Running head: DESIGN OF INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

Overview: Integrated Curricular Unit with Differentiation

Unit Title:
- Economics & Ecosystems
Theoretical Framework (List the selected learning theory or theories.)
- Constructivism
- Brain-Based Learning
Unit Theme: Anthropogenic Impact on Ecosystems & Biodiversity
Integration Pathway (how will you integrate the two disciplines?)
- Lessons will begin by introducing aspects of ecosystems and how they can be affected by economic choices.
- Students will then build connections between environmental science and economics concepts
- Students examine the role of the Investment in factories, machinery, new technology, and the health, education,
and training of people can raise future standards of living.
Problem-Solving Task (Include one task for the entire unit.)
- Students will develop a solution to one of the following problems:
- Runoff from agricultural land is creating algal blooms in local lakes, ponds, & rivers.
- Synthetic organic compounds such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, hormones, military compounds, and
industrial compounds are creating genetic disorders and interfering with growth and sexual development
- Students will incorporate their knowledge of economics to utilize a new technology to decrease the use of
fertilizers and decrease the amount of runoff water.
Unit Objectives (at least 3):
1. Discuss and describe three major problems caused by wastewater pollution
2. Determine how cultural eutrophication and nutrient release increase biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and can
ultimately create dead zones
3. Create a plan to remediate damage caused by pollution and reduce it in the future
4. Support claims regarding water pollution using evidence and reasoning
Standards/Guidelines/Expectations by Discipline
Discipline 1: Environmental Science / Biology Discipline 2: Economics

Desired Unit Results

Six As (How will you incorporate each A in the unit?

DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

1. Authenticity The issues described in the lesson are real issues that are
creating real impacts on biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems.
- Students will conduct research using an online
database.
- Articles must be peer reviewed
- Students will ultimately create a realistic plan of action
that would provide solutions to the pollution.
2. Academic Rigor There is no single, clear solution to any of the issues they will
come across.
3. Applied Learning Students will conduct background research and apply their
current knowledge to issues at hand.
4. Active Exploration Students will collect local soil samples from nearby fields to
test for nitrates, phosphates, and pH of the soil.
5. Adult Relationships Students will create adult relationships as they communicate
with local farmers to analyze their agricultural protocols
regarding the use of fertilizer and pesticide. Students are
encouraged to work with local farmers to create a plan to
decrease the use of fertilizer while increasing the amount of
food produced.
6. Assessment Students will collaborate with the teacher in the assessment
process
Essential Questions (List at least 3-5 which connect the disciplines.)
These questions will help students discover the natural connections among the specific discipline fields:
1. How is human activity is affecting aquatic ecosystem?
2. Why are evidence, reasoning, and scientific knowledge critical when creating solutions to wicked problems?
3. How are economics and potential technological solutions factors in stabilizing or destabilizing forces in the natural
system?
4. How does refinement a given technological solution decrease the human impact on aquatic ecosystems?

Learners will know: Learners will be skilled at:

1. potential causes of damage to aquatic 1. Utilizing the CER method of scientific inquiry
ecosystems a. CER - claim-evidence-reasoning
2. the importance of providing evidence and 2. Conducting research and using the information gained
reasoning when presenting a claim to build their own understanding
3. How economic factors and technology can
stabilize destabilize a system
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
Evidence of Learning
Evaluative Criteria (List 2-3)
Students will be able to:
1. describe anthropogenic pollutants that
affect aquatic ecosystems
2. determine sources of each pollutant
3. describe the potential dangers and
ramifications of each pollutant
4. Create a presentation that describes your
plan of action:
5. Design a plan of action that reduces
degradation of aquatic ecosystems that
utilizes current or upcoming technologies.
Your plan must consider the economic
ramifications of the change.
Assessment Evidence
- Formative
- L1: List current problems in aquatic ecosystems
- L2: Create a list of potential solutions to
anthropogenic degradation of aquatic
ecosystems
- L3: How does economics and technology play a
role in providing solutions to wicked problems
- Summative
- L1: Causes of problems in aquatic ecosystems
- L2: Create a claim regarding the pollution of
aquatic ecosystems and provide evidence and
reasoning for the claim.
- L3: Design a plan of action that reduces
degradation of aquatic ecosystems that utilizes
current or upcoming technologies. Your plan
must consider the economic ramifications of
such a plan.
- Culminating
- Performance Task:
- L2: Conduct research: Using primary sources,
create a literature review of at least three primary
sources that align with your plan of action. This is
something that scientist do when completing
scientific research.
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

