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Integrated Curriculum:

A Cross-Curricular Approach for the Classroom

Katie Burke

Franciscan University of Steubenville

EDU 360
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Integrated Curriculum: A Cross-Curricular Approach for the Classroom

For an educator, it can be difficult to create meaningful learning experiences and lessons

that engage the students due to the number of standards that must be covered. Often times,

educators create an easy lesson or skip other lessons to ensure that the students have enough

knowledge to perform well on state assessments. It can also be difficult to simply engage

students, especially middle schoolers, due to the lack of excitement when school is mentioned.

One approach that teachers can consider is an integrated curriculum. Integrated curriculums are a

way to provide students with knowledge, skills, and meaningful learning experiences in and

outside of the classroom (Chen, Cone, & Cone, 2011). Educators should take an integrated

curriculum into consideration when working towards increasing engagement and success in the

classroom.

Definition and Structure of Integrated Curriculums

While there are multiple ways to implement an integrated curriculum, the overall idea is

the same across the board. An integrated curriculum is a student-centered curriculum that focuses

on student needs and interests, adult concerns, and curriculum standards (George & Alexander,

2003). With the needs and interests of students in mind, integrated curriculums are the perfect

way to engage students and teach a lesson that is meaningful. Students are often part of the

planning process which further develops their engagement and excitement for the integrated

curriculum lessons (George & Alexander, 2003). It is also important that the standards are

incorporated because then students will continue to learn the standards needed while learning

something that interests them. Adult concerns are also important because then the concerns of

the parents are taken into careful consideration when planning an intergraded curriculum. With

all of these aspects, integrated curriculums include everyone’s needs, wants, and concerns. This
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type of curriculum is especially helpful for middle school students due to their desire to be

challenged and the need for their integrative and relevant lessons. An integrated curriculum gives

middle schoolers the opportunity to be challenged through the creative and inquiry needed to

work through the variety of lessons incorporated in an integrated unit.

Integrated curriculums are an effective way for teachers to make lessons more

meaningful. Although integrated curriculums are beneficial, it is crucial that integrated

curriculums are developed and structured well. Chen, et. al (2011) suggest ensuring there is

cooperative learning in integrated curriculums, providing quality instruction, and making

connections within the curriculum. These aspects provide students with the opportunity to

connect the variety of lessons with their prior knowledge, receive quality instruction that is

focused on their success and allows students to work with one another and learn from each other.

These aspects should be added to the integrated curriculums to ensure the success and

engagement of all students.

Malik and Malik (2011) suggest 12 tips to a successful integrated curriculum. The 12 tips

include: (1) Training for teachers, (2) decide the scope and extent of integration, (3) decide on

the appropriate level of integration, (4) Using both vertical and horizontal integration, (5)

choosing fair groups and responsibilities, (6) determine learning goals, (7) identify the different

skills and knowledge needed, (8) decide on the different themes, (9) create a reasonable timeline,

(10) chose different forms of assessment, (11) continuously communicate with everyone

involved, and (12) revise and re-evaluate the integrated curriculum. With these tips in mind,

students can experience a “reconstruction of experience” which leads to significant learning

through the integrated curriculum (George & Alexander, 2003).

Benefits of Integrated Curriculums

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Integrated curriculums are both beneficial for student achievement and are an evidence-

based practice that ensures the success of middle school students. Integrated curriculums make

students active learners who become independent in their decisions about what they want to learn

(Wall & Leckie, 2017). Students have the ability to take control of their own learning due to the

challenges and independence embedded into integrated curriculums. Not only do the students

benefit from integrated curriculums but also teachers. It is found that teachers feel empowered

and renewed due to the challenge of planning and implementing new skills and concepts used to

create new and engaging lessons (George & Alexander, 2003). Integrated curriculums challenge

students in ways that push them to be successful learners. These types of curriculum can often

result in skeptic students; however, once the students understand the process, they respond with

excitement and engagement (Wall & Leckie, 2017).

Negative Aspects of Integrated Curriculums

Although there are multiple benefits to utilizing integrated curriculums, there are a few

drawbacks that can arise. Teachers could feel uncomfortable incorporating content areas in

which they do not teach (George & Alexander, 2003). For example, an English teacher may feel

uncomfortable implementing a subject that is unfamiliar to them such as mathematics. Teachers

can often find difficulty in implementing the complex aspects of middle school into their

curriculums such as academic needs and developmental stage (Wall & Leckie, 2017). While

there are negative aspects to integrated curriculums, these concerns can be resolved through the

careful planning of integrated curriculums to best benefit the students.

