Curriculum Maps and Resources
Beyond Textbooks Links
Beyond Textbooks Training
Beyond Textbooks Training
Beyond Textbooks Staff
Curriculum Map Description
SCSD#1 curriculum maps are driven by the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards. The Wyoming State Standards are being revised and prioritized by the Wyoming Department of Education. Currently Math, Science, Computer Science, Physical Education, Health and Safety as well as Fine & Performing Arts are under review. Upon approval from the governors office, teachers will use the new state standards documents to update Sweetwater#1 curriculum maps. Also, teachers will use data from Beyond Textbooks to inform curriculum maps changes. Look for the new maps in the fall of 2024.
The process of curriculum mapping follows a cycle of teacher questionnaires, teacher feedback and revisions by the committees to produce a clear and comprehensive curriculum map teachers will use as a guide to classroom instruction. Maps currently being revised will be in Draft form or In Progress. Completed maps will be in their Final form. Each subject area map contains a purpose statement, benchmarks, explanations, and standard references. An annotated page in each curriculum map explains each part of the map.
Curriculum maps are tightly aligned to Wyoming State Standards and are customized to include local priorities and values reflected in the community. All subject areas meet periodically throughout the school year to update and revise maps as needed.
Wyoming Content and Performance Standards
The Wyoming Content and Performance Standards serve several purposes. They articulate the set of expectations for what students should know and be able to do, enabling them to be prepared for college and career success, to live a life that contributes to the global community. These expectations are communicated to students, parents, educators and all other Wyoming stakeholders, and provide a common understanding among educators as to what students should learn at particular grade levels.
For information on specific standards, appendices, domains and clusters, and performance level descriptors see the WDE Content and Performance Standards webpage. Also, state standards that are out for public comment are available at this weblink (on the right hand side).
K-12 Curriculum Maps *Teachers are reviewing and revising curriculum maps to update alignment with WY State Standards.
- Career and Technical Vocation Curriculum Map
- Computer Science Curriculum Map*
- English Language Arts Curriculum Map
- Beyond Textbooks (ELA)
- Fine Arts Curriculum Maps*
- World Language
- Health & Safety/PE Curriculum Map*
- Informational Literacy Curriculum Map
- Math Curriculum Map
- Beyond Textbooks (Math)
- Performing Arts Curriculum Map*
- School Counselors Curriculum Map
- Science Curriculum Map*
- Social Studies Curriculum Map
- World History Curriculum Map
Early Literacy Plan
K-5 English Language Arts
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with Reading Horizons and any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
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ReadyGEN was adopted by the district in the spring of 2017 as the primary resource to be used to teach ELA curriculum in grades K-5.
ReadyGEN is an integrated literacy program that accelerates learning for all students using authentic text to support English Language Arts/English Learner instruction. Overall progression of text complexity within and across grades facilitates students’ learning of academic vocabulary, close reading, foundational skills, and further deepens content knowledge and comprehension.
ReadyGEN is structured as both an online and print resource. The online component includes all student and teacher materials, assessments, and flexible class data management tools. Online digital access to every text will engage students, maximizing their learning experiences in reading, writing, and language development. By selecting a print/online core resource K-5, students within the district will have access to an aligned resources for multiple years.
Reading Horizons (K-12)
- Reading Horizons Discovery is an intervention program that offers a foundational reading program that can help all students reach proficiency by the end of third grade.
- Reading Horizons Accelerate is an online tool providing resources and support for teachers.
6-12 English Language Arts
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with Reading Horizons and any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
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SpringBoard was adopted by the district in the spring of 2017 as the primary resource to teach ELA in grades 6-12.
SpringBoard is built on the foundational principles of embedded assessments that are back-mapped from advanced placement courses and college/career readiness. SpringBoard uses compelling themes and multiple genres of text including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, as well as multiple modes to develop essential thinking skills preparing students for high school and beyond. Students will analyze text, collect evidence, think critically as well as cultivate real-world writing skills. SpringBoard tracks student learning while fostering strong study habits and cultivating indispensable organizational skills.
SpringBoard is structured as both an online and print resource that can be used to differentiate class assignments based on Lexile levels and/or student needs. Included in the resource is free access to ZINC, which is a database of informational text that is engaging, applicable, current, and is aligned to both themes and texts cultivating 21st Century Skills.
