Introduction to Curriculum Map from the UUA Bookstore

			Curriculum Mapping Introduction

Unitarian Universalist Association, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108

ISBN 1-55896-184-4

INTRODUCTION

Curriculum Mapping briefly describes the most effective and widely used Unitarian Universalist curricula currently available. Since new materials are published every year, this resource cannot be up to date for long. On these pages, you'll find resources published by the Unitarian Universalist Association and by other denominational sources such as individuals, congregations, districts, and affiliate organizations.

New programs are always being published by the UUA and others, and older titles are always being retired. We suggest that you save your old editions of Curriculum Mapping and the UUA Bookstore catalog in order to have descriptions of out-of-print resources that are still on your shelves and in your classrooms. Look for updates to this edition in the REACH packet and the UUA Bookstore catalog as new curricula are published.

All titles are sorted by age level, and within each age level titles are arranged alphabetically. Multi-age programs appear in a section at the end.

Curriculum Mapping Is For . . .

Any person or group responsible for educational I ' in a congregational district, programming with attion, camp, or conference, including a religious education committee; an adult programs committee; directors of religious education; ministers of religious education; parish ministers; a social responsibility committee; program committees for camps, conferences, and retreats; and students preparing for ministry or other religious leadership.

Preparation for Curriculum Mapping

Before using Curriculum Mapping, your congregation wants to identify its philosophy or group view of religious growth and learning. This is a process through which members examine and articulate their religious meaning systems, their purpose, and their religious education goals and priorities.

Long-Range Curriculum Planning in Your Congregation

Curriculum Mapping can help you develop a long- range plan using the following steps:

Make your own map to show what curricula your members have already used at each age level in the past three to five years (longer if records are available).
Evaluate the programs you have had in recent years and review your goals for continuing religious growth and learning.

Consider the following factors in your choice of programs:

What major religious education themes do you want to address?
How can you arrange your children and youth into workable groupings?
What do these groupings suggest for your curricular cycle (one-year, two-year, three-year cycles)?
What leadership can you recruit to lead the programs you would like to use?
What training is recommended and available through your local congregation, community, district, and/or summer conferences?
What is your budget for leadership training, curricular resources, and supplies?
Are your space and facilities appropriate to your program needs?

Benefits of Long-Range Curriculum Planning

You can start a coherent progression of religious growth and learning experiences that express your congregation's goals and values for religious education.
You can choose curricula that are most age-appropriate.
You can articulate the rationale for your curriculum plan to parents and others in the congregation.
You can prepare your religious education budget and anticipate space and equipment needs.
You can recruit leaders well in advance and find training opportunities for them.
The integrity and momentum of the religious education program can continue despite changes in leadership.

Judith A. Frediani and Patricia Hoertdoerfer UUA Curriculum Development Office