InTASC Standard #5: The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
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In order for students to retain the content presented, they need to understand the purpose and importance of the content. If the teacher is able to foster student connections to the content, students are much more likely to be intrinsically motivated to learn. These connections can be cultivated through opportunities to apply the content in various ways.
The first document below is from a Kindergarten unit on the five senses. This document details various cross curricular integrations that I would incorporate into the science unit. I whole-heartedly believe that weaving in these connections across the subjects helps students to become more deeply engaged in the content. A second section of the document below details a community connection for the five senses unit. Making real-world connections can be incredibly effective to help students understand the content at a more personal level. The final document is a Kindergarten arts-integrated lesson plan. The lesson was a science lesson on magnetism where students had the opportunity to apply their knowledge of magnetic forces to mix primary colors to make secondary colors. There were two main objectives of the lesson. Students gained a deeper understanding of magnetic forces and students learned that when two primary colors are blended, they create one secondary color. The students seemed to thoroughly enjoy the lesson as they experienced the connection of making art using their knowledge of the scientific concept, magnetism. |