Integrated Curriculum Definition

As we look to educate the students who will become our next leaders, doers, and
thinkers, we have to recognize that we live in a globally integrated world with fast-
advancing technology and knowledge that can come from anywhere. There isn’t a
single way to integrate subjects, as it depends on the teachers, learners, and
environment. So how do you define "integrated curriculum?" There are some common
features:

 The same skills are taught across different subject areas.

 Activities have a low floor and high ceiling, providing for a range of interests and
abilities.
 Experiences are designed to facilitate connections across the curriculum.
 Learning is thought of as a meaningful whole, with critical and creative thinking
given closer attention than isolated skills.

This can be implemented at a more surface level with intradisciplinary integration from
two closely related subjects within the same broad discipline, for example, exploring
properties of proteins in both chemistry and biology. A deeper approach would be to
incorporate big ideas such as creativity or citizenship across different classes. One
could also implement a fully transdisciplinary curriculum, which starts with real-world
projects, for example improving local pollution or starting a business, and guides
student exploration based on personal interests.