The Definition of Curriculum Integration

An integration is a philosophy of teaching in which content is drawn from several subject areas to focus on a particular topic or theme. Rather than studying math or social studies in isolation, for example, a class might study a unit called The Sea, using math to calculate pressure at certain depths and social studies to understand why coastal and inland populations have different livelihoods.

Effective interdisciplinary studies include the following elements:

• A topic that lends itself to study from several points of view.
• Two to five valuable themes (or essential questions) the teacher wants the students to explore.
• An approach and activities to further students’ understanding more than is possible in a traditional, single-discipline unit.

Source: From The Language of Learning: A Guide to Education Terms, by J. L. McBrien & R. S. Brandt, p. 55, 1997, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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