Conclusion

Integrated curriculums open up new windows of opportunity for students to grow as

learners and provide an effective way for students to experience lessons that are relevant to them.
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Teachers should consider an implementing integrated curriculum to challenge students in new

ways that encourage them and push them towards learning new skills and abilities through the

variety of lessons incorporated into integrated curriculums. With integrated curriculums, students

can dive deeper into learning and truly experience through innovative and creative lessons that

are focused on their benefit and needs.

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Bibliography

Chen, W., Cone, T. P., Cone, S. L. (2011). Students’ voices and learning experiences in an

integrated unit. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 16(1), 49-65.

George, P. S., Alexander, W. M. (2003). The exemplary middle school. Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Malik, A. S., Malik, R. H. (2011). Twelve tips for developing an integrated curriculum. Medical

Teacher, 33(2), 99-104.

Wall, A., Leckie, A. (2017). Curriculum integration: An overview. Current Issues in Middle

Level Education, 22(1), 36-40.

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Dear Parents/Guardians,
Spring has sprung and the end of the school year is just around the corner. I hope you are
enjoying the beautiful weather and the sunshine that we have all missed. I have many exciting
opportunities planned for your student within the upcoming months and I am excited to share
them with you. For the last few months of the school year, our 6th-grade class will have the
opportunity to participate in one of the four, twelve-day mini-workshops. Within each of these
workshops, students will have the opportunity to work closely with adults who have full-time
careers in 4 separate occupations. The mini-workshops will include:

Farming Frenzy! Students will have the opportunity to experience life science face-to-
face. Students will go to a nearby farm to learn more about agriculture and how that relates to
production and trading. Students will also complete a project that involves planting any type of
plant (i.e. flower, herb, vegetable) and recording daily observations of their plant.

Marketing Madness! Students will have the opportunity to visit a local business
corporation to learn more about marketing in their area. Students will learn the basics of supply
and demand and relate it to the current standards being taught in their math class. They will then
apply their new knowledge and create a business of their own.

Judicious Journalism! Students will be able to work with a newspaper editor and learn
about how they critique, review, and create the newspapers in their area. Students will have the
opportunity to learn about how an author’s word choice, voice, tone, and perspective can change
the overall meaning of the article or newspaper. They will each write their own article and as a
class, create their own newspaper to give to the school.

Noteworthy Nutritionist! Students will be able to visit a local hospital to learn from a
nurse about nutrition and the effects of health and unhealthy foods on the body. They will then
have the opportunity to create a diagram or other visual representation pf how healthy/unhealthy
food affects our bodies.

I am ecstatic to learn with your student throughout these mini-workshops. Monday I will
dive deeper into the mechanics of these workshops and send a take-home sheet with your
student. The sheet will include an overview of each mini-workshop, a place for you and your
child to choose which mini-workshop he or she wishes to participate in, and a permission form
for the field trip that would occur with the chosen mini-workshop. Once again, I look forward to
starting each of these mini-workshops with your student. If you have any questions or concerns,
please feel free to email me or call me to set up a conference.

Sincerely,
Ms. Katie Burke
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6th Grade Cross-Curricular Mini Workshop