7-12 Foreign Language
SCSD#1 adopted Avancemos (Spanish) and Bien Dit (French) as the primary resource to teach the Spanish and French curriculum for grades 7-12.
Both programs use a thematic approach to present the material from novice to intermediate-advanced proficiency levels. The materials are research-based with ample authentic cultural relevance to the target languages.
Avancemos and Bien Dit are structured as both online and print resources. The online component includes all student and teacher materials, assessments, and flexible class data management tools. Online digital access to every text will engage students, maximizing their learning experiences in reading, writing, and language development.
K-8 Mathematics
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
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Eureka Math was adopted by the district in the spring of 2016 as the primary resource to be used to teach Mathematics curriculum in grades K-8.
Eureka connects math to the real world in ways that build student confidence and help students achieve true understanding. The writers of Eureka Math took great care to present mathematics in a logical progression from Pre-K through Grade 12. This coherent approach allows teachers to know what incoming students have already learned and ensures students are prepared for what comes next. When implemented faithfully, Eureka will dramatically reduce gaps in student learning, instill persistence in problem solving, and prepare students to understand advanced math. Eureka Math differs from other texts in that, rather than being an update to existing material, it was designed specifically for the common core.
Eureka Math is structured as both an online and print resource. The online resources provides an interactive digital version of the Pre-K-12 curriculum.
Visit the Eureka Math Parent webpage for tips and info.
9-12 Mathematics
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
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Big Ideas Math was adopted by the district in the spring of 2016 as the primary resource to teach Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.
- Big Ideas Math encourages a deeper understanding of mathematics by narrowing the student's focus and providing inductive reasoning opportunities, engaging explorations, concise stepped-out examples, and rich thought-provoking exercises.
- Multiple pathways and delivery methods ensure universal access for all learners. Dynamic Technology supports and enhances this resource. Students are exposed to high motivation and relevant problems at the level of depth and rigor they need through any of the multiple pathways for high school mathematics.
PreCalculus with Limits was adopted by the district in the spring of 2017 as the primary resource to teacher PreCalculus.
- PreCalculus with Limits includes sound explanations and exercises along with a brief review of algebra and geometry. Real-world applications, ongoing review, and innovative technology support give students more learning solutions.
- This is an online and print resource.
Algebra and Trigonometry was adopted by the district in the spring of 2017 as the primary resource for Algebra III and Trigonometry.
- This resource offers explanations and exercises, real-world applications, and innovative technology giving students more learning solutions.
- This is an online and print resource.
Health & Physical Education
Health-Students learn how to identify, access, and evaluate age appropriate health information, products, and resources; apply, analyze and evaluate problem solving and decision-making skills to enhance personal health and reduce health risks. Students learn effective communication skills and personal/social responsibilities to enhance health and reduce health risks. Technology is used, allowing for the use of updated content, which will support the development of health skills.
Physical Education-Students learn and apply age appropriate movement skills related to the five health related components of fitness while participating in a variety of dual, team, and lifetime activities to enhance physical fitness levels and promote self-expression and enjoyment. Technology is used during activities so students will understand how to perform exercise to benefit their own personal fitness levels.
Social Studies Resources
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
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On November 27, 2018 the Social Studies Adoption Committee met to analyze data to decide on a new Social Studies resource. Data collected and analyzed included:
· Vendor Presentations (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Teachers Curriculum Institute and McGraw Hill)
· Features, Benefits, Concerns/Questions
· Teacher Survey Responses
· Resource Cost Breakdown
After much dialogue and discussion, the recommendation of the committee is as follows:
· The recommendation made by the Resource Adoption Committee for grades K – 3rd and 5th is HMH.
· The recommendation made by the Resource Adoption Committee for grade 4th is to use the current Wyoming Crossroads resource, a Wyoming floor map and IXL for Social Studies.
· The recommendation made by the Resource Adoption Committee for 6th – 8th is TCI.
· The recommendation made by the Resource Adoption Committee for 9th – 12th is McGraw Hill.
Social Studies Committee Feedback
Social Studies Committee K - 3rd & 5th
As a Social Studies Resource Adoption Committee, we have come to a consensus to adopt HMH: Kids Discover. Of the resources reviewed we found this resource most closely aligned to the district’s curriculum maps. After diligent consideration of the resource being efficient, effective and feasible, HMH: Kids Discover will meet the needs required.
