This document describes an integrated curriculum lesson plan for a 4th grade social studies class on Australia. The lesson involves dividing students into groups to research and create salt dough relief maps of different regions of Australia. Students will use math, reading, science and art skills to research their assigned region, measure ingredients, construct their relief map to scale, and paint symbols representing the region's culture. Finally, groups will present on their region's geography and culture, combining their relief maps into a full map of Australia. The goal is to teach about Australia while integrating multiple subjects into a collaborative, hands-on project.

1. Mark Boatman
Integrated Curriculum Lesson – For 4th Grade
Students often are frustrated with being taught subjects that they are not interested
in. One remedy to this problem is to use an integrated or interdisciplinary approach
to curriculum. This approach focuses on implementing lessons that cut across
subject matter to focus on comprehensive knowledge.
This type of innovate teaching can be used for any subject or lesson. A great
classroom application for a Social Studies/Geography class would be a salt-dough
relief map and research project on Australia. The goal for this project is to learn
about the continent of Australia and it’s people, by utilizing research, critical
thinking, and group process. The steps for this project are as follows:
1. The class will be divided into small groups (6 groups for the 6 major regions
of Australia). Each group will focus on one region.
2. Reading and Social Studies: Students will use the library and Internet to
research and read about Australia and the region assigned to them. The goal
is to come up with a main theme for their region, which will be used for the
map.
3. Math and Science: In class each group will use measurement and ingredients
to make salt-dough. They will also need to use math to make the relief map
of their region to scale.
4. Art and Geography: Students will use the salt-dough to create a relief map
with matching landforms and points of interest within their region. They will
then use the main theme that they came up with for their region, and paint
this symbol or theme onto their map. Example: If aborigines is the symbol of
your region, that would be represented and painted onto the salt dough relief
map.
5. Group Process: Each group will then present on their region, detailing
interesting facts about that part of Australia, and explaining their relief map,
both the physical characteristics and the painted symbol used. All of the
relief maps will be put together to form the Continent of Australia.
I think that this project cuts across subject matter, combining a social studies lesson
with applications in math, reading, science, and art. Although the main objective is
to teach the students about both the Geographic and Cultural aspects of Australia,
students ultimately have to utilize many areas of curriculum to complete the
objectives. One of my goals as a teacher is to integrate fun into every lesson. In this
lesson students use critical thinking and problem solving, and the task involves
many different subjects.