Meaningful Integration in Social Studies Work on K-W on how to integrate other subject areas and technology

Today’s Agenda Book Commercials Pedagogy Wrap Up –The Mock Trial What is being taught in this activity? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this activity? How might one modify it for various levels of learners? Meaningful Integration Lesson Plan ‘Workshop’

Positive Features of Integration Enhancing meaningfulness of what is taught Save teacher’s time Teach knowledge and skills simultaneously Restore an emphasis on social studies in climate of standardized tests

Accountability On the knowledge (ex. Content of a letter written to representative about legislation) On the skills (ex. Descriptive writing piece about a trip to the White House) On both (ex. In Language arts studying narratives and in Social Studies studying the American Revolution—writing biographies on key revolutionary figures)

Desirable Integration Topics that naturally draw content from more than one subject. –Ex. Maps—geography and mathematics –Ex. Needs and wants—economics and mathematics

Desirable Integration Skills learned in one subject are used to process or apply knowledge learned in another subject area. –Ex. Pretend you are a Native American on the Trail of Tears journey, write a series of diary entries describing your feelings, attitudes, and future expectations. –Ex. In a unit on the Middle East, identify biases and points of view in newspaper articles. What other sorts of skills are common across subject areas that we can integrate into Social Studies instruction?

Desirable Integration Enrichment activities that help to personalize content, make it more concrete, enhance learner curiosity, or add an affective perspective. –Ex. Using literature (Unit on wants and needs-read King Midas, Cinderella) –Ex. Integrating art or music How might technology play a role in integrating the Social Studies curriculum?

Undesirable Integration Activities that lack social education goals –Ex. ABC order of state capitals, making vocabulary words into plurals. –Ex. Write a research paper on coal. Remember that RELEVANCE is important! Projects should reflect specific goals, needs, or desires of the student population –How might a research paper on coal BE relevant?

Undesirable Integration Cost-Effectiveness Problems-more focus on other subject area goal rather than social education goal. Time! –Ex. Constructing houses from tropical regions –Ex. Create family members using paper plates –Ex. Role Play-participate in a parade to show how families celebrate –Ex. Collage and scrapbooking

Undesirable Integration Distorts Content Difficult or Impossible tasks Feasibility

For Next Time... Read Alleman and Brophy Chapter 13 and pps Concept Map Reading Strategy

Lesson Plan Workshop Exchange lesson plans with someone other than your partner Evaluate the lesson plan for evidence of MEANINGFUL Integration Comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the particular lesson Work with your colleague to improve the lesson –What suggestions would you make? How might YOU approach this particular subject matter?