Preparing a Pacing Calendar

Steps in Creating a Pacing Calendar

1. Determine the approximate amount of time needed to implement each unit of study.
   1. Based on the complexity of content, how long should this unit be?
   2. Do we know from experience how long this unit typically takes to implement?
   3. About how long will it likely take educators to teach and assess the assigned Priority Standards and the supporting standards?
   4. About how much time will the majority of students need to learn from these particular standards?
   5. Are the Priority Standards in this unit also assigned to other units?
2. Decide approximate number of weeks allocated to deliver it.
3. Discuss the order in which Priority Standards are sequenced within a continuum.
4. Discuss which units need to be delivered prior to the state assessments
5. Evaluating the units of study for a particular grade level and course, create a first-draft sequence of those units leading up to the state assessments.
6. Extend the pacing calendar after the state assessments to the end of the school year to ensure students are prepared for the next grade or course.
7. Schedule buffer weeks between the units of study.
8. Do the math to make sure all of the units of study and buffer weeks fit within the total number of available instructional weeks.
9. Look for the learning progressions of units between grades and courses. Make adjustments as needed.

Example