HMH includes a broad range of learning opportunities including the following: consumable magazines, google expeditions, cross curricular activities, technology integration, suggestions for differentiation, and a user-friendly teachers guide. We are looking forward to implementing a new and valuable resource for Social Studies pending further approval.
Social Studies Committee 4th Grade
The fourth-grade teachers on the Social Studies Resource Adoption Committee have chosen to keep the current resource, Wyoming Crossroads of a Continent. We chose to keep this resource because it aligns with the Wyoming Social Studies standards and the Sweetwater School District #1 Social Studies Curriculum Map. In addition to keeping this resource we have requested the following supplemental resources:
• Additional copies of the Wyoming Student Atlas that addresses map skills and Wyoming geographic information.
• The Wyoming Floor map which addresses and enhances student understanding and engagement of map skills and geographic knowledge.
• Native American Studies new to the Wyoming State Social Studies Content Standards which are located on the Wyoming Department of Education website under the Native American Education tab.
• Lastly government and civics information that can be accessed through the IXL Social Studies program as we are looking at purchasing licenses for 4th grade students.
Social Studies Committee 6th - 8th
The Social Studies Resource Adoption Committee for grades 6th – 8th have chosen TCI (Teacher Curriculum Institute) History Alive! - The Ancient World/ The United States Through Industrialism/Geography Alive, for its multimedia materials and activities. TCI provides engaging, real-world curriculum that is centered around the seven multiple intelligences. The curriculum moves past the typical “sit and get” and provides teachers with modifiable lessons that include engagement strategies, activities, and interactive games. As a committee we also looked at the ease of use when it came to the text and online accessibility for the teacher as well as the student. Another benefit is that there is EL and Special Ed components that provide scaffolding for students that are struggling to understand the content. We were impressed that the resource includes engaging enrichments for our advanced learners as well.
Social Studies Committee 9th – 12th
The Resource Adoption Committee at the secondary level has chosen to adopt the McGraw Hill curriculum and resources. After evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility of the available options, we found that McGraw Hill was able to meet most of our needs and addressed the concerns that we felt were missing from our current classroom curriculum. The textbooks from this collection aligned with our current curriculum maps and offered ample supplementary assessments to enhance student engagement and understanding.
This resource also offered several online components that will provide opportunities for students to have access to relevant news and events. A few examples of these are, BTW Current Events Blog and You Decide-Election Central sites that allow students to follow the most up-to-date information about the midterm elections. These sites are updated with stories that are happening now so that students can make a connection with the content. We felt that McGraw Hill offered the best resources for rigor and relevance for our students.
Another component of the McGraw Hill materials that we found beneficial was the ability to translate assessments and reading levels for our ELL students. It also offers the ability to support struggling readers with the Learn Smart Program which allows for differentiation of reading levels based on the students’ needs. Overall, we really felt that McGraw Hill offered the best framework to help support our staff and our students with the tools needed to learn about the world we live in.
Performing Arts
After reviewing possible K-6 resources through several lenses including: alignment to the new curriculum maps, usability, assessments, supplementary resources, and fiscal responsibility, GAMEPLAN, as well as the First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfege were the resources chosen. These are rigorous programs designed to support all learners.
At the secondary level, resources vary across the 7-12 grade band in scope and sequence in relation to Wyoming Content and Performance Standards.
Fine Arts
After completing, verifying alignment, and validating the curriculum maps it was agreed that Fine Arts should remain a production class meaning students will spend the majority of their class time creating their own art. This decision is data driven, as the effects of engagement with the arts is well-studied with the benefits being:
- The arts improve academic achievement—enhancing test scores, attitudes, social skills, critical and creative thinking
- People who experience sustained involvement in the arts are overwhelmingly more likely as adults to found successful companies, publish important articles, and patent new inventions
- Arts participation—in school or in the workplace—strengthens creativity, the fuel that drives innovation
- U.S. employers rate creativity and innovation among the top skills sought after and this need will only increase in importance in the coming years
(Source: http://summerartsinstitute.stanford.edu/about/why-art-matters)
Science
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
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Students in Sweetwater County School District #1 will explore the interconnected nature of life, physical, earth sciences while analyzing and applying that knowledge and technological solutions to think continually and solve real world problems. Students will build knowledge through content-rich informational text, scientific inquiry and interactive activities. Students will share and clearly express scientific ideas using oral, written and visual communication. This year science is working on validating draft curriculum maps and learning how to plan units of student to support implementation of the maps. The resources that the teacher teams decided to adopt are:
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- K-5: Mystery Science
- 6-8: STEMscopes
- 9-12: McGraw Hill
Career & Tech Ed
The members of the CTE department are currently in the process of updating the curriculum maps to meet the needs of the students. Teachers are working to put in place goals that are measurable and realistic and with an end to increase the skills of the students, thus to prepare them for 21st Century careers.
