Portfolio Part E: Transformations

Section 1: Curriculum Integration

1. The Transdisciplinary approach allowed us to pursue a theme-based form of integration

to develop a project to address the current global issue of the Covid 19 pandemic. We

were aware that students have concerns about their personal safety as well as that of their

families and friends. This project would lead to an increased awareness of the facts and

give them the opportunity to be leaders in their community, by developing media that can

spread factual information to help prevent the spread of the disease. The theme

“Combatting Covid 19” was decided on due to its effect and relevance to the present

effect on the educational system and society as a whole. Mr. Celestine and I also

recognized the threat that misinformation has on our students and the wider population.

Students should be able to discern fact from fiction using critical thinking and act

responsibly when distributing information as well as follow protocols to prevent the

spread of the disease.

Each subject plays a role within the project and will be marked according to subject

relevant criteria from a rubric. Science would address the accuracy of facts about the

disease, use of proper jargon and the relevance of the information provided. Visual Arts

would create an avenue for students to share the valuable information in a creative way to

their peers and address the layout of the poster, use of colour and effectiveness of the

design. Studies of project-based programs show that students go far beyond the minimum

effort, make connections among different subject areas to answer open-ended questions,
retain what they have learned, apply learning to real-life problems, have fewer discipline

problems, and have lower absenteeism (Curtis,2002).

Mr. Celestine and I collaborated in creating a concept map, lesson plan and rubric for the

project to ensure that the objectives relative to each subject area were met with respect to

the theme and develop our approach to the lesson within the classroom setting. The

lesson plan also incorporated team teaching which allows us to collaborate with respect

to the delivery of the lesson. Allowing us to feed off of each other’s teaching style and

reduce the teacher/student ratio enabling students the opportunity to have some deeper

personal interactions within the lesson. Mr. Celestine and I have the ability to address any

issues or questions students may have relating to our specific disciplines immediately and

collaborate on solutions moving forward with the project.

Developing a concept map for the project enabled us to visualize a KNOW/DO/BE

Bridge which satisfy the criteria for a viable project. The following questions were

answered using the KNOW/DO/BE bridge:

 What is most important for the students to KNOW? – Students should know how

Covid 19 is spread and the protocols necessary to prevent the spread of Covid 19

 What is most important that the students be able to DO? – Students should be able to

educate their friends and family about Covid 19 and debunk any misinformation

about the disease.

 What kind of person do we want students to BE? – Students should be

knowledgeable, socially responsible and critically thinking members of society.

From this framework we were able to determine he format the project would take and

create an effective method of dealing with the problem that is Covid 19. It also ensures

that there is progression from Lower Order thinking to Higher Order thinking in Bloom’s

taxonomy and spanning cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains across disciplines.

A rubric was created to assess the project, that consisted of criteria contributed by Mr.

Celestine and I to ensure that the project met the required standards with respect to

both disciplines. Students will be informed on the criteria identified in the rubric to

ensure that all students are aware of the requirements needed to make an excellent

poster. The total mark will be applied to both students marksheets in both subjects

and students will be encouraged to display their posters on school noticeboards.

From this experience, I have come to recognize the similarities and differences with

regard to the instruction of different disciplines. Questioning and collaborative

strategies are utilized across many disciplines in pedagogy as well as the utilization of

Bloom’s taxonomy in the planning of lessons as well as the use of concept maps to

develop a lesson, unit or theme. The differences only really start to manifest

themselves when we approach the content, concepts and skills involved in the

discipline, however, commonalities and connections can still be found under the

context of a theme. Curriculum integration should be a strategy that is more

frequently used within a school context as the wider world rarely functions in pockets

of exclusivity, especially when the mission is problem solving. Developing these

collaborative skills and encouraging transdisciplinary integration is key to developing

a population better able to work together for a better world.

Curtis, D. (2002). The Power of Projects. Educational Leadership, 60(1), 50-53.

Drake, S. M., & Burns, R. C. (2004). Meeting standards through integrated curriculum.
Alexandria: Assn Supervn & Curr Dev, 6-17.