maps. This video runs 2 minutes and 30 seconds.


Video: Launching the Process of Curriculum Change

In this video provided by Curriculum Designers, Inc, Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs explains launching the process of curriculum change and connects the mapping process to a framework for professional development. This video runs 3 minutes and 2 seconds.

Element 2: Launch the Process

Purpose: Wiktionary dictionary defines launch as "to set going; to give a start to (something); to put in operation." Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process. The process involves creating maps that drive instruction, reviewing and improving those maps over time, and learning how to master mapping strategies. Element 2 outlines these tasks and offers resources for district and school leaders and teachers to launch curriculum mapping.

Activity 1: Using Curriculum Maps to Drive Instruction

Activity 2: Undertake a Review Process to Improve Instruction

Activity 3: Learn How to Master Mapping Strategies

Element 3: Sustain and Integrate the Mapping Process

Purpose: Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process as teachers review and update the respective maps regularly. The process of updating their maps enables teachers to think about how they can improve and update their instructional approaches. The Element 3 tasks address incorporating assessment results into the mapping process.

Activity 1: Conduct Ongoing Strategic Monitoring

Activity 2: Unpack Assessment Data

Element 4: Advanced Mapping Tasks

Purpose: Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process as teachers review and update the respective maps regularly . The process of updating their maps enables teachers to think about how they can improve and update their instructional approaches. The Element 4 tasks address applying new instructional techniques and integrating technology with curriculum.

Activity 1: Update Maps with 21st Century Techniques