“The Power of Integrative Teaching”

“Using interdisciplinary instruction”

Background for Interdisciplinary Unit

Interdisciplinary Instruction:

- applying knowledge, principles, and/or values to more than one academic discipline simultaneously

- thematic unit: framework with goals/outcomes that specify what students are expected to learn

Types of Interdisciplinary Instruction:

- MULTIDISCIPLINARY: lessons or units developed across many disciplines with a common organizing topic

- CURRICULUM INTEGRATION: integration of experiences, social integration, integration of knowledge, & curriculum design

Benefits of Interdisciplinary Instruction:

- enthusiasm from students, staff, & parents

- increase attendance

- improvement in test scores

- students learn at their pace

- ends fragmentation & isolated skills instruction

- ability to cover more curriculum in less time

Teacher Benefits Participating in an interdisciplinary unit is beneficial for your new teacher evaluation forms.

It can be used in these objectives:

New Teacher Evaluations

4A4C4E4F4H5C

2B2D2E3A3B3C3D

Standard 2Standard 2b. Teachers embrace diversity in the school community and in the world.d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs.e. Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant adults in the lives of their students.

Standard 3Standard 3a. Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.c. Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/disciplines.d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students.

Standard 4Standard 4a. Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place, and they know the appropriate levels of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students.c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods.e. Teachers help students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.f. Teachers help students work in teams and develop leadership qualities.h. Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.

Standard 5Standard 5c. Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment.. 

Points to consider for Interdisciplinary Instruction:

- RTI: Response to Intervention - PBIS: Positive Behavioral Intervention Support - Planning/Collaboration - Professional Learning Communities - Technology

Concerns with Interdisciplinary Instruction:

- staying true to the original intended instruction & activities

- superficial coverage of content & discounts the value of deep subject specific knowledge.

Despite these concerns….YOU can make these units successful!

Examples of Interdisciplinary UnitsElementary School: - Memory book - Create an alphabet bookMiddle School: - “Club Day” - “Interdisciplinary Day”High School: - Combination of Units - Collaborative learningVertical Integration: - Older students teaching younger students - Younger students do basics while older students do advanced

work - “Multidisciplinary buddies” have replaced “reading buddies”

Examples

Elementary School

Vertical IntegrationHigh School – video link

Middle School

Picture book Story book

Interdisciplinary Example

The Olympics

Interdisciplinary Example

Elementary School

Language arts/Social Studies: create your own gold medalGeography/Art: Create a map of a countryLanguage arts/Social Studies: compare and contrast a

triathlon with a pentathlon using a ven diagramMath: Students measure parade route for Opening

CeremoniesArt/Current Events: Draw Olympic mascotsWriting: examine/create poems for winners of eventsPE: participate in your own eventsScience: Creating meals for athletes using food pyramid

Interdisciplinary Example

Middle School

Language arts: create a newspaper of eventsMath: area and perimeter of shapes related to eventsSocial Studies: travel brochure of countriesScience: how technology has improved athleticsHealth: fueling the Olympic bodyPE: sports of the OlympicsArt: Olympic posters/advertisementsBand/Music: Playing National AnthemsCTE: Create a new multi-event sport using technology

Interdisciplinary Example

High School

Spanish: play-by-play of eventsEnglish: research paper on various countriesHealth/CTE (Foods): actually create Olympic mealsArt: create your own Olympic logoHistory: life in ancient GreeceCTE (career mgt): planning a trip to the Olympics (costs)Mythology: Olympic/Ancient Greece cultureMath: Have times/speeds evolved in proportion with the

years?Science: How athlete bodies have evolved over the years

“Make Your Own Interdisciplinary Unit”

- Across North Carolina- American Revolution- Change in Your Community- Consumer Choices- Human Body- Start a City- Taking a Trip- The Weather

Possible Topics:

Bueller? Bueller?

Interdisciplinary Unit “Checklist”Does your unit provide quality learning?

Is it student centered?

Does it maintain the integrity of each discipline?

Does it increase depth of understanding and student achievement?

Does it align with established learning standards?

Does it provide a balance among the disciplines being studied?

Does it reach all kinds of learners?

Does it involve community resources in and out of school?

Does it encourage multiple solutions to problems?

Small Group Questions

What individual projects/lessons can your group come up with for your topic?

What additional teaching tools would you need to complete your interdisciplinary unit?

What subject/teacher had the hardest time coming up with a connection to the interdisciplinary unit?

What additional topics could you see working for your students and how could you relate it to other classes?

What about interdisciplinary units do you see as the biggest benefit to your students?

How can an interdisciplinary unit help you as a teacher?

Links

Interdisciplinary ExamplesGlogsteriTunes U (K-12)Learn NC

PowerPoint

This PowerPoint is available online through the Pender County Schools web page.

You can get there through the TECH WIKI which is at pcs-tech.pbworks.com