RUNNING HEAD: Integrated Classroom Project

Integrated Classroom Project

Emily Bedard, Anne Marie Lata, Lindsay Matthys, Madeline Eichman
Franciscan University of Steubenville

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

February 22, 2015

Richmond Approach
Interdisciplinary learning, to many people just reading those two words can send a shiver down their spine. Without proper
understanding this can seem like a foreign concept, luckily the answer to understanding is very simple. One must simply be able to integrate
the different approaches to form a hypothesis, question it, and draw a conclusion (Boix-Mansilla). Together the Pioneers approach, the
Brown Barges approach, and the Richmond approach make up the concept interdisciplinary learning. Although, there are three approaches,
the purpose of this assignment is to shed some light on the Richmond approach and how it benefits the concept of interdisciplinary learning.
It is a common practice for teachers to find creative ways in order to engage their students on a deeper level. This practice is a form
of interdisciplinary learning. In some traditional style courses students usually sit and listen to the teacher lecture while they vigorously write
down every last fact. The Richmond approach is designed to take major events, either in history or happening currently, that are in the
interest level of the students. This is referred too as Real Life Scenario Thematics (George and Alexander 102).
The teachers mission is to somehow form a more engaging lesson on Real Life Scenario Thematics using techniques that are not as
common in a traditional classroom. For instance, field trips, guest speakers, and experiments.
The Richmond approach is also used as a tool to broaden the curriculum. Instead of teachers introducing a new unit each month, they
introduce a new unit at the beginning of each semester. With a whole semester dedicated to one unit, it is easier for teachers to cover more
subjects based on that unit. For example, the United States of America, the teacher could teach about miles, meters, kilometers, and such in
regards to math. They could use the state names as spelling words and they could learn about the wars in history class, and they could

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

develop writing skills by doing a research paper on a president.

The Richmond approach is about picking a broad unit and exploring it in a new and exciting way in each subject. It lets students
engage because topics are chosen based on their interests but are still challenging enough to force students to expand their horizons and ask
questions about the vast and magnificent world around us.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Works Cited
Boix-Mansilla, Veronica. "What Is Interdisciplinary Learning." What Is Interdisciplinary Learning. Harvard, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
George, Paul S., and William M. Alexander. The Exemplary Middle School. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2003. Print.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

5
Semester 1: Under the sea!
Mathematics!

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Week1
Day 1

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.1
Math: Ratios
Understand the concept of a ratio and use
ratio language to describe a ratio relationship
between two quantities.

Week 1
Day 2

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.5
Math: positive
Understand that positive and negative
and negative
numbers are used together to describe
numbers
quantities having opposite directions or
values (e.g., temperature above/below zero,
elevation above/below sea level,
credits/debits, positive/negative electric
charge); use positive and negative numbers to
represent quantities in real-world contexts,
explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation.

Activities

Assessment:
formative
The teacher will
Teachers will
display images of
assess how
underwater sea
students respond
creatures. From these with in class
pictures, the teacher participation of
will identify two
finding the ratio of
species for the
the species within
students to focus on. the photos
The students will use displayed in class.
ratio language to
identify the number
relationship between
those species. This
mini lesson would be
exposure to the use of
ratio language for
more difficult future
problems including
Pictures on a smart
Teacher will assess
board will be
how students
presented to students interact with the
which will display
smartboard image.
above and below sea
level. Each level will
be labeled numeral
degrees. The smart
board will allow a
little man that can

Assessment:
Summative
Teachers will assess
students final work of
using images they
find themselves to
represent figures
within the pictures
with both number
form of presenting
the ratio along with
the written out ratio
form.

Teacher will assess

homework given to
students using the
above/below sea level
to display their
understanding of the
value of positive and
negative numbers.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Week 1
Day 3

6.G.A.2 Solve real-world and mathematical

problems involving area, surface area, and
volume.

Math: area

Week 1
Day 4

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4 Display
numerical data in plots on a number line,

Math: graphs

move/climb above sea

level or dive below
sea level. In this
activity the teacher
will highlight as the
man dives below sea
level the number
where he is located
decreases to negative
and as he climbs
above sea level the
number increases.
The teacher will
highlight a
comparison of above
and below sea level to
a number line. As a
class the students will
work on problems
Students will learn
Teacher will assess Teachers will assess
about volume, surface how well students how students conduct
area, and involving
work through
research on the
area by solving ocean problems presented measurement of the
themed word
to them in class
ocean. From the
problems. Students
asking them to find information they find,
will also discover how the area, surface
teachers will assess
much volume and
area and volume. how students find the
surface area that
answers to; What is
ocean takes up on
the volume and
earth.
surface area of the
ocean.
Students will be able Teachers will
Teachers will assess
to create box plots,
assess how
students completed

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

including dot plots, histograms, and boxplots.

histograms, and dot

plots displaying the
numerical data
involving the
inhabitants of the
ocean.

