One thing that is a huge life and time saver is a Scope and Sequence. I’ve started using them years ago. Back when I was a classroom teacher. Even today as a Library Media Specialist, I still find them invaluable.
A Scope and Sequence is an outline of what will be taught throughout the school year. It’s a guide. A living document that allows for adjustments. This way student needs are met. And there’s flexibility when school wide events occur.
They can be designed for one grade level or one content area.
For example, some create a Scope and Sequence for coding and what it will look like during a school year across the different grade levels they service. This is a great way to think about how to scaffold skills.
Another way to write a Scope and Sequence is to choose a grade level and plan out the scope of what they’ll learn over the school year. This is a great way to think about what that particular grade will learn. It’s also a way to build upon your strengths or focus on an age range that historically struggles.
Then there are times where it makes sense to build a Scope and Sequence that focuses on both. What every grade will learn throughout the year in different content areas. This clearly defines the content that will be taught, and shows a progression of skills acquisition.
A Scope and Sequence is a great tool. It guides the teaching and learning that will happen over the course of a school year.
When you’re not sure what to teach, the Scope and Sequence is there to guide you. There will be essential questions for students to answer and outcomes for students to work towards.
When you want to ensure that students learn skills over time, a Scope and Sequence keeps you organized. It will state what to teach, and at what time of the year.
Yet at the same time it embeds flexibility. The timeline isn’t a strict guide, but more of a suggestion. One year it may make sense to teach students how to create videos in the fall because they’ll have a classroom video project in the winter. This will prepare them to do that work well. Whereas other times, it makes sense to move that project to another month in the year that will better meet classroom project needs.
A Scope and Sequence will also help differentiate and provide student choice. Activities that guide students through the essential questions will meet the needs of different learners, or let children choose how they’ll accomplish a learning outcome.
A Scope and Sequence does take time to create. If possible, working with colleagues makes this task lighter. Whether working alone or with a thought partner, use these helpful tips:
If you’re not sure where to start, checkout the Scope & Sequence that I use in my own Library!
