Flex your Super Strength! Super Teachers use integrated instruction.
Weaving meaningful, purposeful, and engaging content in an integrated instruction, child-centered, experiential classroom provides you with super strength.
Have you ever wondered...
How do I get it all in?
Ineffective “spray and pray” curriculum; “spray” the students with knowledge and “pray” that they get it, doesn’t work.
and
The “burp and gag” system of teaching content, where we shove meaningless information into students until they gag and then have them burp it back on assessments, doesn’t work.
Later when you want your students to retrieve it or apply it, they truthfully respond, “I gave it to you, you’re the one who wanted it!”
Can I possibly squeeze one more item into my over-packed day and not explode?
How can I create students who are engaged and want to dig deeper; to become seekers and lovers of knowledge?
How can I motivate students to “go for the gusto” and not the minimum requirements?
Phyllis's K-1 class dresses as pirates to role play during their Pirates theme unit.
They had so much fun creating treasure maps, discovering hidden treasure on a scavenger hunt around town, learning to trade and barter and count pirate money, singing Pirate songs, writing Pirate poems, building Pirate ships and much more.
There is much to be learned. When your curriculum is meaningful, purposeful and engaging under the umbrella of a Topic theme like Pirates your students not only enjoy learning but they retain the information and the skills more easily.
What is the Integrated Thematic Instruction Method?
It is based on sound research that students acquire knowledge best when learning in the context of a coherent "whole" and when they can connect learning meaningfully to the real world.
What are the components of integrated curriculum?
In thematic approach the teaching of content is woven seamlessly with reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking, viewing and producing.
Incorporating writing into all curriculum and reading across curriculum is just part of integrated instruction. With integrated thematic instruction the theme provides a framework to incorporate history, science, math, problem solving, music, social skills with the reading and writing in a meaningful, purposeful and engaging manor.
No more “burp and gag” or “spray and pray” curriculum. Your students participate in their learning, aquiring valuable skills and understanding. Assessment is a intregal part of the learning process, as student growth in academic and social skills are monitored.
How do you create thematic integration?
This is accomplished through in-depth involvement with a real-world subject that is both specific enough to be practical and broad enough to allow creative exploration.
We appreciate your patience as we build this site to best serve you. We are currently working hard to bring Phyllis' Thematic Units Straight from her classroom to this page.
Want Phyllis' Set Sail with PIRATES Theme unit?
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