Week 1
day 5

students respond charts of different

within class to an species of the the
example following oceans.
the rules of the
physical
representation of
data.

Day five will be kept

as a day available for
teachers to use at
their discretion. For
example an activity
from day 1 needs to
be completed in day
2. Activities from day
4 would then need to
be completed on day
5.
Reading

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Activities

Assessment:
formative

Assessment:
Summative

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Week1
Day 1

RL. 6.2 determine a theme Determining central

or central idea of a text and ideas/summarizing
how it is conveyed through
particular details; provide a
summary of the text district
from personal opinions or
judgments

Students will read an

Teacher will walk
underwater themed book as a around during
class. Students will break
students conversation
into groups and discuss the and listen. Teacher
central theme.
will guide discussion
if necessary.

Students will write a

paragraph summary of
text which will be
assessed and graded.

Week 1
Day 2

RL. 6.9 compare and

Comparing and
contrast tests in different
contrasting
forms or genres (e.g., stories
and poems, historical novels
and fantasy stories) in terms
of their approaches to
similar themes and topics.

Students will write 2

paragraphs comparing
and contrasting poems
which will be assessed
and graded.

Week 1
Day 3

RI 6.3 analyze in detail how Determining main

a key individual, event, or idea.
idea is introduced,
illustrated, and elaborated in
a text (e.g. through examples
or anecdotes).

two different groups with 2

different poems then switch
poems, eventually come
back together and combine
findings (think-pair-share)
(looking for symbolism and
common themes); then after
compare it to the chapter
book
Students will read a news
article on current findings in
the ocean and analyze the
key details in a group
discussion.

Week 1
Day 4

Teacher will walk

around during
students conversation
and assess progress.
Teacher will guide
discussion if
necessary.

Teacher will walk

around during
students conversation
and assess progress.
Teacher will guide
discussion if
necessary.
RI 6.8 Trace and evaluate
Using examples from Students will take a second Teacher will walk
the argument and specific
text to back up
look at the news article about around during
claims in a text.
arguments.
the ocean. Students will
students conversation
Distinguishing claims that
determine what fact is and and assess progress.
are supported by reasons and
what opinion is. Students
Teacher will guide
evidence from claims that
will create a chart with
discussion if

Students will be asked

to write down a
bulleted list of the most
important ideas
discussed in their
group. This list will be
evaluated.
Teachers will assess the
chart students create
during this activity.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

are not.

quotes that are facts and

necessary.
quotes that are opinions
drawn from the article.
Day five will be kept as a
day available for teachers to
use at their discretion. For
example an activity from day
1 needs to be completed in
day 2. Activities from day 4
would then need to be
completed on day 5.

Week 1
day 5

Language Arts
Week/day Focus: Standard
Week1
Day 1

W.6.3 write narratives to develop

real or imaginative experiences
or events using effective
technique, relevant descriptive
details, and well structured event
sequences.

Week 1
Day 2

W 6.5 with some guidance and

support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing
as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a

Concept/Skills

Activities

Assessment: formative

Assessment:
Summative
Students will make up their own Teacher will walk around They will grade
creative writing story about
and observe students
the final product.
being underwater
writing.

Students will edit each others Students editing their

papers and give opinions about peers papers are the
what works and doesnt work in formative assessments.
each others stories

The teacher will

be grading the
final product.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Week 1
Day 3

Week 1
Day 4

10

new approach.
Speaking and Listening:
SL. 6.1 Engage effectively in a
range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 6
topics, texts, and issues, building
on others ideas and expressing
their own clearly.
RI. 6.5 analyze how a particular
sentence, paragraph, chapter, or
section first into the overall
structure of a text and
contributes to the development
of the ideas.

Week 1
day 5

Students will be given

underwater themed poems and
will think-pair-share these
poems.

Teacher will be walking This is only for a

around the room as
formative
students discuss in groups, assessment.
later will assess when all
the groups come together
to share.

