Integrated Curriculum

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Integrated Curriculum

• Themes. Projects, Webs and Inquiry

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Development of Intelligence

• A matter of having wonderful ideas and feeling
  confident enough to try them out.
• Eleanor Duckworth

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Characteristics of an Integrated Classroom

• Encourage active learning
• Encourage engaged learning
• Open ended discussion
• Multiple modes of inquiry

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Brain Research

• Tells us that the mind is designed to perceive
  patterns and relationships and works BEST when
  learning takes place in the context of meaningful
  activities,. Integrated curricula approaches
  encourage children to bring all intelligences and
  experiences to the learning activity.

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Teachers Role

• Coach
• Facilitator
• Partner in inquiry
• Suggesting and providing resources and strategies

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Subjects

• Are taught within one another
• Well grounded in Child Development
• Within the sequence of skills in each area

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What is learning like?

• Train racing down the railroad track?
• OR
• Freeway with on and off ramps, detours, and
  alternate ways to reach the same destination?

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Inquiry/Project Approach

• Like traditional thematic approaches, provide
  opportunities to learn about specific themes,
• Goal is productive unpredictability (creative
  thinking) Not only will the core curriculum areas
  be covered, but others also get to the heart of
  the subject.

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Goal of Inquiry/ Project Approach

• You don't want to cover a subject, you want to
  uncover the subject.

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Curriculum becomes

• Negotiation of balance between three sources of
  input
• Children's interest
• Teachers interest
• Required unit/curriculum

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Potential of the Inquiry/Project Approach

• Joint search for understanding
• Facilitate sharing in a way that is naturally
  respectful of the children's ideas

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Projects need to

• Be relevant to the lives of the children outside
  the classroom
• Draw on children's knowledge, interest and
  experience

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Web/Concept Map

• Physical representation of the concepts and
  relationships that exist.
• Helps extend the theme.
• Overview of resources and activities that can aid
  in the investigation.

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Brainstorming

• Important element
• Establish rules so everyone can participate
• Make a web about what is known and what resources
  and activities that can aid in the investigation.

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Product

• Usually some kind of a product is made
• Room decorated in some way and the children play
  in it for a while
• Books
• Play
• Possibilities endless

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Learning Centers

• Thematic curriculum provides the natural support
  for the integrated curriculum
• Provide concrete experiences for the children.

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Brain Research

• Again tells us that learning is more meaningful
  and more likely to be retained which children
  connect, not only aurally but emotional, and
  physical with the materials.

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Challenges

• Sharing a classroom (cant keep this up in the
  classroom)Need to select on children's interest.