My goal this year is to revise my lessons to more closely follow the timeframe of the curriculum maps and provide clearer expectations for my students. So far I've worked towards this by comparing my 4th and 5th grade lessons from last year with the curriculum map. Then I created a "skeleton" outline of the lessons for the year, mostly focusing on making lessons the correct length to match the timeframe in the maps. This took FOREVER. But it made it very clear to me that for those 2 grades I do not have time to mess around and let an art project run on for a million days. I have to stick to the outline I made in order to fit everything in that the curriculum maps require. I cannot go over by even a day for most of the projects.
I haven't done this with my 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade yet. I did not have as much trouble getting everything done last year for those grades. I think my goal for September will be to make an outline for the 3rd grade lessons.
Question: How important is it in your classes that you stick to the timeframe of the curriculum maps and fit everything in before the end of the year?
Good discussion question... What do we want to prepare our students for and how does that impact those teaching the next grade level?
ReplyDeleteSticking to the timeframe of the curriculum maps is at times not possible due to the nature of a specific class or because of field trips and extenuating circumstances. Therefore I see it more as a loose guideline of how long something should take- it is important that they learn it. So I see it as more important to take is slow if they need it so they learn the material. It may mean that you have to scale down on the next project but then they learn what they are supposed to from all lessons.
ReplyDeleteHowever, that being said I do think that it is essential to fit everything in during the end of the year (especially for 5th grade) because if you don't then they will be behind for the next year. If you are the person teaching them the following year you can always remember and add it in- but that may risk that you fall behind again.
I know that we are supposed to have separate projects for each lesson but if a group is falling behind is it okay to combine 2 concepts or more so that they are exposed to (and hopefully learn it) by the end of the year?