INTEGRATED
CURRICULUM PROJECT
Michael Reed, HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE SPECIALIST
Nigel Nisbet, MATHEMATICS EXPERT
Elizabeth Garcia, SCIENCE EXPERT
Doña Guevara-Hill, LITERACY EXPERT
Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and School Support. LAUSD >
THE TASK: PART ONE
 To create a multi-disciplinary lesson/unit using all
four core content areas, History/Social Science,
English Language Arts, Science, and Mathematics.
THE TASK: PART TWO
 To implement the end product at a
high school in order to evaluate:
The effectiveness of this particular
lesson/unit
 The effectiveness of this of integrating
the curriculum
 The challenges associated with both
designing and implementing a
lesson/unit of this nature

THE TASK: DESIGN CHOICES
Grade 10
(Spring Semester)
 History/Social Science
The Rise of
Totalitarianism
 English Language Arts
Persuasive Writing
 Science
Biology (Genetics)
 Mathematics
Algebra I and II
THE TASK: DESIGN CHOICES
Grade 10
(Spring Semester)
 3 to 4 week unit with a
culminating task that draws
upon students’ experiences
in each core content area,
and provides an
opportunity for them to use
analytical and
communication skills to
demonstrate their learning
ACTIVITY 1: STANDARDS
 At your tables, you have
the standard sets
covered by each
discipline during the
spring semester.
 Work with your table
teams to generate ideas
for any areas of “overlap”
or cross curricular lesson
opportunities.
The Power of DIVERSITY
 Guiding Questions:





How do populations change
over time?
What is race and does it
really exist?
Should nations limit human
diversity as a solution to over
population?
What are the ethical
considerations in finding
solutions to world problems?
What is the power of human
diversity?
Grade 10
World History
Model Lesson 4
The Rise of Totalitarianism
Day One
 Hook Exercise
 Current/Past Dictators(?) Chart
 Background Reading: Characteristics of
Totalitarian Regimes
 Background Reading: The Ascent of the Dictators
Day One: Hook Exercise
Characteristics Value of
Human
Of “Good”
Diversity
Students
1.
1.
1.
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
4.
5.
5.
5.
Consider the importance of academic excellence and
student diversity.
•What kind of characteristics does a school have?
•What actions would have to occur for a school to limit
or eliminate student diversity?
School
Improvement
Current/Past Dictators (?) Chart: Student
Handout 1
 Consider the list of
current and past leaders.
 Check those that you
believe are dictators and
write the reasons for your
choices.
Current/Past Dictators (?) Chart: Student
Handout 1
 Record your criteria for a
dictator at the bottom of
Student Handout 1.
12 Documents
 Read Document 1, The




Criteria of Totalitarian
Regimes.
Document 2, The Rise of
Dictators.
Document 5 Eugenicists,
Democracy, and Dictators
Document 6 Men into
Beasts- Stalin:
Enslavement of Polish Slavs
Document 11 Confronting
Eugenics, a “Twisted
Science”
Say-Mean-Matter: Student Handout 2
 After reading Document 1,
complete Student Handout 2

What does it say?


What does it mean?


Read the definition and underline
important phrases.
Put the definition into your own
words.
Why does it matter?