Lesson Plan 1
Summary of Key Learning Interactions and Instruction

Lesson 1: Anthropogenic Actions & Aquatic Ecosystems

Learning Objectives (List 3-5) Begin with measurable verbs.
- Describe common pollutants that negatively affect aquatic ecosystems
- Determine the anthropogenic effect of degradation of aquatic ecosystems
- Explain the difference between point source and nonpoint source pollution and gives sources of each.
Formative Assessment (Provide detailed description):
- Students will list current problems in aquatic ecosystems
- Students will compare and contrast point source and nonpoint source pollutants. (VENN DIAGRAM)
- Students will describe one environmental problem with aquatic ecosystems.
- Students will determine pollutants and their sources.
Summative Assessment (Provide detailed description):
- Students will describe what happens when runoff water from agricultural land reaches local water sources.
- Students will list specific chemicals do farmers add to their soil to increase crop yields and increase the longevity
of crops?
- Students will imagine they are a farmer with multiple lakes on their property.
- What would you do to increase your crop yield?
- Explain your answer with specific examples.
- Students will describe some of the potential dangers that aquatic ecosystems face when anthropogenic actions
impact the ecosystem?

Interactions/Activities (Include at least 3 Differentiation (1 intervention and 1 Materials/Resource Field

per lesson.) If appropriate, note the extension per interaction/activity) If s (for each Experiences/Adult
principle of integration represented by appropriate, note the principle of interaction/activity) Relationships (for
the activity. integration represented by the activity. each
interaction/activity)
Description: Intervention: Powerpoint will be printed - Powerpoint
- Introductory powerpoint regarding out for those who require it. - paper / - Try to
point source pollution / nonpoint pencil connect with
source pollution Extension: Students may connect this - vocabulary local
- Vocabulary hunt lesson to their lives. (We live in an area terms farmers /
with farmland all around) printed out parents.
Steps: and
1. Powerpoint distributed
unt
2. Vocabulary h throughout
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

the
classroom.

Description: Intervention: - progress

- Formative assessment - digital versions available if check
- Paper-based progress needed. - computers if
check on sources / - Opportunities for re-quiz available
problems of pollutants that -
affect aquatic ecosystems

Steps:
1. implement after ppt and vocab
hunt
Description: Intervention: - paper
- Summative Assessment - Questions can be reworded / copies /
- Open-ended questions reformatted for students that computers
regarding causes of require differentiation. for digital
damage and - Increased time for research version
anthropogenic sources of - computers
pollution. Extension: for
- Students research LOCAL research.
Steps: problems with our aquatic
- Give students (1 class period to ecosystems. They can determine
research anthropogenic effects potential sources of degradation
on aquatic ecosystems. based on their current
- Students will create a concept understandings.
map of the information found

Lesson Plan 2
Summary of Key Learning Interactions and Instruction

Lesson 2: Potential Solutions to Degradation of Aquatic Ecosystems

Learning Objectives (List 3-5) Begin with measurable verbs.
- Describe current solutions being implemented to reduce degradation of aquatic ecosystems
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

- Create a claim regarding environmental degradation and provide evidence and reasoning for your claim.
- Create a literature review of at least three primary sources that align with your plan of action.

Formative Assessment (Provide detailed description):

