Integrated Curriculum: An approach to curricular organization in which the lines separating subject matter areas from one another are erased, and distinct and discrete subject matter areas disappear.

Do Integrate:

Don't Integrate

 
 


 
 

http://www.aischool.org/gt041798/curric.htm

* Middle School Curriculum

To Integrate or Not?

Ben Hebebrand
As our 6th and 7th Grade students are in the midst of being immersed in this semester’s big interdisciplinary unit on the theme of "Inventions" (see accompanying article), it may serve us well to take a closer look at an interdisciplinary or integrated curriculum.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Example of an Integrated Unit:

Thematic Unit Concept Map: Connecting America- The Transcontinental Railroad

Language Arts

-Literature cirlces:

The Stolen Train R. Ashley (1.4)

Orphan Train: A Family Apart Movement of people J. Nixon (1.5)

Dragon’s Gate L. Yep (1.6) .

-Investigative Reports

(possible topics): Role of the Railroad in the Civil War, History of the Steam Engine, African-American Railroad Inventors, Railroads and Corruption, Native Americans Paid for the Railroads, Connecting the Continent, Changing the Economy, Railroads and Immigration

-Jounal Writing:

Writing from Another's Perspective (possible ideas): Immigrant (Chinese, Irish), Inventor, Native American, African American, Railroad Owner,

-Argument/Editorial Writing (Possible topics):Railroad and the Buffalo, Ecological News, Engineer/Trestle Accident, Native American/Protecting Hunting Lands

Social Studies:

-Economic Impact: Transfer of goods, Movement of People-a. immigration b. Native Americans,

-Social/Ethical Impact: Destruction of Labor Force of Native cultures-a. Chinese b. African American c. Irish

-Political Impact: East/West, Unification of People

-Immigration: Orphans, Work Force, Discriminaiton

Math

-Measurement: Distance covered per railroad, Cost per mile

-Economics: Cost Comparisons among years

Music

-Railroad

-Folk

-Life

Science

-New Technology: Construction of efficient engines

-Engineering: Bridges, Tunnels, Snow Sheds

*Dr. Janet Bloodgood 2/99


 
 

2/99 Interview with Karl F. Schaefer:

Mr. Schaefer is the current Technology Specialist and former Earth Science Educator at Culbreth Middle School, in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school district of North Carolina. He is also a state –wide trainer and lesson plan editor of LEARN North Carolina (Learners Educators Administrators, Resource Network) of north carolina at the University of North Caroina School of Education.
 
 

  • "I first decide what I want my students to learn from a lesson. I call these the outcomes of my lesson. I ask myself what I want my students to know when they are done with the activity and lesson. Next I look at the standard course of study on the NCDPI website to see what objectives I will be meeting. Next I go to the school or state adopted textbook for advice on how to present the subject matter."
    •
  • "Definetly, it is just impossible to teach everything you want when you are the teacher, but there are guidelines that teachers must follow if they want to keep their jobs!"
    •
  • "I think portfolios are a perfect way for students to demonstrate their knowledge. Obviously, a rubric would have to be made for guidelines. This works well with students when they design their own rubric."
    •
  • "Integrating curriculum is fundamental to a good teacher. Integrating curriculum each day is the only way to go- it makes the subject real. I feel it isn’t done enough in classrooms."
    •
    Lesson plan links:

    http://dir.yahoo.com/Education/K_12/Teaching/Lesson_Plans/

    http://faldo.atmos.uiuc.edu/CLA/

    http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/

    http://www.col-ed.org/cur/

    http://www.lessonplanspage.com/

    http://www.learnnc.org/

    http://search.excite.com/search.gw?channelColor=ffffcc&ss=channel&search=curriculum

    http://search.excite.com/search.gw?search=classroom&tsug=-1&csug=-1&collection=web&ss=channel&svcorigin=switch

    http://search.excite.com/search.gw?search=lesson+plans&tsug=-1&csug=-1&collection=web&ss=channel&svcorigin=switch

    http://www.excite.com/education/k_12/teacher_resources/

    http://www.excite.com/education/k_12/teacher_resources/curriculum_materials/

    http://www.excite.com/education/k_12/teacher_resources/standards_and_testing/

    http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/Curriculum/CrrclmMtrx.html

    http://www.teacher2teacher.com/ores.html

    http://www.lessonstop.org/

    National Science Teachers Association: http://www.nsta.org/

    Learning with the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/

    Unit Plans for Teachers:http://www.alaska.net/~cccandc/free.htm

    Environmental Lesson Plans: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/compostfacility/les.htm