A Scope and Sequence is something that I have really missed this year. One was not provided to me by my district and unfortunately I do not really have a team that is willing to put one together. I am now in the process of writing one for the upcoming school year because I have really hated not knowing what is going to come next.
I have been able to pull lots of great things from the school districts around me, but am still not sure how to exactly approach this. In my classes I have always been taught to start with the end of the year and go the first part of the year to make sure everything is covered.
Do you have someone in your district or on your campus that does the curriculum writing for you? Just curious as to how others do it.
We have a scope and sequence prepared for us by the Lead Reading Teacher in the district. Unfortunately, she is a second grade teacher who has been out of the classroom for five years. I find that to create documents of real value, they have to come from someone who knows the grade and the standards from a real classroom perspective. My fellow teachers and I sat down and created one a few years ago. I love it - however, as we switch to the CCSS, I know I will have to re-do it...which I am not looking forward to! Oh well...it has so much value, I know it is worth doing! Good luck making yours!
ReplyDeleteJenny
your blog is just too darn cute. Every time I come here I want to stay. like a blog vacation!
ReplyDeleteAnyway...no I am not signed up for any conference and I fear if I went to a D5 conference they would totally freak me out since I basically do it all wrong with my new system!!! :)
I would love to get away though and get some motivation! I love stuff like that!!!
We have CScope. Actually I'm a little jealous that you're left to your own devices!
ReplyDeleteWe are actually getting ready to use CSCOPE starting with the 2013-2014 school year. We have already adopted the Math and Science and are adding Social Studies next year. I am planning on using the YAG to help me plan my sequence but get frustrated because of the amount of materials that we must supplement with. Have you had that same problem?
DeleteAhhhh....cscope.....we have a love/hate relationship! Yes, resources have been our biggest problem. We just adopted a brand new literature book with all kinds of bells and whistles, but we're told it is just a resource. Plus, there's no room with our YAG for novels. Ever. So it's been a constant struggle all year. Sometimes I feel like its slapped together. It's very difficult to find the specific pieces they want. BUT, supposedly we are getting a kit for next year from www.etacuisenaire.com. It correlates to cscope for Texas! Sounds promising!!
DeleteI will tell you also that our math teachers have had fits with the YAG. They have really disagreed with the sequence. It's been a big struggle for them. Our science uses StemScope more than cscope. But back to ELA, I plan to spend a lot of quality time over the summer gathering materials!!
And let me add that we are deeply dissatisfied with the handling of grammar in cscope. We call it driveby grammar.... Bam! Use subordinating conjunctions!! What are your thoughts? And have you been able to use CAFE or Daily 5 with cscope?
ReplyDeleteI work at a really small district and we don't really have a scope and sequence for anything. Because we are expected to implement the new common core next year, we (all teachers + principal + superintendent for the Elementary School) will work on hammering out a scope and sequence one week in the summer. I am really looking forward to it--I often feel that I am on my own island trying figure out what needs to be done by when!
ReplyDeleteI don't have one either :( My district has one for L.A but not reading as it is not a core subject and isn't mandated in the middle grades. I just wing it. I do plan creating one over the summer though for next year.
ReplyDelete❤ Mor Zrihen from...
A Teacher's Treasure
Teaching Treasures Shop
We don't have one either! (It's amazing to me that I am NOT the only one who has to invent my literacy curriculum!)
ReplyDeleteI am secretly a tiny bit glad because I like my freedom. But! Freedom with a little direction would be helpful.
Literacy is always my summer project (like Mor), but I usually end up revamping it all by October.
Hope you had fun today, Katie...
Kim
Finding JOY in 6th Grade
We use CSCOPE... some days it is my friend, but others I don't understand what it wants of me at all. I am a first year teacher, so some of the ELA TEKS read like goop to me. I plan a "magical" grammar lesson and wind up with zombie faces because I am so lost as to what about semicolons is on grade. I think best case scenario the district should use CSCOPE and then the head of the department should translate a little more clearly (perhaps a weekly basis) what the objectives are.
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