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| Interdisciplinary Unit Planning Resources |
Interdisciplinary, or theme-based, units allow for a unique integration of content and skills. These two areas can often be compartmentalized into a “literacy block” or an individual content lesson. This means that skills are de-contextualized from their most important purpose, which is to help readers gain knowledge. Theme-based units resolve this disconnect by restoring content as the primary focus, yet integrating knowledge with skills. Genuine knowledge increases children's knowledge of the world, and also helps develop many of their language abilities such as reading, research skills, comprehension, and writing. The other benefits of theme-based units include:
• Exposing students to different texts other than fictional narrative
• Allowing students to explore other genres of writing, such as persuasive writing, expository writing, and research reports
• Exposing children to a variety of sources and perspectives
• Encouraging students to make connections across subjects
• Giving students a range of ways to demonstrate their mastery of given material
Here are tips for planning an interdisciplinary unit:
• Look at the social studies and science Standards. The Standards will tell you the expectations for student learning by grade and by subject.
Link to New York State Standards >
• Identify the essential questions that you want your students to examine. Essential questions are concept-oriented questions that frame the scope of learning. Example: Why and how do people change their environment? Are families around the world the same or different? Why?
• Determine the assessment for this unit and create a rubric to measure student achievement. Remember to try to incorporate technology in the project you develop with your students.
Key Terms for plannning a standards-based unit of study
Organizer
The organizer establishes the context for the learning and provides the “hook” for students. It should be an issue, problem, or question that is relevant to students. Using the personal, social, cultural, and global concerns of students will help engage them in learning. The organizer needs to be broad, demanding students to engage in inquiry.
Targeted Standards
The targeted standards identify the content and skills/processes to be taught and formally assessed in the unit. They state what students should know and be able to do at the end of the unit and serve as the foundation for the rest of unit development. For New York State standards in social studies and science, visit the following websites:
Link to NYS Scope and Sequence >
Link to NYS Learning Standards >
• Essential Questions
The essential questions narrow the focus of the learning by breaking the organizer into logical, sequenced parts for instruction. They are not questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” and they are limited in number. Since the essential questions guide instruction and learning, they should be posted in the classroom for both the teacher and the students to see. For that reason, the questions need to be written in student friendly language.
COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES
Below, you will find suggestions for mini-lessons that you can do using the materials on the Reach the World web site:
Pre-Reading
• Using Buzzwords
• Select 5-10 buzzwords to present to the students. Using all of the words, the students then predict what the story is about. You may have them write, draw, or explain their predictions. After reading you may compare the students' predictions with the author's writing.
• Using pictures
• Select pictures from one of the articles. Show the pictures to the group in any order and have them predict what the reading is going to be about.
• True-False
• In this activity, students decide if a given statement from an article is true or false before reading the selection. You should give the students 5-10 sentences based on the story. Some of the statements should be true, some should be false. After reading the story, students may check to see if they are right.
• KWLQ
• Before reading, ask students what they know (K) about a given topic and what they would like to learn (W) about that topic. After reading, ask the students to share what they learned from the reading (L) and what additional questions they may have (Q).
• Skimming
• Teach students how to predict and comprehend the subject of a reading selection by skimming the text. Students should learn to read the title, pictures, graphs, or other images.
During Reading
• Concept Maps
• Have students write what they believe the main idea of the reading. As they read, they map any thing they learned about the main idea.
• Talk Bubbles/ Thought Bubbles
• Stop at different points of an article and have students create a comic strip of what the travelers may be seeing on their journey.
• Highlighting
• You can use a coded system to help students understand and organize information. For example the main idea could be in blue, supporting details in green, facts in pink. In order to be consistent with the color-coding system, post the system on a chart in the classroom.
After Reading
• Student Questions
• Students come up with about three questions they would like to ask the travelers.
• Reading Journals
• You can have students reflect on what they have read by having them write about it. |
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