ABSTRACT

How can curriculum integration of school science with the related disciplines of technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) enhance students’ skills and their ability to link what they learn in school with the world outside the classroom?

Featuring actual case studies of teachers’ attempts to integrate their curriculum, their reasons for doing so, how they did it, and their reflections on the outcomes, this book encourages science educators to consider the purposes and potential outcomes of this approach and raises important questions about the place of science in the school curriculum. It takes an honest approach to real issues that arise in curriculum integration in a range of education contexts at the elementary and middle school levels. The clear documentation and critical analysis of the contribution of science in curriculum integration—its implementation and its strengths and weaknesses—will assist teachers, science educators, and researchers to understand how this approach can work to engage students and improve their learning, as well as how it does not happen easily, and how various factors can facilitate or hinder successful integration.

chapter 2|12 pages

Focus on Learning

Building Rockets and Submarines at Leaside High School

chapter 3|10 pages

Focus on Problem-Solving

Modeling an Ice Hockey Rink at Greenwich Public School

chapter 4|11 pages

Focus on Engineering

Bridge Building at Southern High School

chapter 5|9 pages

Focus on Literacy

Linking Language and Horticulture at Seaview Community School

chapter 6|10 pages

Focus on Reinforcement

Exploring Electricity and Energy Use at Beachville High School

chapter 7|12 pages

Focus on Focus

Making and Marketing a Toy at Rinkview Public School

chapter 8|12 pages

Focus on Teacher Support

Considering Access for the Disabled at Gosport Community School

chapter 9|12 pages

Focus on Leadership

Constructing a Model House at Mossburn School

chapter 10|12 pages

Focus on Community

Learning About Tiger Snakes at Chelsea Elementary School

chapter 11|11 pages

Focus on Values

Investigating Water Quality in a Local Lake at Kentish Middle School

chapter 12|20 pages

Reflecting on Curriculum Integration

Seeking Balance and Connection Through a Worldly Perspective