Explain why it matters to
totalitarian states.
Evidence and Organization
 With a partner, use
Documents 1 – 3,
Student Handouts 5
and 6, and your
textbook to complete
Student Handout 7
The Writing Task: Student Handout 8
 Read the writing
assignment.
 Review the prompt and
task structure.
 Consider vocabulary to
be included in your
essay.
Prewriting: Student Handout 9
 Formulate your
thoughts using the
Writing Graphic
Organizer.
Writing: Student Handout 8
 Use your completed
Student Handout 9 and
lesson materials and write
your essay in response to
the prompt.
Select two of the dictators
listed below. Compare their
totalitarian regimes.
Evaluate their rise to power,
racial and ethnic views, and
common totalitarian
characteristics.
o Mussolini – Italy
o Hitler – Germany
o Stalin – USSR
Reflection
 What did you learn?
 What did you find challenging?
 Which sources were most convincing? Why?
 What questions do you still have?
English Language Arts
Persuasion as Social Influence
• In this module students will make connections to and extend their
knowledge and skills of persuasion.
• They will identify, interpret, analyze, and evaluate the ways writers and
speakers use persuasion as a form of social influence.
Access Methodologies
• Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks
Texts:
“The Unknown Citizen” by W.H. Auden
“The Responsibility of the Scientist” by Leon. M. Lederman
Excerpt from The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
•
•
• Excerpt from Eugenicists, Democracy, and Dictators by Charles
Davenport
• Graphic Organizers: ABC Word Wall, “Say, Mean, Matter”
Prompt: Given our current global situation, should government have the right to
legislate population growth?
• For this culminating writing task, you will select
a position either in favor or against global
population control. Research your position. Then present a thesis and
build a corresponding argument that persuades fellow students to take
your position on this issue.
 Students create an ABC Word Wall in their
Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks to demonstrate what
they already know about the characteristics and
methods of persuasion.
 Instructional Conversation: The teacher asks
students to share in pairs or triads; then share in a
whole class conversation.
 Survey the Text Visually
 Read, Write, Talk, and Listen for Multiple Purposes
 Comprehension: Read, Write, Talk and Listen to Get the Gist
 Interpretation: Reread, Write, Talk, and Listen to Identify
Significant Sentences or Phrases
 Analysis: Reread, Write, Talk, and Listen to Analyze and
Evaluate Persuasive Texts
Science Unit
Exploring Populations
What causes populations to physically change or
stay the same over generations?
Unit Overview
 Genetics & Evolution Standards from
California Biology Standards
 Focus on getting students to develop
“Scientific Explanations” (McNeill &
Krajcik)
 Supports all students with multiple
opportunities for instructional
conversations, accessing prior knowledge,
use of graphic organizers and academic
language
MATHEMATICS: DESIGN CHOICES
 Rationale
 Cannot teach the whole Mathematics Standards-Based
Curriculum through this (or any) lens
 Carefully designed rigorous application lessons would
allow students to use critical thinking, work
collaboratively, and make connections between their
classroom mathematics and the real world context of the
integrated curriculum unit
 10th grade students could be in many different
Mathematics classes (most likely to be Algebra 2,
Geometry, or Algebra 1)
MATHEMATICS: ALGEBRA I
Standing Tall
 Uses data from the Biology
unit of NBA players’ average
height (1950 – 2001)
 Students analyze and graph
the data, develop linear
equations to describe the
data
 Students use their equations
and graphs to make
predictions about the future
Student work courtesy of 8th grade Algebra 1 students at Foshay Learning Center (LAUSD Local District 7)
MATHEMATICS: ALGEBRA II
Reproduction Race
 Uses data from the Biology
unit about Asexual and
Sexual reproduction
 Students analyze and graph
the data, develop exponential
equations to describe the
data
 Students use their equations
and graphs to make
predictions about the future
(also using logarithms)
Asexual
Reproduction
y  8 2x
Sexual
Reproduction
3
y 8  
2
Reproductive
Event
Generation
(Initial
Generation)
G1
x
# of
Individuals
(Asexual
Reproduction)
# of
individuals
(Sexual
Reproduction)
8
8
First
G2
16
12
Second
G3
32
18
Third
G4
64
27
ACTIVITY 2: THE HOOK
 Connecting content to the
students’ daily life
 Guiding Questions/Inquiries
 Population: How does
student population effect
you?
 Human Diversity: Does
diversity have value within a
school setting?
Culminating Activity - A Simulation
Population Control: A World Summit
 The Scenario
 After a number of nations declare a state of crisis due
to an economic depression and food shortages, a
world summit is called to provide solutions. The year
is 1933, and a lack of resources to serve growing
populations grips most nations. Consequently,
leaders representing every continent and key
industrial nations will meet in an open forum to
analyze the situation and propose appropriate
actions.
The Simulation: Student Roles
 8 Political Leaders
Nations represented include:
 8 Clergy/Philosophers
 Ethiopia
 8 Scientists
 Germany
 8 Mathematicians and
 USSR
Statisticians
 Italy
 China
 Japan
 United States
 Mexico
The Simulation: Video
Debrief: Challenges
 Time (planning and







implementing)
Personnel Changes
Students not necessarily in
pure classes
Coordinating curricular
maps between disciplines
Geometry
Finding a unifying theme
Authentic assessments
Time
Debrief: Learnings
 Students benefit from
integrating the curriculum
and can see how the
different subjects fit
together
 Students really bought in to
the process (not difficult to
get them engaged)
 Students have the
opportunity to demonstrate
their learning in a practical
way
Debrief: Reflection
 What do you see as the
benefits for students
involved in an integrated
lesson?
Debrief: Student Quotes
“The topic of this lesson that “What I like about this lesson
caught my attention the
is that we are all
most was the danger of
communicating. We are
getting rid of diversity in
also learning about other
school because I feel that
countries and history. It’s
without diversity students
nice to see al the students
in school would be deprived
working together”
from experiencing a real
Ashley
world environment”
(Marshal High School)
Tonette
(Marshal High School)
Your Questions
 What questions do you
have?