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We share evidence-based K-12 learning strategies that empower you to improve education.

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School Transformation Through Arts Integration at Bates Middle School

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Blogs on Integrated Studies

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Game Jam Your Classroom

Andrew MillerMay 1, 2013

Tags Game-Based Learning, Integrated Studies, Lesson Plans, Student Engagement, High (9-12)

Just what is a game jam? It is a short event, usually only a day or two, where game developers plan, design and create a short game. Similar to a music jam session, game jams don't involve much pre-planning and rely on immediate idea generation and improvisation. Game design companies have these jam sessions regularly, and while many of the games that happen here are digital, some are paper-based. They usually occur in one physical location to allow for immediate, organic collaboration. While there is an element of competition, most of the work is focused on collaboration towards a common goal.

"How Do I Teach This?" vs. "What Did We Learn?"

Shawn CornallyApril 18, 2013

Tags Curriculum, Education Reform, Integrated Studies, Student Engagement, Science

In light of last week's release of the Next Generation Science Standards¹ (NGSS), I'm reminded of a quote from a veteran teacher in my building:

"Do they really think the reason kids aren't proficient is because we don't know what to teach?"

Oscar Week Special: Seven Teaching Resources on Film Literacy

Matt DavisFebruary 18, 2013

Tags Current Events, Integrated Studies, Lesson Plans, Media Literacy, Open Education Resources, Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

The Academy Awards are just around the corner, and there are a number of nominated films that can be great teaching tools for educators this year. It looks like it might be a big year for Steven Spielberg in the classroom and on Award night -- his Lincoln has been nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Picture.

Five-Minute Film Festival: Film Literacy

Amy Erin Borovoy (aka VideoAmy)February 15, 2013

Tags Integrated Studies, Media Literacy, All Grades

Ah, the silver screen: we all love to escape into other times, other worlds, and other peoples' stories. While millions tune in to the Oscars with bated breath and bowls full of popcorn, I know there are some educators out there who are wondering how they can drum up that kind of excitement and engagement in their classroom. Gone are the days when all the students fell asleep as soon as the lights went dim -- movies and videos can be incredibly powerful teaching tools, if you know how to use them well.

How Will Common Core Change What We Do?

Erin PowersFebruary 5, 2013

Tags Accountability, Common Core Standards, Curriculum, Education Reform, Integrated Studies, All Grades

As full implementation of Common Core State Standards nears, educators are searching for answers to three questions: 1) What are the CC State Standards? 2) How will they change what I do? and 3) Why are they here? Some of the details are frustratingly elusive as various groups -- publishers, school districts, states, and universities -- jockey for positions in the first post-NCLB initiative.

Deeper Learning: Why Cross-Curricular Teaching is Essential

Ben JohnsonJanuary 15, 2013

Tags Integrated Studies, Teacher Development, Team Teaching, All Grades

It is time that teachers and administrators realize that public education has reached a dam in the river. We have gone about as far as we can go with isolated instruction and learning. While it may have served the purpose for the older generations, it does not meet the deeper learning needs of students today and tomorrow. Deeper learning can be accelerated by consolidating teacher efforts and combining relevant contents, in effect, opening new spillways of knowledge.

Five-Minute Film Festival: Lincoln Fever

Amy Erin Borovoy (aka VideoAmy)December 14, 2012

Tags Current Events, Integrated Studies, All Grades, History

Editor's Note: Spielberg's Lincoln film has stirred controversy in recent weeks for portraying three of Connecticut's four congressmen voting against the constitutional amendment to abolish slavery. In fact, all four of the state's representatives voted in favor. The film's writer, Tony Kushner, says it was an intentional inaccuracy aimed at showing how powerful forces, even in New England, were determined to block the abolition of slavery. Kushner stresses that the work is an historical fiction not an historical record.

Everyone is talking about Abraham Lincoln. With Steven Spielberg's blockbuster movie Lincoln taking theaters by storm and generating Oscar buzz, there's never been a better time to drum up good resources to teach about our 16th president -- and the tumultuous times in which he led the country.

Use Arts Integration to Enhance Common Core

Susan RileyNovember 30, 2012

Tags Arts Education, Common Core Standards, Integrated Studies, Lesson Plans, Music, Visual Arts

These days, integration in any area, be it STEM or the arts, seems to be the buzzword to curriculum designers everywhere. There are so many resources floating around out there with the claim of integrating content areas. Yet, true integration is often difficult to find. Indeed, integration is a rare yet seemingly "magical" approach that has the capacity to turn learning into meaningful practice.

Which of course, as any teacher will tell you, is anything but magic.

Integration Strategies for PBL

Andrew MillerNovember 29, 2012

Tags Best Practices, Integrated Studies, Project-Based Learning, All Grades

This series is about taking your PBL projects "up a notch." I wrote a blog about how to get started, but after you get started and are familiar with the benefits of keeping it small and focused, what are some of your next steps? One area where I see teachers taking their PBL projects up a notch is through integration. However, integration is actually quite complicated and includes many levels of implementation. Here are some tips to consider for integrating content areas into your next PBL project.

Five-Minute Film Festival: Color Theory

Amy Erin Borovoy (aka VideoAmy)November 9, 2012

Tags Arts Education, Brain Research, Integrated Studies, All Grades, Science, Visual Arts

How often do you stop to think about color? We take it for granted, but it's ubiquitous in our everyday lives, and whether you're looking at it through the lens of art, science, or philosophy, color can be evocative. Full disclosure: I'm the mother of a toddler, and we're talking about color a lot in my house right now, as my daughter learns to identify and describe the world around her.