The Common Core Curriculum
Mapping Project
Lorraine Griffith, Lead Writer for Grades K-3
What is Common Core?
Common Core is a non-profit organization working to
keep the full range of liberal arts and sciences in our
public schools.
Common Core was founded in 2007.
Despite the coincidence of name, Common Core is not
the same as the “Common Core” State Standards
(CCSS).
How Did They Come to Create the Maps?
They conducted research
finding that each of the
nations that consistently
outranks the United States
on the PISA exam provides
their students with a
comprehensive, content-rich
education in the liberal arts
and sciences.
The CCSS and Content
•  The CCSS provides detailed guidelines about the skills students
should master and even the type of content students should master,
and about levels of rigor.
•  But what it does not provide—because it was beyond the mission of
the project—is guidance about how to pair the skills in the standards
with content that will actually make it possible for students to reach
the reading, writing, and other goals in the standards.
The Common Core Curriculum Maps
in English Language Arts …
•  Are brand new—not old material that has been realigned or
adjusted to match the CCSS
•  Started with the standards and exemplar texts and shaped maps
around those guideposts
•  Were developed as the standards were being written. Common
Core worked in close consultation with the National Governors
Association and the authors of the standards.
The 2010 Maps …
•  Break down each year into 78, six-week thematic units.
•  Are flexible and adaptable, yet they address every standard
in the CCSS.
•  Were written by teachers for teachers through a deeply
collaborative process.
•  Don’t tell teachers how to teach.
•  Are funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
•  Are available free of charge.
The Units
Follow along by going to: www.commoncore.org
Go to the maps.
Explore a grade level of choice as we walk through the features of each
unit.
The Units
Each unit is comprised of the same elements.
An overview is a brief description of the unit. It explains the theme of
the unit and provides a summary of what students will learn.
The essential questions highlight the
usefulness, the relevance, and the greater
benefit of a course or unit. They are often
the “so what?” questions about material
covered.
The focus standards are taken directly from the CCSS and have
been identified as especially important for the unit. Each grade
includes a standards checklist that illustrates which standards are
addressed in which units..
The suggested works are substantial lists of suggested literary and
informational texts. They draw heavily from the “exemplar texts” listed
in the CCSS.
The art, music and media section lists works of visual art, music,
film and other media that reflect the theme of the unit and that a
teacher can use to extend students’ knowledge in these areas.
Sample activities and assessments have been written for each
unit, with specific standards and often with specific texts in mind. Each
activity addresses at least one CCSS standard. These activities are
suggestions for teachers. They do not represent a prescribed sequence.
Reading foundations are included in our Kindergarten and first
grade maps. They include a pacing guide of instructional goals for the
teaching of the CCSS reading foundations. We plan to extend the
pacing guides to grades two and three.
The additional resources section includes links to lesson plans,
other student activities and sources for more information about
topics covered in the unit..
The terminology section cites concepts and terms that are critical
to the unit.
The sample lesson plans are supplementary documents that outline
a sequence of lessons for using one or more suggested unit texts to
meet focus standards.
Lesson I
Topic: Historical Background to the
Constitutional Convention
Objectives:
• Revisit the Declaration of Independence.
• Recall the emergence of the Articles of
Confederation.
• Explore the criticism of the Articles of
Confederation.
Lesson II
Topic: The Constitutional Convention
Objectives:
• Identify the principal founding fathers,
who were the architects of the
Constitution
• Explore (select concepts from) James
Madison’s essay “Notes of Debates in the
Federal Convention of 1787.” (RI.1, RI.3,
RI.6)
Making interdisciplinary connections is included only in our maps
for the elementary grades. Here we broadly list the content areas the
unit covers and then suggest opportunities for making interdisciplinary
connections between the ELA content in the unit to other subjects
including science, history, civics, geography and the arts.
What’s Next?
•  Common Core will release the 2011 edition of the maps very soon.
•  The 2011 edition incorporating feedback ranging from:
–  “Where’s Beowulf?” to “Why isn’t there more focus on
contemporary literature?”
–  Making the writing and grammar progressions more
pronounced
–  Extending the pacing guide for the teaching of reading
through 2nd grade
–  Guidance on differentiated instruction
Revisions
•
•
•
•
•
•
Checked balance of informational & literary text
Added glossary
Added suggestions for differentiation
Ensured language consistent with CCSS
–  e.g., categories for writing assignments
Checked writing progression
–  “foundations” > “senior project”
Checked grammar progression
What’s Next?
•  And enhancing the site to allow …
–  Viewers to rate the maps
–  Teachers to submit lesson plans
–  Viewers to submit and read comments
•  Jossey-Bass™ is rushing out a print version of the maps. They will
be printed in three volumes and offered at a very affordable price
starting this fall.