"The content is powerful. Seeing examples from all grade levels is important so that each reader, regardless of teaching level, can see that it can be done in his or her situation." -Sue DeLay, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Oak Creek Franklin School District, WI "Contains real-life examples of integration, including examples of the author's own experience in the classroom, making the work much more appealing and credible for teachers." -Mary Ann Kahl, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, National-Louis University "This is the first book I have read that lays out a big picture that I can buy into and explains how to look at accountability in a positive way." -Jane Adair, Resource Specialist, Long Beach Polytechnic High School, CA Help your learners connect big questions to big understandings! In today's accountability-driven environment, educators strive to develop an integrated, relevant, and measurable curriculum while also presenting engaging subject matter that inspires student learning. In this completely revised edition of the classic text, Susan M. Drake provides a new approach to standards-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment that helps educators identify what students must know, do, and be. This invaluable resource also offers: A framework allowing for multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches to curriculum integration; Sample models of integrated curriculum in action; Practical suggestions to simplify curriculum alignment and integration; Insights based on real classroom experience to connect the framework to the real world; End-of-chapter discussion questions and suggested activities; Discover how you can create an integrated, standards-based curriculum that inspires your students, and then watch them thrive.

Table of Contents:
List of Tables and Figures Preface About the Author Acknowledgments 1. Accountability and Two-Dimensional Thinking What is Accountability? What is a Standards-Based Approach? Challenges with Standards Two-Dimensional Thinking The "Know-Do-Be" Umbrella Backward Design Backward Mapping and Interdisciplinary Work Unpacking the Standards Curriculum Mapping Horizontal Mapping Vertical Mapping Making Connections Through Mapping Mapping for Potential Integration Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 2. What Is Interdisciplinary Curriculum? Looking Back at the Late 80s and 90s Degrees of Integration Fusion Multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary Transdisciplinary A Summary of the Different Approaches to Integration Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 3. What Do We Want Students to KNOW, DO, and BE? Using the Wide-Angle Lens to Find the KNOW/DO/BE: Seeing the Big Picture What is Worth Knowing? What is Worth Doing? How Do We Want Our Students to Be? The Scan & Cluster Using the Zoom Lens to Identify the KDB Finding the KNOW Finding the DO Discovering the BE Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 4. How Do Teachers Know When Students Have Met Expectations? Interdisciplinary Assessment What Is It? Assessment Of, For and As Learning What Are Interdisciplinary Assessment Tools? Who is Responsible for Teaching the Cross-Curricular Skills? Who Assesses What? A Sample of a Big Assessment Task Planning Big Assessment Tasks Step 1: What do I need to know before I can create a Big Assessment Task? Step 2: What kind of Big Assessment Task will show the KDB? Step 3: What are the criteria to distinguish between levels of performance? How Some Teachers Planned the Big Assessment Task Step1. What do I need to know before I can create the Big Assessment Task? Step 2: What kind of evidence do we need to show the KDB? Step 3: What assessment tools can we use to measure the evidence and provide specific criteria to distinguish levels of performance? Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 5. How Do I Create Learning Experiences That Lead to the KDB? Creating Big Questions to Align the KDB and Big Assessment Tasks Big Questions and Unit Questions Creating Big Questions from Across the Curriculum A Formula for Big Questions Connecting Big Questions to Big Understandings Developing Big Questions from Big Understandings A Personal Insight in Designing Instructional Strategies Creating a Big Assessment Task Two Principles for Designing Daily Activities/Assessments Principle 1: Using Two-Dimensional Thinking Principle 2: Learning Principles as an Assessment Guide Connecting to the KDB in Daily Activities/Assessments The KNOW The DO The BE Big Assessment Task How Lydia Developed the Daily Activities and Assessments Teacher Thinking and the Red Hill Unit Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 6. A Sample Interdisciplinary Curriculum Based on Standards Presteps Step 1: Choose an Age-Appropriate and Relevant Topic Theme Step 2: Select Appropriate Broad-Based Standards Step 3: Create an Exploratory Web Step 4: Create a KDB Umbrella Step 5: Create a Big Assessment Task where students can demonstrate that they have achieved the KDB Step 6: Create Big Questions Step 7: Create Mini-Units to Address the Big Questions Step 8: Create the ongoing activities/assessments based on the standards. Select assessment tools. Check that these are connected to the KDB and lead to Big Assessment Task Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 7. Exploring Other Interdisciplinary/Integrated Models The Curry/Samara Model® Integrating Technology Into the Curriculum with a Webquest The Narrative Curriculum Creating an Interdisciplinary Course with Interdisciplinary Guidelines Saeid’s Story Brain Science: A Sample Interdisciplinary Studies Course A Sample Unit Unit 1: Mind’s Perception Broad-Based Interdisciplinary Standards Activities and Evaluations Resources Discussion Questions Suggested Activities 8. A Journey From Beginning to End: Designing and Implementing the Curriculum Process Model™ with contributions by Tessie Torres-Dickson The Curriculum Process Model™ Some Insights Tessie Torres-Dickson’s Acknowledgments Discussion Questions Suggested Activities Epilogue References Index