Phase 1: Curriculum Maps
Set a vision from the intersection of local expertise and research-based design.
We begin by recognizing that the people closest to students bring the most essential knowledge to curriculum design. Teachers and leaders know their students, communities, and instructional realities in ways no external team ever could. At the same time, because curriculum design is not typically part of teacher preparation, many educators have deep pedagogical skill but limited exposure to design principles, especially when writing a vertically aligned curriculum for fellow educators to implement.
Our sessions provide educational research and curriculum design expertise. Together, we set a vision with concrete goals, develop shared terminology, select effective models for curriculum development, and co-author coherent curriculum maps that align your goals with what the research shows drives student achievement. The result is a curriculum that is ambitious and deeply local.
In action, this looks like:
Setting a philosophy and goals anchored in school/district values
Mapping standards across the year
Developing scope and sequence documents that balance structure and flexibility
Mapping learning arcs that deepen understanding across grades
Selecting anchor texts informed by both community relevance and research on quality