Running

head: CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM 1

Content knowledge in interdisciplinary curriculum

Sarah Pazda

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496, spring 2020

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM 2

Introduction

Combining two or more content areas can be extremely helpful in the classroom. When

students are able to learn two things at once, it can be quite effective. They tend to pick up

aspects from a different subject they do not even know they are hitting. It can save time on the

teacher’s part and is beneficial for the students, as well. “Learning several

different subjects simultaneously and in the right order or sequence will help retain knowledge

more easily by way of increased associations and connections, especially when

most subjects share common knowledge. This also helps to speed up the learning process”

(“Simultaneous Subject Teaching”). This strategy of teaching helps students retain information

more effectively and effortlessly. They are learning multiple things at the same time and they

practice two content areas simultaneously. Students unlock knowledge of double what they

would be learning and this speeds up their process of learning.

Rationale

My first artifact is a lesson plan that combines science and English. This lesson started

out with a differentiated card sort that helped the kids identify between important and interesting

facts. After this, I told them we would be learning about summarizing main ideas and how to

identify between interesting and important details. I then read an article about exploring Mars. It

talked about living conditions on other planets and if Mars was livable. As I went through each

section, I outlined important details and put them into the graphic organizer on the board. Then I

did a summary statement for each section and finally the whole article. They then had the task of

working with a partner to fill in the organizer for a different article that further talked about

living on Mars. They did the same as what was modeled and filled out the organizer writing in

important details from each section. I worked separately with some struggling learners to grasp
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM 3

how they were doing with the assignment and guide them through it. This article re-emphasized

and furthered their knowledge on what they were learning in science. While at the same time,

they practiced their writing and critical thinking. They had to read the the article and formulate

sentences or points that were emphasized in the text. This lesson helped them practice their

writing skills and expand upon their knowledge of space and Mars.

My second artifact was a writing assignment based on a book being read in class. I had

been reading a book called Esperanza Rising, throughout my time there, gradually each day.

They each had their own book and read along as I went. This practiced reading and it also hit

social studies since the book was giving them insight into what the world was like in the 1930s.

While we were hitting social studies and diving deeper to that in discussions, we were also

touching English with writing on certain aspects we were reading. We took from the book and

they wrote about literary elements like plot and theme. They also reflected upon the book and

wrote about it and learned literary devices like onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, symbols, and

proverbs. One particular thing we focused on was proverbs in the book. The students looked at

each proverb and wrote about what it meant and answered the questions about it. This lesson

combined reading, writing and social studies and helped the students practice inferencing.

Reflection

Ben Johnson says, “we can promote deep learning by encouraging multiple teachers

working together in helping students to understand math in the context of science, coordinating

timelines of scientific discovery and literature, and demonstrating how a painter uses light to

express meaning. When professional educators combine their energies and reinforce the same

deep learning, the stream of information is clearer for the student, the learning activities are more

fluid, and the student's reservoir of knowledge and skill fills faster” (Johnson 2014). Bringing
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM 4

coworkers and subjects together promotes stronger learning and the use of the best strategies.

During my time at Arrowhead, as the language arts specific field, we would meet often with the

science and math teacher to discuss where they were at and perhaps how we could correlate

lessons. This helped strengthen the students understanding in both content areas. “A case study

of an innovative pairing of arts and language teachers spearheaded by policy-makers in

Kentucky reveals strategies and benefits for integrating subject areas. “When you integrate, you

double achievement,” says Jacque Bott Van Houten, world language and international education

consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education” (Clydesdale). Integration is key and

promotes higher achievement.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM 5

References

Clydesdale, H. (n.d.). On the Loose: Combining Subjects Invigorates Teaching. Retrieved from

https://asiasociety.org/china-learning-initiatives/loose-combining-subjects-invigorates-

teaching

Johnson, B. (2014, August 14). Deeper Learning: Why Cross-Curricular Teaching is Essential.

Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/cross-curricular-teaching-deeper-learning-

ben-johnson

Simultaneous Subject Teaching. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.basicknowledge101.com/subjects/simultaneous.html