Through partnerships with schools and communities, Greenfox Schools empowers youth for a sustainable world by providing integrated curriculum. The curriculum connects academics across disciplines through projects and learning centers that reflect students' interests. The goals are for students to develop critical thinking, teamwork, and lifelong learning skills through experiences both in and out of the classroom.

1. Greenfox Schools. (Photographer). (2011). Empowering youth for a sustainable world. What we do. Through
partnerships with schools and community. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.greenfoxschools.com/

2. “When we try to pick
out anything by
itself, we find it
hitched to
everything else in
the universe.”
(Muir, 1911)
Panzner, M. (Photographer). (2011). Michael panzner ' s ah-ha moment & more.
[Print Photo]. Retrieved from

3. WHAT WILL BE COVERED…
Curriculum Description
Characteristics of I.C.
How Children Learn by Incorporating I.C.
Goals of I.C.
Learning Environment
Instructional Strategies
Accommodations
Methods of Assessment

4. WHAT IS INTEGRATED CURRICULUM?
The curriculum is integrated so that children's learning in all traditional subject areas occurs primarily
through projects and learning centers that teachers plan and that reflect children's interests and
suggestions.
Also known as Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Connects academics across disciplines (technical/career content, incorporating standards,
and individual student needs and interests)
Allows students to see how ideas are connected
Incorporates real world problems & investigative processes
Prepares students for life-long learning
Develops abilities required by “Life”
Emphasizes projects
Goes beyond textbook learning
Usage of thematic units
Peer Teaching & Observations
Baker, R. (Photographer). (March 2012). Seeds, seeds, seeds!. [Web Photo].
Retrieved from http://bakersbeautbunch.blogspot.com/2012/03/seeds-
seeds-seeds.html

5. “Children’s need for inquiry
becomes the vehicle for the
integration.”
(Integrated Curriculum in the Primary Program, (n.d.) )

6. COMMON CHARACTERISTICS
Cooperation and teamwork
Agreement on core learning goals
Risk-taking and flexibility
Focus on lifelong learning skills
Focus on the deeper structures and
understandings of a discipline
Peer observation and feedback
Experiences to develop children’s attitudes, skills,
and knowledge and to help them make
connections across the curriculum
Activities that provide for a range of abilities
Peterson, K. (Photographer). (2010). The national girls collaborative project---reaching hands, Whole class, small group, and individual experiences
minds, hearts, and girls. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from
http://tinakingfellowship.blogspot.com/2011/01/national-girls-collaborative-project.html
Opportunities for critical and creative thinking
Teacher, peer, and self-assessment

7. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
Apply critical thinking skills across a variety of disciplines, including Art,
Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Communication, and Technology.
Enhance team working skills
Acquire skills that prepare them for lifelong learning.
Possess the appropriate knowledge and skills.
Critically evaluate written /oral communication and express themselves.
Demonstrate ability to think logically about and develop investigative skills
within the demands of society involving their interests.

8. HOW IS THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT?
What areas are available in the school?
What organizations could connect with our class?
Multi-purpose room
Multicultural societies
Gymnasium
Ethnic organizations
Storage area
Fine arts groups
What community facilities are available for real world experiences?
Service clubs
Parks and outdoor environments
Senior citizens
Businesses
Elderly care facilities
Museums and libraries
Who are the people who can support and enhance the learning experience?
Community services
Children
What features of the natural environment could facilitate learning?
Parents
Weather
Community
Geography
Teacher-librarian
Natural resources
Learning assistance teacher
Historic sites
District personnel
Specialist teachers (Integrated Curriculum in the Primary Program, (n.d.))
Edutopia. (Photographer). (n.d.). A new way to teach: Begin with
the end. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/an-incredible-journey

9. TEACHER’S ROLE
Teachers guide children's involvement in projects and enrich the
learning experience by extending children's ideas, responding to
their questions, engaging them in conversation, and challenging
their thinking. The teacher’s willingness to share what he/she
values shows the children that learning is a lifelong activity and
that their teacher is a person who thinks and feels and cares.
The teacher should take on the role of a partner.

10. DIFFERENTIATED
INSTRUCTION
The teacher should provide individual
students or groups of students with work
tailored to their ability level
Teachers require higher level responses
for more capable students and allow
struggling students to produce more
rudimentary work
Greenfox Schools. (Photographer). (2011). Empowering youth for a sustainable world. What we do. Through
Establishing high expectations for diverse
partnerships with schools and community. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.greenfoxschools.com/
students is also of vital importance
Lavishing praise and expressing belief
that students are talented and capable is an
important factor

11. METHODS OF ASSESSMENT/
EVALUATION OF LEARNING
Observe how children work and play cooperatively (learning clubs, playground)
Work Sampling (personal and social development section)
Anecdotal notes while children carry out multiple intelligence activities and at various times
throughout the day when children are working
Community circle observations
Information being collected on all goal and curriculum areas
Student interviews to reflect children’s thought processes
Student’s self-assessments describing something they did well at the end of each school day.

12. EXAMPLE OF AN INTEGRATED
CURRICULUM
As the teacher plans appropriate learning experiences it becomes
obvious that not all curriculum content can be explored in an
integrated way. For example, the introduction of place value in
mathematics need not be related to the project and might better be
taught using concrete materials designed specifically for enhancing
development of concepts in mathematics. Once understood, the
concept of place value could subsequently be integrated into other
activities and its connections in the real world highlighted.

13. RESOURCES
1. Bredekamp, S. (Ed.). (1990). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children
from birth through age 8 (Exp. ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young
Children. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/earlycld/ea5lk7.htm
2. Baker, R. (Photographer). (March 2012). Seeds, seeds, seeds!. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from
http://bakersbeautbunch.blogspot.com/2012/03/seeds-seeds-seeds.html
3. California School to Careers. (n.d.). How does curriculum integration work?. Retrieved from
http://www.schoolandbeyond.org/sblstrategy3.html
4. Edutopia. (Photographer). (n.d.). A new way to teach: Begin with the end. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/an-incredible-journey
5. Edutopia . (2008). Common sense: An overview of integrated studies. Edutopia, Retrieved
from http://www.edutopia.org/integrated-studies-overview-video
6. Muir, J. (1911). (Quote)My first summer in the Sierras. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company
7. Peterson, K. (Photographer). (2010). The national girls collaborative project—reaching hands, minds, hearts, and
girls. {Web Photo}. Retrieved from http://tinakingfellowship.blogspot.com/2011/01/national-girls-
collaborative-project.html
8. Schreiner, E. (n.d.). Effective teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learners. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/way_5844024_effective-strategies-accommodate-diverse-learners.html
9. (n.d.). Integrated curriculum in the primary program. The Primary Program: Growing and Learning in the
Heartland Integrated Curriculum, Retrieved from http://www.education.ne.gov/OEC/pubs/pri_pro/IC.pdf