Interdisciplinary Unit Planning

1
Interdisciplinary Unit Planning

• Dr. Mark Warner
• Teacher Development
• Augusta State University

2
The Grocery Store
Topic/Skill Subject/Discipline Kiwi
Fruit _______________ Comparing
Prices _______________ Low Fat
Content _______________ Ingredients _________
______ Music _______________ Displays _____
__________ Magazine _______________ Estimating
Total Cost _______________ Paper vs.
Plastic _______________
3
What is the relationship between the way we are
taught in school and the way we function outside
of school?

• In school we are usually taught in an isolated,
  fragmented approach that is often not relevant to
  our lives.
• Outside of school we make decisions, solve
  problems, and deal with issues that concern us in
  a more holistic manner.
• Outside of school our time is not divided into
  discipline-based blocks that have little in
  common with each other.

4
Why Interdisciplinary Units?
If we move away from the subject centered
approach to curriculum organization, will the
disciplines of knowledge be abandoned or lost in
the shuffle? As teachers facilitate
interdisciplinary units within a curriculum
framework, two things happen (1) children are
encouraged to integrate learning experiences into
their schemes of meaning to deepen their
understanding of themselves and their world (2)
children are engaged in seeking, acquiring, and
using knowledge in the context of problems,
interests, issues, and concerns at hand.
5
(No Transcript)
6
What is an Interdisciplinary Unit?

• Organize concepts and skills into meaningful
  structures for teaching and learning
• Connecting tools that facilitate student
  learning, communication, experience, and
  understanding
• Extend learning time and provide opportunities
  for real life applications
• Combine procedural and declarative knowledge to
  create meaningful, authentic activities and
  develop student thinking and problem solving
  skills

7
How do they work?

• Units are thematic
• Tie concepts and skills together around larger,
  central themes
• Themes provide learners with connections and
  relationships which give meaning to the concepts
  and skills being taught

8
Selecting a Theme

• Dont confuse themes with topics
• Topics, such as chocolate, do not invite genuine
  inquiry
• Themes are broader and involve real problems and
  tasks. For example
• Making Choices
• Facing Adversity
• Coming of Age

9
Identifying Essential Questions

• What are the questions that will guide the
  inquiry and frame the learning for the unit?
• Questions identify issues
• Example question How is pollution affecting the
  quality of our lives?
• Example issues personal responsibility, the
  economy, legislation
• Issues generate more questions What is the
  individuals responsibility for a societys well
  being?

10
Identifying Standards

• Standards guide the learning and keep you on
  track
• Standards and issues keep the learning focused
  and purposeful
• Caveat---Dont force a theme into a content area
  and create meaningless activities that only
  superficially address the content standards and
  the concepts in your curriculum.

11
Designing Culminating Activities

• Design performance based projects that students
  will complete at units end
• Define these early to help design daily tasks
  that will flow into culminating ones.
• Develop rubrics for tasks

12
Creating Assignments and Assessments

• Design tasks that include student choices
• Use a variety of assessments that evaluate both
  the process and products of learning
• Create opportunities for students to evaluate
  their own work and the work of their peers.

13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
NCSS Ten Thematic Strands

• Culture
• Time, Continuity, and Change
• People, Places, and Environments
• Individual Development and Identity
• Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
• Power, Governance, and Authority
• Production, Distribution, and Consumption
• Science, Technology, and Society
• Global Connections
• Civic Ideals and Practices

19
(No Transcript)