Students will pick a line from a

poem they read the day before
and explain why it is important
to the poem as a whole.

Teacher will measure the This will only be

students understanding of used as a
the poem by their
formative
explanation.
assessment.

Day five will be kept as a day

available for teachers to use at
their discretion. For example an
activity from day 1 needs to be
completed in day 2. Activities
from day 4 would then need to
be completed on day 5.
Science

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Activities

Assessment: formative Assessment: Summative

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

11

Week1
Day 1

RST.6-8.9. Compare and compare and

contrast the information contrast real life to
gained from experiments, textual facts.
simulations, video or
multimedia sources with
that gained from reading a
text on the same topic.

Week 1
Day 2

RST.6-8.3. Follow
make connections Have students dissect a
precisely a multistep
between graph and mini squid. Have a print
procedure when carrying real life.
out diagram of their
out experiments, taking
intestines. Have them label
measurements, or
the intestines by following
performing technical tasks.
the graphics on the print
out.
RST.6-8.8. Distinguish
compare and
Watch/read The Magic
Walk around classroom
among facts, reasoned
contrast
School Bus: On the Ocean to listen to comparisons
judgment based on
Floor.
and contrasts that the
research findings, and
students make between
speculation in a text.
the film and the text.
Have student discuss
what in the film is
factual information and
what is not.
RST.6-8.4 Determine the vocabulary
Have students pick out
Teachers will help with
meaning of symbols, key comprehension
specific key terms from uncovering meaning if
terms, and other domainthe chapter. Have students necessary.
specific words and phrases
either act it out or draw it
as they are used in a
out to further their
specific scientific or
understanding of its

Week 1
Day 3

Week 1
Day 4

Take students to an
aquarium and have them
examine all the different
types of animals they see.

Teachers will walk

During field trip, have them
around to observe
keep a learning log of what
comparisons and
theyre observing. Upon
contrasts made. They
returning to school, have them
will guide discussions as make comparisons and
necessary.
contrasts from what they saw
to what they learned in the
text about the creatures.
Teachers will collect learning
logs for completion and
appearance of effort.
Teacher will assist in
Teachers will grade for
labeling if body parts
accurateness of labeling the
are hard to discover.
squids body parts.

This is only a formative

assessment.

Grade for accuracy and

determine how well students
understand key terms.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

12

technical context relevant

to grades 6-8 texts and
topics.

meaning.

Week 1
day 5

Day five will be kept as a

day available for teachers
to use at their discretion.
For example an activity
from day 1 needs to be
completed in day 2.
Activities from day 4
would then need to be
completed on day 5.
Social Studies

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Activities

Week1
Day 1

RST. 6-8.9. Compare and

compare and
contrast the information
contrast.
gained from experiments,
simulations, video, or
multimedia sources with that
gained from reading a text on
the same topic.

Have a classroom fish tank and

have students place different
structures in it to make it more
homey for the fish. Have them
compare and contrast their
homemade habitat to the fishs
natural habitat in the ocean/lake on
a venn diagram.

Week 1
Day 2

RST.6-8.7. Integrate
Apply text to real
quantitative or technical
life.
information expressed in
words in a text with a version

Map the geographical locations of

where specific sea animals are
found around the globe. Have
students map out geographical

Assessment:
formative
Teacher will help
guide discussion if
necessary.

Assessment:
Summative
Check venn diagram
for accuracy and
determine how well
the students
understand the
information.

Help students locate Grade students map

places on the map if on accuracy of
difficult for them to locations, relatively.
find.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Week 1
Day 3

Week 1
Day 4

13

of that information expressed

visually.
RST.6-8. 8. Distinguish
track learning as
among facts, reasoned
you progress
judgment based on research
findings, and speculation in a
text.
RST.6-8.5. Analyze the
analyze and
structure an author uses to
determine main
organize a text, including
points
how the major sections
contribute to the whole and to
an understanding of the topic.

Week 1
day 5

locations on a print out map.

Have students make a KWL chart
of what they already know, what
they want to know and what they
learned.

Observe discussion
within students and
take note of
apparent effort put
forth.
Skype in a marine biologist from Observe discussion
SeaWorld. Listen to what he/she
and help guide
says about their job and what they discussion if
know about the animals they have necessary.
and allow the students to ask
questions. Have students pick out
and discuss with one another main
points and important topics.
Day five will be kept as a day
available for teachers to use at
their discretion. For example an
activity from day 1 needs to be
completed in day 2. Activities from
day 4 would then need to be
completed on day 5.