- Students create a list of potential solution to reduce environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems.
- This is implemented as the question of the day in the form of a KWHL
Summative Assessment (Provide detailed description):
- Students create a claim regarding the pollution of aquatic ecosystems and provide evidence and reasoning for the
claim.
- Implemented at the end of a lesson focused on the importance of providing evidence of reasoning when making
claims.
Performance Assessment (Provide detailed description):
- Students create a literature review of at least THREE PRIMARY SOURCES just as a scientist would when
conducting a scientific investigation
- Implemented as lesson two comes to an end. Students will have one full class period to conduct the research and
create a review of the primary sources.
Interactions/Activities (Include at least 3 Differentiation (1 intervention and 1 Materials/Resource Field
per lesson.) If appropriate, note the extension per interaction/activity) If s (for each Experiences/Adult
principle of integration represented by appropriate, note the principle of interaction/activity) Relationships (for
the activity. integration represented by the activity. each
interaction/activity)
Description: Intervention: - Question of
- Certain students may opt to draw the day
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT pictures instead of writing words. - KHWL
- Informal, open-ended question of - Some students may require a sheet
the day in the form of a KWHL. printed out version of the KHWL. - Internet
- Students create a list of potential connection
solution to reduce environmental Extension:
degradation of aquatic - Students should try to think locally
ecosystems. and determine environmental
problems in our area.
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

Description: Intervention: - Internet

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
- Students create a claim regarding
the pollution of aquatic
ecosystems and provide evidence
and reasoning for the claim.
Steps:
- Implemented at the end of a
lesson focused on the importance
of providing evidence of
reasoning when making claims.
Description:
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
- Students create a literature review just
as a scientist would when conducting a
scientific investigation
Steps:
- Implemented as lesson two come
to an end. Students will have one
full class period to conduct the
research and create a review of
the primary sources.
- Some students may require connectio
examples of claims made with n
evidence and reasoning.
Extension:
- Students can connect the process
with multiple problem solving
skills.
Intervention:
- Some students may have trouble
finding articles. In this case, the
teacher could provide general
examples
Extension:
- The creation of a literature review
is not an easy task. The skills
gained in this will allow students
to take a dip in the world of a
scientist.

Lesson Plan 3
Summary of Key Learning Interactions and Instruction

Lesson 3: Designing an Action Plan

Learning Objectives (List 3-5) Begin with measurable verbs.
- Determine the role of economics and technology in providing solutions to wicked problems
- Design a plan of action that reduces degradation of aquatic ecosystems and utilizes current or upcoming technologies.
- Create a presentation that describes your plan of action:
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

Summative Assessment (Provide detailed description):

- Students design a plan of action that reduces degradation of aquatic ecosystems that utilizes current or upcoming
technologies. Student plans must consider and predict the economic ramifications of such a plan.
- Implemented at the end of lesson 3. Students have multiple days to prepare their plan.

Culminating Assessment (Provide detailed description):

- Student create a final presentation that describes their plan of action that reduces degradation of aquatic ecosystems and
utilizes current or upcoming technologies. Your plan must consider the specific economic ramifications of the change.
- Students use the plan created as a baseline when creating the presentation. Students present their plan and findings to the
class. Students are to invite administration, local farmers, parents, and other teachers of their choice.

Interactions/Activities (Include at least 3 Differentiation (1 intervention and 1 Materials/Resour Field

per lesson.) If appropriate, note the extension per interaction/activity) If ces (for each Experiences/Adult
principle of integration represented by appropriate, note the principle of interaction/activit Relationships (for
the activity. integration represented by the activity. y) each
interaction/activity)
Description: Intervention: - Computer
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT s - Students are
- Students design a plan of action Extension: - Internet to invite
that reduces degradation of access administration,
aquatic ecosystems that utilizes local farmers,
current or upcoming technologies. parents, and
Student plans must consider and other teachers
predict the economic of their choice.
ramifications of such a plan.

Steps:
- Implemented at the end of lesson
3. Students have multiple days to
prepare their plan.
Description: Intervention: - Computer
CULMINATING ASSESSMENT - If necessary, the students may s - Students are
- Student create a final choose their own format for the - Internet to invite
presentation that describes their presentation. access administrationl
plan of action that reduces ocal farmers,
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

degradation of aquatic Extension: parents, and

ecosystems and utilizes current other teachers
or upcoming technologies. Your of their choice.
plan must consider the specific
economic ramifications of the
change.

