Interdisciplinary Instruction for All Learners K-8: A Practical Guide (4e)

Karlyn E. Wood, SUNY at Old Westbury
Title Interdisciplinary Instruction for All Learners K-8: A Practical Guide
Edition 4th
ISBN 9780137137084
ISBN 10 0137137087
Published 25/06/2009
Published by Pearson Higher Ed USA
Pages 216
Format Paperback
Out of stock
 
Total Price $51.95 Add to Cart
Description

 

In keeping with the renewed interest in interdisciplinary instructional methods, this practical text provides teacher candidates with a strong foundational knowledge of the field, coupled with a wealth of practical suggestions on how to plan and implement interdisciplinary instruction across the curriculum with all learners. Readers are guided through the thinking and planning processes involved in designing interdisciplinary units and multidisciplinary units. The explanation of the lesson planning process, which follows a "backward design" approach, includes examples of lesson plans that follow five specific procedural protocols. By the end of the text, students will have experienced the entire process involved in planning, designing, creating, and implementing interdisciplinary instruction in K-8 schools.

 

NEW! 

  • Emphasizes the connections between the interdisciplinary approach and two important contemporary concerns in education–student diversity and differentiation of instruction.
  • Discusses the No Child Left Behind legislation and the challenge it presents to innovation and the development of interdisciplinary programs in particular.

Table of contents
Brief Contents  
Chapter 1 Introduction to Interdisciplinary Instruction

Chapter 2 Requirements and Challenges for Interdisciplinary Instruction

Chapter 3 Designing Interdisciplinary Units

Chapter 4 Designing Multidisciplinary Units

Chapter 5 Lesson Planning Strategies for Interdisciplinary Instruction

Chapter 6 Assessment Planning for Interdisciplinary Instruction

Appendix

Index    

New to this edition

NEW!  Chapters have been reorganized from seven to six chapters to provide a more logical sequence of topics.

  • Incorporates examples of interdisciplinary units, multidisciplinary units, and lesson plans in the chapters following the explanations of each type of plan.
  • Invites students to design their own units and lesson plans in the activities.  These follow the explanation of the design processes in the chapters.

 

NEW!  Incorporates a discussion of the No Child Left Behind legislation–Discusses the challenges it presents to innovation and the development of interdisciplinary programs in particular.

  • Gives references to the legislation where appropriate throughout the book.

 

NEW!  Emphasizes the connections between the interdisciplinary approach and two important contemporary concerns in education, student diversity and differentiation of instruction–Provides new material, particularly in the theoretical introductory chapter, that will indicate how the interdisciplinary approach naturally makes provisions for differentiation of instruction and accommodates variations in student learning styles, interests, and abilities.

  • Places emphasis on planning strategies for student diversity.

 

NEW!  Reviews the distinguishing features and rationale for the use of interdisciplinary methods (Chapter 1, Introduction to Interdisciplinary Instruction)--Compares similarities and differences in interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and integrated instruction.

 

NEW!  Includes discussions of classroom management, compatible philosophies, technology, and collaboration with other school personnel (Chapter 2, Requirements and Challenges for Interdisciplinary Instruction)--Reviews the challenges No Child Left Behind, parental and the community involvement, recluctance to change, and lack of system support can pose for teachers.

 

NEW!  Illustrates the process involved in interdisciplinary unit planning (Chapter 3, Designing Interdisciplinary Units)—Encourages students to view planning from a backward design viewpoint.

  • Accompanied by step-by-step procedures and examples.
  • Offers readers significant concrete information on the interdisciplinary unit planning process–provides examples at each step of the process as well as a complete interdisciplinary unit plan.

 

NEW! Explains the differences between interdisciplinary units and multidisciplinary units (Chapter 4, Designing Multidisciplinary Units)—Illustrates the process involved in multidisciplinary unit planning for students in departmental middle schools.

  • Accompanied by step-by-step procedures and examples.
  • Offers readers significant concrete information on the multidisciplinary unit planning process–provides examples at each step of the process as well as a complete multidisciplinary unit plan.

 

NEW!  Expands the chapter on lesson planning (Chapter 5, Lesson Planning Strategies for Interdisciplinary Instruction)--Reviews learning and developmental principles for lesson planning and the practical uses of Bloom’s Taxonomy in the preparation of lesson plans.

  • Explanations of learning standards, general objectives, key questions, and behavioral objectives are provided.
  • Reviews the practical protocols to use in planning the procedures in lesson plans, including guided reading, viewing, and listening; the know, want to know, learned (KWL) technique; the scientific method for lessons involving experiments in science; and the five-step lesson plan for skill instruction. Provides detailed explanations of the processes involved and complete lesson plans for each protocol.

NEW! Includes new rubric examples suggested by NCATE for the teaching profession (Chapter 6, Assessment Planning for Interdisciplinary Instruction) --Familiarizes students with this complex piece of the instructional puzzle.

  • Addresses trends and issues in the area, validity and reliability, and concerns about standards and high-stakes testing.
  • Includes explanations of both authentic and traditional assessment, assessment terms commonly used in schools, and discussion of how to prepare test items in various formats.

 

NEW!  Includes a new appendix--The appendix gives 16 examples of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary unit plan web designs, several of which were prepared by teaching candidates and classroom teachers.

 

NEW!  Activity sections at the ends of chapters have been revised to reflect new information included in the fourth edition–These sections also include some ideas for discussion groups for teachers and teacher candidates.

 

NEW!  A Chapter Summary now ends all chapters rounding out the chapter discussion and providing a convenient synopsis for readers.

 
 
Features & benefits

A practical and brief K-8 interdisciplinary methods text.

 

Helps students learn to plan, design, create, and implement interdisciplinary instruction for all learners.

 

Includes application exercises–provides numerous practice opportunities throughout the book.

 

Follows the backward design process (which is rapidly becoming the accepted planning strategy) while also including outlines for planning interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary units-- Uses lesson plans that are familiar to elementary and middle school teachers.  All of the lesson plans included follow five specific planning protocols and each protocol is explained in a step-by-step manner.

  • Includes example unit plan web designs (Chapters 3, 4, and appendix.)
  • Presents interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary unit plans (Chapters 3 and 4.)
  • Gives sample lesson plans (Chapter 5.)

Focuses on (but is not limited to) social studies topics–Includes a sample unit plan for science in Chapter 3.

 

Suggests and illustrates the use of multidirectional web designs that indicate interrelationships among the lessons and activities as well as connections to the main topic of the unit–See sample web designs in Chapters 3 and 4.

Author biography
About the Author

Karlyn Wood received his Ed.D. from Hofstra University and is Professor of Humanities in the School of Education at the State University of New York/College at Old Westbury on Long Island, where he teaches courses in interdisciplinary methodology and child development. He supervises and conducts seminars for student teachers and is currently the Chair of the Childhood Education and Literacy Department. Karlyn has taught at the elementary level, served as a district reading consultant, administrator, and coordinator for an experimental elementary program. His publications include articles in Language Arts, Childhood Education, The Journal of Child Development, and The Journal of Teacher Education. His papers have been included in Sociological Abstracts and ERIC documents. He belongs to the American Educational Research Association, Association Montessori Internationale, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and he is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi honor society.