This is only
formative.

This is only a
formative assessment.

Semester 2 Outer Space!

Mathematics
Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Activities

Assessment:
formative

Assessment:
Summative

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Week1
Day 1

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.B
Describing the nature of the attribute under
investigation, including how it was measured
and its units of measurement.

Week 1
Day 2

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.8Solve realworld and mathematical problems by graphing

points in all four quadrants of the coordinate
plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute
value to find distances between points with the
same first coordinate or the same second
coordinate.

Week 1
Day 3

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4 Display
numerical data in plots on a number line,
including dot plots, histograms, and boxplots.

14
Students will
Teacher will ask
Teacher will have
research the
students, to find the students create their
measurement of the circumference of own video teaching
circumference of the their favorite planet how to find the
moon, its distance using the formula circumference of the
from earth, and the to find the
moon, discussing the
units of measurement circumference.
distance from earth
used. They will also Teachers will use and the measurement
investigate what was collect this as an used. They will also
needed to conduct exit slip for class. discuss what they
the measurement and
found about
convert the
conducting the
measurements into
distance
the metric system.
measurement and
measurement of the
moon. Lastly
students will film
themselves teaching
how to convert their
measurement into the
metric system.
Students will pick a Teacher will check Teacher will collect
constellation and
for understanding graphs with
graph it on a four
by observing how constellations and the
quadrant plane.
students respond to written distances
Using the plane,
the example
between each star.
they will find the
presented by
distance between
teacher in the
each star.
beginning of class.
After students are
familiarized with
how a histogram, a

Teachers will have Teachers will assess

a meeting with
students finished
students
project aligning their

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Week 1
Day 4

Week 1
day 5

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3.cFind a percent
of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a
quantity means 30/100 times the quantity);
solve problems involving finding the whole,
given a part and the percent.

15
dot plot, a number individually
charts to rules of use
line and a box plot halfway through presented previously
work in class.
the creation of the in class. Teachers
Students will pick project and assess will also assess
one way of
students progress. students sources as
displaying data and
being reliable.
research one subject
within the context of
outer space. They
will create a poster
board of their chart
displaying their data
and present it at a
science fair.
Students will create a Teacher will assess Teacher will assess
table displaying the students
student created table
ratio of the size of participation with displaying the ratios
each of the planets to examples given
of the size of each of
the size of the sun
within the lesson to the planets to the size
using percentages. find the percent of of the sun using
a quantity. This
percentages.
will be used as an
exit slip at end of
the lesson.
Day five will be kept
as a day available for
teachers to use at
their discretion. For
example an activity
from day 1 needs to
be completed in day
2. Activities from
day 4 would then

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

16
need to be completed
on day 5.
Reading

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Week1
Day 1

RL. 6.4 Determine the

Figurative
meaning of words and
language/mood
phrases as they are used in
a text, including figurative
and connotative
meanings; analyze the
impact of a specific word
choice on meaning and
tone.

Week 1
Day 2

RL. 6.5 Analyze how a

Theme/setting/plot
particular sentence,
chapter, scene, or stanza
fits into the overall
structure of a text and
contributes to the
development of the theme,
setting, or plot.

Week 1
Day 3

RL. 6.6 Explain how an Point of View

author develops the point
of view of the narrator or
speaker in a text.

Activities

Assessment:
formative
Students will read an outer space
Teacher will walk
themed poem and will write a paragraph around during this
focusing on how specific words affected activity to see if
the tone of the poem.
anyone is struggling.

Assessment:
Summative
Teachers will
assess paragraph
written by
students.

First review theme, setting, and plot.

Following read a book in groups (the
students may choose their book) then
read it and together as a group pick out
the theme, setting, and plot. After the
students will pick one of the three and
change it to something they make up
and then compare them after and see
how much the story changes when of
the 3 parts of the story changes.
Read an audio book online at the
website teachervision.com, after discuss
who the audience was, identify the
viewpoint of the author. Assess how

Teacher will walk

around during this
activity to see if
anyone is struggling.

Teachers will
assess written
part of this
activity.

Teacher will walk

around during
students
conversation and

Teacher will
assess written
portion of this
activity.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

17
point of view or purpose shapes the
content and style of a text.