Workshop Standard Evidence of Formative Summative

Understanding Assessment Assessment
Farming Social Studies-Scarcity: In this mini-workshop, Students will At the end of
Frenzy! -The fundamental questions of students will have the keep a journal of the end of the
economics include what to opportunity to experience their plant which workshop,
produce, how to produce and
life science face-to-face. includes what students will
for whom to produce.
-When regions and/or Students will go to a type of plant they present their
countries specialize, global nearby farm to learn more planted, a daily journals and
trade occurs. about agriculture and how recording of the what they
that relates to production progress of the observed each
Science-Life Science: and trading. Students will plant, and how day. Their
6.LS.1: Cells are the also complete a project the plant cells presentation
fundamental unit of life.
that involves planting any work when the must include
6.LS.3: Cells carry on specific
type of plant (i.e. flower, plant is growing. both their
functions that sustain life.
herb, vegetable) and The students will observations
recording daily turn in their and their
observations of their plant. journals weekly knowledge of
To demonstrate learning, to check their how the plant
students will keep a understanding of cells impact the
journal recording the life plant cells and successful
of the plant and discuss plant life. growth of their
how the plant cells work plant.
to keep the plant alive.
Marketing Social Studies-Markets: For this mini-workshop, After speaking At the
Madness! The interaction of supply and students will have the with the conclusion of
demand, influenced by opportunity to visit a local marketing the mini-
competition, helps to
business corporation to representative, the workshop,
determine price in a market.
This interaction also learn more about students will students will
determines the quantities of marketing in their area. complete a small pitch their idea
outputs produced and the Students will learn the sample sheet that to the class and
quantities of inputs (human basics of supply and demonstrates the marketing
resources, natural resources demand and relate it to the their representative.
and capital) used. current standards being brainstorming for Students will
taught in their math class. their business also present
Mathematics- Statistics and
Probability Students will then pitch idea as well their thought
6.SP.1 Develop statistical participate in a project as their careful process and the
reasoning by using the GAISE where they create their consideration for supply and
model. own business, consider the their consumers. demand of their
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6.SP.2 Understand that a set ofneeds of the consumers in Students will also idea throughout
data collected to answer a their area, incorporate include their this mini-
statistical question has a supply and demand, and considerations for workshop.
distribution which can be pitch their business to the the supply and
described by its center, spread,
class and the marketing demand of their
and overall shape. representative who pitch.
presented to them.
Judicious ELA- Key Ideas and For this mini-workshop, Students will turnAt the end of
Journalist! Details/Craft and Structure students will be able to in a draft of the the mini-
RL.6.2 Analyze literary text work with a newspaper article which workshop,
development.
editor and learn about how includes their students will
RL.6.4 Determine the
meaning of words and phrases they critique, review, and topic, what kind turn in their
as they are used in a text, create the newspapers in of article they article and then
including figurative and their area. Students will will be writing, if
include their
connotative meanings; analyze have the opportunity to they have any article in the
the impact of specific word learn about how an people they want class paper.
choices, including sensory author’s word choice, to interview, and Each student
language, on meaning and
voice, tone, and how he or she will have the
tone.
RL.6.6 Explain how an author perspective can change will incorporate chance to
uses the point of view to the overall meaning of the tone, voice, and participate in
develop the perspective of the article or newspaper. To perspective to the creation of
narrator or speaker in a text. demonstrate their enhance the their newspaper
understanding, students informative or and the layout
Social Studies- Civil will be able to write their persuasive nature of their
Participation and Skills:
own article and of their article. newspaper.
Different perspectives on a
collectively create a Students will
topic can be obtained from a
newspaper for our class. then hand in
variety of historic and
The students will present their newspaper
contemporary sources.
their newspaper to the to the editor
Sources can be examined for
editor they learned from they visited to
accuracy.
and pass out their receive
newspaper to the rest of feedback on
the school. their layout,
ideas, and
presentation.
Noteworthy Health Education-Nutrition: During this mini- Students will At the
Nutritionist! The nutritive value of foods, workshop, students will be participate in conclusion of
including natural and able to visit a local group discussions the mini-
organically produced foods,
hospital to learn from a about what they workshop,
the relation of nutrition to
nurse about nutrition and have learned from students will
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health, and the use and effects the effects of health and the nurse. present their
of food additives; unhealthy foods on the Students will diagrams of
body. Students will have discuss their how healthy or
Science-Life Science:
to demonstrate their experiences, their unhealthy food
6.LS.3: Cells carry on specific
functions that sustain life. understanding by creating observations of affects the cells
6.LS.4: Living systems at all a visual representation of when they eat and the body.
levels of organization either the effects of healthily or Students will
demonstrate the healthy food or unhealthy unhealthily, their have the
complementary nature of food. Students can simply predictions, and opportunity to
structure and function. draw out a picture of the ask any questions. showcase the
The level of organization
body to represent the This provides the knowledge they
within organisms
effects. Students will also perfect learned from
includes cells, tissues,
have to incorporate how opportunity for the nurse and
organs, organ systems
healthy/unhealthy foods students to apply it to what
and whole organisms.
affect our cells and our collaborate and they have been
body systems. learn from each learning in
other. class.