S'More From the AP
Week Ending November 20, 2015
Connecting the Learning - By Mrs. Weaver
Everyone Loves History… Right? Well, maybe not everyone. Often times learning about the past can include learning too many facts to count, dates that are hard to keep straight, or a never ending list of new vocabulary.
When I look at history, I see a story waiting to unfold. Often the historic tales hold an era of mystery, intrigue, or a blatant wrong done to others that lead to yet another conflict or battle. When looking at it like this it can pull in even the most reluctant kids. I have made an effort to travel to many of the places we talk about in our curriculum. Picking up literature, maps, or other small trinkets that I think may help bring meaning and help make connections with our studies. My hope is that my passion for the history will in someway increase their interest as well.
In the fourth grade we learn about the great state of Texas, and the adventures that await are plentiful! One of the units of studies in our curriculum is the different Native American groups that roamed the open lands of Texas prior to European Exploration. As a team we have worked together to create a unit that allows the students to merge a number of skills into creating an informative brochure about a Native American group from one of the regions of Texas. Students are working to research from a variety of sources (internet, textbooks, and trade books). They are asked to find information about their way of life (food, shelter, customs/traditions, and more). Next, we ask them to use many of the nonfiction text features that are found in expository writing (and have been covered in our literature groups) to help create a meaningful piece of literature that helps the reader learn about their specific topic.
Our students have become excited about crafting their expository writing to share with others. They have taken ownership of the learning, and are eager to share their knowledge with those around them. We end our unit with a gallery walk, where the authors can share their brochures and receive feedback from their peers on the product. It is a indeed a learning moment for all of us as we share our hard work with members of our classroom community. One of the greatest pleasures for our students is to be noticed for their efforts by someone other than a teacher. For them (and us) it is more than a grade or assessment piece. It is a merging and application of lessons learned and opportunities to be creative with our knowledge.
With that the students have worked across the curriculum to incorporate reading, writing, social studies, and the use of technology. Sometimes teaching in isolation is meaningful, but when a student can take the skill from isolation and marry it with other skills they have taken their learning to a deeper level.
The Principal Ponders
When I was teaching, I used to love it when a topic or theme overlapped, linked, or just seamlessly connected with other subject areas. Sometimes it was intentional, but many times it wasn’t and it “just happened.” These situations presented some of the most powerful learning opportunities for students.
So what is it about cross-curricular instruction that makes it so beneficial for students? Research shows that not only is cross-curricular instruction more enjoyable for students, it also offers a range of other advantages and benefits for both students and teachers, such as the following:
Ø Investigate and acquire relevant knowledge at a deeper level – Cross-curricular instruction does not require the day to be sectioned into individual subjects. Instead, students can spend a longer block of time exploring topics, which they come to see as being interrelated and connected.
Ø Integrate and enrich the language processes of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking – deeper exploration of a topic encourages the practice of all the language arts. Through this exploration, students learn strategies and skills in relevant situations.
Ø Use prior knowledge and past experiences to create relationships among various sources of information - Students build upon their foundational knowledge and make the connection between what they know and what they are learning.
Ø Apply what they learn in meaningful and "real world" contexts - As students investigate topics in a multitude of ways and through a variety of sources, they learn to relate what they are learning to real-life experiences. Activities for home exploration help students link school learning with their lives at home, with the purpose of helping students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Ø Participate and learn, regardless of ability, level of language development, or background - One of the most important benefits of cross- curricular instruction is that it is both flexible and adjustable. Lessons are planned, based on students' needs and interests. This flexibility is vital to cross-curricular instruction.
Cross-curricular instruction provides students opportunities to consider problems and situations that mirror the world as they know it. For teachers and students alike, investigation and discovery become a vital component; the teacher is no longer the sole distributor of knowledge. Student learning is interconnected and information is related. The 4th grade Native American unit is a perfect example of the “marrying of skills,” as Mrs. Weaver so eloquently stated. What “weddings” have you conducted in your classroom? Please share your connections in the comments!
Reference: Cross-Curricular Thematic Instruction