Steps:
- Students use the plan created as
a baseline when creating the
presentation. Students present
their plan and findings to the
class. Students are to invite
administration, local farmers,
parents, and other teachers of
their choice.
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

Designing Integrated Curriculum

Jason Penuel

American College of Education

DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

The Constructivist Paradigm

Learning a single discipline has been the norm for quite a while. The planning of units based around single

disciplines is relatively straightforward. We know today that when disciplines can be connected to the real world, students

end up benefitting more than they would otherwise. By connecting disciplines to the real world, students are able to

construct connections between their lives and the world around them. One great way to streamline this is to implement

integrated curricular units. Unfortunately, implementing an integrated curricular unit is not as easy as it sounds. It truly

requires multiple individuals to come together and work as one unit with the same goals in mind. The world functions as a

unit of connected ideas and disciplines. As a result, students should be exposed to content in a manner that allows them

to build solid connections between different content. The recent push for S.T.E.A.M, (Science, Technology, Engineering,

Art, and Math) has been making great strides in connecting disciplines. S.T.E.A.M is connecting art to the STEM fields

and is increasing student creativity, which will lead to greater economic growth and international competitiveness (Nicola,

Kelly, & Joachim, 2017, p. 43.)

When students are given the right tools, they can construct the knowledge and connect it to the real world. In this

unit, students research the pollution of aquatic ecosystems. Student will become familiar with the types of pollutant and

construct ideas about the causes and sources of such pollutants. Students will then connect the cause of the pollution to
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

the economic benefits of using certain pollutants. Students will understand the on one side of the coin, chemicals used

provide major economic benefits. They will then see that as the economy benefits, biodiversity is often negatively affected.

Benefits of Team Planning

As I began creating this unit, I felt a real struggle. There is immense value in planning integrated units as a team

unit. It is very difficult to get teachers and professionals together to design units. In reality, if teachers are going to design

integrated curricular units, one of two things must happen. One thing that could happen is the school district would find the

value in integration and provide professional development activities to teach teachers how to design integrated curriculum

and would also have to provide time for teachers to get together and design. The second thing that could happen would

be the teachers getting together on their own time. The sad truth is that designing integrated units is not something that

will occur overnight. It requires much time and effort. This is why working together with teachers and professionals is so

key. The process involves gaining content specific objectives and knowledge in order to ensure the student have all the

tools they need to construct meaningful integrated knowledge. Ultimately, working as a team would remove some major

stresses of trying to design something of this nature individually.

Engaging Students

Engaging students is an extremely important part of the learning process. When students are engaged in the

learning, they may be more likely to retain information and construct lifelong knowledge. Students may also be engaged in

the planning process. While designing units, the teacher could employ a variety of methods to see what connections
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

students may make. For example, the teacher could give students a survey that focuses on connections between

disciplines. The teacher could provide a topic and then ask students what other disciplines they think would mesh well

with the original topic. Anytime students are involved in the design and assessment process, they naturally become more

engaged. When students knew exactly what they are being assessed on, class participation and engagement increased.

(Dancer & Kamvounias, 2005, p 452) This would explain why students become more engaged. Student have the right to

know exactly what they are being assessed on. By including them in the process, they may feel more of a personal

connection to the learning rather than an outsider looking in.

Integrated Learning as a Timesaver

Once teachers become familiar with the process of designing integrated units, they can streamline the design

process. It takes time and practice to become comfortable enough to continue the design process. Once this method is

mastered by the teacher, they can then teach multiple objectives together instead of separate. This would in turn allow the

teacher to save time in the long run. By integrating multiple disciplines, the teacher is essentially killing two birds with one

stone.

Conclusion

The design of this integrated curricular unit has been a whirlwind of emotion, confusion, and enlightenment. There

is something to say about a productive struggle. I now realize the importance and working as a team throughout the

design process. Teachers need to provide the tools in order to allow students the feel the productive struggle yet construct
DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

meaningful and relevant content knowledge. Graphic organizers, and concept maps are great examples of tools meant to

increase student mastery and involvement. Concept maps and planning wheels allow students to make connections

between multiple disciplines and levels of content. Teachers and students benefit when tools like concept maps and

planning wheels are implemented in the curriculum design process.

DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

References
Dancer, D., & Kamvounias, P. (2005). Student involvement in assessment: a project designed to assess class

participation fairly and

reliably. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 30(4), 445-454. doi:10.1080/02602930500099235

Nicola W., S., Kelly W., G., & Joachim, W. (2016). JEE SELECTS: GETTING AHEAD OF S.T.E.A.M. ASEE Prism, (7)

, 43.