This marks the first year that teachers in the Lincoln County School System have used curriculum maps, also known as pacing guides.

"Creating curriculum maps for every grade level and every subject taught at all three schools has been a priority this past year," said Brian Campbell, Lincoln County assistance superintendent for instruction. "The guides are basically road maps that help teachers determine how much time should be spent on a particular standard.

"Curriculum maps ensure that by the end of the year, all students have been exposed to all of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) for a particular subject. Providing an appropriate timeline for each standard becomes especially important when the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), End-of-Course Tests (EOCT), or the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GSHGT) is administered.

"The maps also give administrators a tool to use when observing teachers," the assistant superintendent continued. "The administrators are able to determine if a teacher is on track based on the curriculum map."

He further noted that the maps are likewise helpful to the new teacher because they provide an instructional road map for the year, helping the teacher avoid becoming overwhelmed or bogged down by the material.

To familiarize themselves with the content of each course being taught throughout the year, parents and other interested parties may view the curriculum maps on the system website at www.lincolncountyschools.org. Just click on the "department" link and then the "curriculum and instruction" link.

The curriculum maps divide up the units of study using time frames, which ensure that teachers do not spend too much time on one unit at the expense of another. In other words, the map sets the pace for the course.

"To create a curriculum map, we use a common template, designed by our system improvement team; the curriculum standards (GPS), on the other hand, are set by the Georgia Department of Education," according to Heather Yarbrough, a biology teacher at LCHS.

"However, teachers in most subject areas are given flexibility as to the order in which the curriculum is presented. Usually, each department or grade level will decide the order in which the units will be taught as well as how much time will be dedicated to each unit."

Yarbrough went on to compare the creation of a curriculum map to the preparation of a family budget. "For example, you may know that your family spends $2,000 per month on expenses, but when viewing how the money is distributed, you realize you are spending $500 a month eating out at restaurants.

"Organizing a written budget may cause your family to evaluate its spending and may even lead to budget cuts where necessary. Similarly, writing a curriculum map has been an eye-opening experience for many teachers, especially for those of us who have been teaching for 10-plus years.

"Because the majority of us have been teaching the same subject for many years, we have become accustomed to following the same routine year after year," explained Yarbrough. "But to actually have to put down on paper how much time we plan to spend on each unit makes even veteran teachers evaluate and make changes to their normal routine."

What follows is one of the four segments of a curriculum map for a biology course taught by Yarbrough:

Unit Titles: Heredity and DNA Technology.

Duration: Five weeks.

Focus: Mendelian Genetics, Punnett Squares and Probability, DNA and RNA Structure, Protein Synthesis, Chromosomes and Mutations, Genetic Engineering, and DNA Technology.

Standards: Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to successive generations. They will be able to:

.. Distinguish between DNA and RNA. .. Explain the role of DNA in storing and transmitting cellular information. .. Using Mendel's laws, explain the role of meiosis in reproductive variability.

In other remarks, the biology teacher stated, "By consulting the curriculum maps, parents will know what unit and concepts their child should be focusing on at certain times during the semester. This gives parents a way to become actively involved in their child's school work and can open up the lines of communication between parents and teachers to ensure the child is mastering each of the state standards listed on the map."

According to Dr. Becky Barden, principal of LCHS, "Curriculum maps assure me, as a principal, that all of the state standards are being taught in the framework of a semester. Also, as I observe teachers, I can compare the curriculum map to the daily lesson plans to see if the teacher is on target."

She further indicated that she has had teachers tell her that, although they did not like the format at first, the maps made them think about their instruction and the purpose of the various learning activities.

"I think the curriculum map is an excellent tool to keep all of us focused on instruction and student learning," Barden added.

Once the curriculum maps have been fully implemented, the school system will begin looking at benchmark assessments, said Assistant Superintendent Campbell. "Benchmark assessments will be administered based on the curriculum maps. Basically, the assessments will determine which students have mastered particular standards. Those who have not will be provided with remediation to ensure they master all of the standards by the end of the year or the semester."

More information on the implementation of benchmark assessments will be forthcoming as the school year progresses.

In an article printed in the October 2008 issue of "Educational Leadership" magazine, Jane David, director of the Bay Area Research Group in Palo Alto, California, discussed the pros and cons of curriculum maps. In conclusion, she wrote: "Constructive pacing guides assume differences in teachers, students, and school contexts. They adjust expectations through frequent revisions based on input from teachers. Most important, they encourage instruction that challenges students beyond the content of the test."

To read David's article in its entirety, visit the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's (ASCD) website at www.ascd.org.