Throughout the process, teachers designated a CTE subject mission and together they wrote a mission statement and identified goals for the CTE department and each course within the program. The teachers developed purpose statements to match these goals and to correspond with the mission statement. Throughout the remainder of this year and next, we will continue to write curriculum maps for all courses in the CTE program.
School Counselors
The school counselors curriculum mapped this year and have a draft copy for all counselors to pilot and validate the new map. The mission of the Sweetwater County School District #1 School Counseling Program is to empower the whole person with skills to be lifelong learners; focusing on the support of academics, social/emotional wellbeing, career readiness and multicultural citizenship for all students.
Informational Literacy
As dynamic partners in the educational experience in Sweetwater County School District #1, we empower students for success in life as information and technology literate global citizens. Students will develop skills through inquiry, and critical and creative thinking, while gaining a lifelong love of reading. The library media staff also support keyboarding skills with students K-6.
K-4 & 5-6 Social Skills
The K-4 Social Skills program is Quaver SEL. "QuaverSEL is an interactive online social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. Quaver uses music, movement, and highly engaging visual presentations to connect with students and teach SEL skills. " For more information, click on this link.
The 5-6 Social Skills is Second Step. "The Second Step Elementary digital program is a universal, Tier 1 social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that’s web-based, provides the structure to allow for consistent delivery, and easily scales across schools and districts. Its digital format enables continuous improvement based on up-to-date research and feedback, and a variety of media, activities, and interactive components provide opportunities for culturally relevant teaching." For more information, click on this link.
The 7-12 Social Skills program is Habitudes. Growing Leaders offers events, tools, and comprehensive programs that promote healthy character and leadership development in the next generation. We also offer a variety of resources for the parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors who shape their lives. For more information, click on this link.
Career & College Awareness Grades 9-12
Students in grades nine through twelve are scheduled in a Career and College Readiness (CCR) class. Students learn social skills ranging from college and test prep (time management, how to read questions, interrupting charts and organizing written responses), soft skills and interviewing (physical appearance, body language, applying for jobs, self-efficacy, communication and listening skills), organizing and social interactions (cyber safety/ digital citizenship, prioritizing tasks, conflict resolution and study skills), and future planning and goal setting (budget, career opportunities, long and short term goals, financial planning). Schools have resources to support students. For additional information click on the following school links: Black Butte High School, Farson-Eden High School, Rock Springs High School.
English Learners Resources
English Language Learners use Imagine Learning for English acquisition. "Imagine Learning advances proficiency for all English learners in grades K-8, whether they’re newcomers or long-term ELs. With adaptive instruction and strategic scaffolding intentionally designed for ELs, Imagine Learning amplifies student confidence not only for English language development, but for reading complex, grade-level texts and participating in classroom discourse. Designed to supplement core literacy instruction, it addresses all four domains of literacy—reading, writing, listening, and speaking." For more information, please click here.
After following the Sweetwater#1 policy for adopting resources, the board of trustees has voted unanimously to move forward with adoption the Beyond Textbooks as a resource. Teachers will be using this resource along with Reading Horizons, and any other resource that promotes student growth and achievement. Beyond Textbooks is a resource which provides multiple up-to-date standards based resources including English Language Learner, intervention, enrichment, common formative assessments and daily review components. The teachers have consistent pacing guides driven by state assessment data to ensure standards are taught prior to state testing. This resource provides common data points so teacher PLC groups can collaboration and identify next steps for students who have different learning needs.
Using Imagine Learning along with Beyond Textbooks will support EL acquisition by scaffolding support for individuals and allowing differentiation with the multitude and a variety of resources.