Integrating Curriculum
How To Integrate Curriculum
Planning
for Curriculum Integration Heidi Hayes Jacobs Excerpted from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's
Educational Leadership, October 1991
Heidi Hayes Jacobs is a leading voice in curriculum integration, and
this article emphasizes the necessity to take things slowly so that
curriculum integration becomes a lasting, strong, staple part of the
school culture. Her four-phased integration plan outlines the time frame,
tasks, and goals of the process in an uncomplicated, informed manner.
Although Jacobs discusses integration at the district level, small schools
have the opportunity to condense the 4-year timeline because of their
ability to devote more time to planning and less time to developing
proposals for district approval, resulting in quicker implementation.
Integrated
Units: A Planning Guide for Teachers High Tech High
San Diego, California High Tech High'sIntegrated Units: A Planning Guide for Teachers is a step-by-step
guide to defining, planning, and carrying out an integrated unit. With
plenty of examples, such as the project The Environment: Love it or
lose it, the process of integrating is demystified and can be seen as
a doable, enjoyable teaching and learning opportunity.
Planning Integrated Curriculum: The Call to Adventure Susan M. Drake
Susan Drake has aided in demystifying the integrating process in her
book, Planning Integrated Curriculum (1993). This is a sample
of her material that focuses on the development and planning of an integrated
school system. She has also written Creating Integrated Curriculum:
Proven Ways to Increase Student Learning (1998), available through
Corwin Press.
Developing
Curriculum Across the Disciplines Staff of the Eisenhower Southwest Consortium for the Improvement
of Mathematics and Science Teaching
When taking the first steps toward developing an integrated curriculum
it can be a challenge to visualize not only what the curriculum might
look like for students, but also what the planning process might look
like for teachers. The story of Evelyn Madison and Diane Rainey takes
us step-by-step through the planning stages to illustrate how teachers
can take a curriculum idea and shape it into a rich learning experience.
Planning
Worksheet for Curriculum Integration Adapted from New Visions for Public Schools, Center for School Success
Integrating curriculum involves much more than just developing curriculum
in new ways. It requires deliberate planning of whole-school practice
that aligns with the design, mission, and culture of the school. This
worksheet is one way a staff can begin to look at the "whole picture"
of curriculum integration and envision a future for integrated curriculum
that meets their needs, while fulfilling "Promising Practice"
requirements. The
Center for School Success website also offers several excellent
examples of integrated units.
Recommended
Readings
The following books are recommended for further reading about integrating
curriculum.