Week 1
Day 4

RL. 6.1 cite textual

Citing
evidence to support
analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the
text.

Week 1
day 5

assess progress.
Teacher will guide
discussion if
necessary.
Read and research material related to
Teacher will assess Teacher will
that planet. Create a research paper and progress by walking assess research
write an annotated bibliography so it
around classroom
paper.
includes how they used the sources in looking for struggling
the paper and in their experiments.
learners.

Day five will be kept as a day available

for teachers to use at their discretion.
For example an activity from day 1
needs to be completed in day 2.
Activities from day 4 would then need
to be completed on day 5.
Language Arts!

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Activities

Assessment:
formative

Assessment: Summative

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

18

Week1
Day 1

W6.10 - write routinely over

extended time frames (time
for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a
day or two) for a range of
discipline-specific tasks, and
purposes.

Students will imagine they have Teacher will walk Teacher will look over the
landed on another planet. Ask
around the room as journal when it is
students to journal every day for they write.
completed for completion,
a week about living their life on
and to see their ideas
this new planet. Ask students to
because this activity is
give descriptions of plants,
more about imagination in
animals, environment, and day to
writing rather than
day life.
grammar.

Week 1
Day 2

W6.7 conduct short research

projects to answer a question,
drawing on several sources
and refocusing the inquiry
when appropriate.
SL 6.2 interpret information
presented in diverse media
and formats (e.g. visually,
quantitatively, orally) and
explain how it contributes to a
topic, text, or issue under
study.
SL 6.5 include multimedia
components (e.g. graphics,
images, music, sound) and
visual displays in
presentations to clarify
information.

Students will write a research

paper on a planet of their choice.
Students will use multiple
sources to gather information on
their planet.
Students will use speeches,
charts, and multimedia resources
to gather information about their
planet. Students will use the
information they gather from
these sources to create their
research project.
Students will create a visual of
their planet using media (Prezi,
Powerpoint, Glogster, or
iMovie).P Students will use
information discovered in their
research paper to create their
visual. Students will present the
information and their visual
display to the class.
Day five will be kept as a day

Week 1
Day 3

Week 1
Day 4

Week 1

Teacher will
provide 2 class
periods to help the
students with
questions.
Teacher will be
observing students
work with sources.

The final research paper

will be graded.

Teacher will be grading

the final project.

Class time will be Teacher will grade the

available to work final project.
on this, teacher
will be observing.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

19

day 5

available for teachers to use at

their discretion. For example an
activity from day 1 needs to be
completed in day 2. Activities
from day 4 would then need to be
completed on day 5.
Science!

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Week1
Day 1

RST.6-8.6. Analyze the

Analyze and
author's purpose in
determine main
providing an explanation, points.
describing a procedure, or
discussing an experiment in
a text.

Week 1
Day 2

RST.6.8-7. Integrate
Bring textual facts
quantitative or technical
to hands on
information expressed in
project.
words in a text with a
version of that information
expressed visually (e.g., in a
flowchart, diagram, model,
graph, or table).

Week 1

RST.6.8-9. Compare and

compare and

Activities

Assessment:
Summative
Skype NASA and have the Observe student discussion This is only a formative
students ask questions and and guide discussion if
assessment.
simply let the NASA
need be.
representative discuss life
on the job and the art of the
solar system.

Have students make a mini

solar system made out of
any materials that they
desire.

Assessment: formative

Have them show them off

at our personal classroom
science fair. Have them
keep their information in a
learning log! Be certain
that their planets are
accurate in color, size
(comparative to the other
planets).
Bill Nye the Science Guy & Answer any questions and

Be certain that their

planets are accurate in
color, size (comparative
to the other planets).
Grade for accuracy and
apparent effort.

Have students make a

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Day 3

Week 1
Day 4

20

contrast the information

contrast.
gained from experiments,
simulations, video, or
multimedia sources with
that gained from reading a
text on the same topic.
ESS.6.4.1. This topic
Classify and
focuses on the study of
identify.
rocks, minerals, and soul,
which make up the
lithosphere. Classifying and
identifying different types of
rocks, minerals and soils
can decode the past
environment in which they
formed.

Week 1
day 5

Outer space: Students will make certain the students Venn Diagram for what
watch this video together in are engaged and interested they saw in the movie,
class.
and paying attention.
read in the text, and
what the noticed in both
the movie and the text.
Grade for accuracy.
Bring in a variety of rocks Have students draw and
This is only a formative
and soils to class from
describe the different rocks assessment.
different areas on earth and and soils in their learning
have the students identify logs.
which rocks and soils are
from outer space.

Day five will be kept as a

day available for teachers
to use at their discretion. For
example an activity from
day 1 needs to be completed
in day 2. Activities from day
4 would then need to be
completed on day 5.
Social Studies!

Week/day Focus: Standard

Concept/Skills

Activities

Assessment: formative Assessment:

Summative

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

21

Week1
Day 1

RST.6.3. Globes and other make real life

geographic tools can be used connections via
to gather, process and report technology.
information about people,
places and environments.
Cartographers decide which
information to include and
how it is displayed.

Week 1
Day 2

RST.6.1. Events can be

arranged in order or
occurrence.

Week 1
Day 3

RST. 6.4. Latitude and

longitude can be used to
identify absolute location.

Week 1
Day 4

RST.6.5. Regions can be

determined, classified and
compared using various
criteria.

Week 1
day 5

Have students find their home on

google maps. When they find it,
make geographical observations of
where they live from what they see
online.

make connections Make a timeline of all the events of

through history.
the discoveries/adventures through
space since the first landing on the
moon.
compare and
Have students look up constellations
contrast
online and find them in the night sky
at night time. Have them draw and
describe in their learning log.
compare and
Have students find a random area of
contrast.
earth on google maps and compare
and contrast it to the area around
their home.
Day five will be kept as a day
available for teachers to use at their
discretion. For example an activity
from day 1 needs to be completed in
day 2. Activities from day 4 would
then need to be completed on day 5.

Have students make

This is only a
notes of what they
formative
observe of the world
assessment.
around their home and
write it in a learning log
to be graded for
completion and
apparent effort.

Allow students to work Grade for

together and help guide accuracy.
discussion if necessary.
Review students
learning logs for
completion and
apparent effort.
This is only a
summative assessment.

This is only
formative.

Have students
make a venn
diagram on their
discoveries.

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

22

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

23

Principal Isabella McGuire,

The 6th grade interdisciplinary team is excited to present our curriculum themes for this years 6th grade class here at North Star
Middle School. Through collaborated efforts we have planned two theme unites for this year. The first semester will consist of an
interdisciplinary unit titled Under the Sea. This theme will give our students the opportunity to inquire through Math, Science, Social
studies, Reading, and Language Arts the depths of the our oceans. Each day of the semester, the students will be exploring the ocean while
applying their learning to core subject areas.
In the second semester of learning students will take an educational journey to outer space in a theme unit titled Blast Off!
Students will gain knowledge of the universe while studying Math, Science, Social studies, Language arts, and Reading. Each day will be a
new opportunity for students to pursue knowledge and further encourage discover of the Outer space.
These themes were chosen from our own experience of student interest during 6th grade. Through this choice we hope to engage
students within subject areas and encourage inquiry learning of outer space and the oceans. Our team is looking forward to beginning these
units with the students this upcoming school year. We hope to open our students eyes to the real life environment that surrounds them and
provide opportunities for individualized learning exploration.
Please let us know if you have any concerns or questions regarding our curriculum or our instruction of this material. We would love
to hear your feedback to improve our delivery of this curriculum. We appreciate your input and hope to keep clear communication
throughout the upcoming semesters to help North Star Middle School maintain our excellent learning environment for our students. Thank
you so very much!

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

Gratefully,
The 6th grade Interdisciplinary Team

24

Approaching the Integrated Classroom

25

Dear Parents,
Welcome to 6th grade! Here at North Star Middle School we are beginning a new school year and we want to let you know how
excited we are to teach your wonderful children and allow them to grow to their utmost potential through the acquirement of knowledge. We
realize the importance of communication between the home and classroom so we would like to take this opportunity to inform you on our
plan for this school year. We will be dividing the school year into two different themes. The first semester we will incorporate and ocean
theme into our lessons within Math, Science, Reading, Language Arts and Social Studies. This unit will be titled Under the Sea. During the
second semester, we will incorporate a new theme of Outer space and this unit will be called Blast Off! We have chosen these two themes in
the light that we desire to make school interesting for our 6th graders. Please feel more than free to contact us with any concerns! We would
like to maintain communication throughout the school year. Let the learning begin!
Sincerely,
Ms. Lata, Ms. Bedard, Ms. Matthys, and Ms. Eichman