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Strategy 1: Building Integrated Unit Plans

Background

An Integrated Unit Plan is an alternative to delivering the curriculum in traditional subject groupings. An Integrated Unit Plan works by building a unit plan that links together  a number of subject disciplines through a central topic, such as ‘cemeteries’.

An integrated unit plan allows students to see a topic from a variety of perspectives; it gives greater depth to the topic and shows the connectedness between the different subject disciplines.

Process

Design the unit name so that it will engage students. Select questions and tasks from all six (6) levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, using the ITC Thinking Framework p.22 as a guide, and ensure that the topic lends itself to inquiry-based research.

Observation

An integrated unit plan does not have to include every subject area – two or three areas can be enough! The integrated unit can be planned on-line by creating a webquest at http://webquest.org/index.php

Topic: Cemeteries – Dead Center of Town or Living History?

Cemeteries Diagram

*Note all strategies described below, can be found in the 2009/2010 Innovative Teachers’ Companion.

Monday

Cemeteries – Dead Center of Town or Living History? (English/Media Studies)

  • Generate a list of novels, plays, TV dramas (or comedies) or films that have pivotal scenes set in a cemetery. How? Round Robin (p122)
  • Explain why writers set some scenes in a cemetery. How? Concept Map (p.76)
  • Plan a short story or scene from a play and set it in a cemetery. How? Fishbone Diagram (p.170)
  • Compare two famous ‘cemetery’ scenes from novels, plays or films. How? Double Bubble Map (p.68)
  • Determine which of the two scenes more effectively demonstrates the elements of the genre it represents. How? Decision Making Matrix (p92)
  • Debate the topic: Cemeteries are just a waste of good real estate!  How? Judge Jury (p.162)
  • Modify a famous ‘cemetery’ scene to change the direction of the story. How? MAS (p.106)

Tuesday

Cemeteries – Dead Center of Town or Living History? (History)

  • List everything you know about cemeteries. How? KWHL (p.110)
  • Explain the significance of cemeteries to the study of history. How? 3:2:1:RIQ (p.142)
  • Conduct a field trip to a local cemetery and construct a timeline from first to most recent burial. Note any significant periods e.g. several deaths at one time. How? Timeline
  • Investigate the historical information about the community that was revealed during the field trip. How? Jigsaw (p.154)
  • Create a Historical Guide to your local cemetery.  How? 1:4:PCR (p.134)

Wednesday

Cemeteries – Dead Center of Town or Living History? (Art)

  • Write 5 facts about the way that death is portrayed in the visual arts.How? Hot Potato (p.122)
  • Explain the meaning of symbols on headstones. How? T-Chart (p.100)
  • Illustrate the use of the visual arts in death/burial rituals. How? Image Associated Idea (p.64)
  • Compare two artists who have portrayed ‘death’ in their artwork.e.g. Gaugin and Van Gogh How? Double Bubble Map (p.68)
  • Choose two pieces of artwork and decide which is more effective in representing the tragedy and mystery of death. How? Decision Making Matrix (p.92)
  • Create a piece of artwork for an on-line epitaph. How? Y-Chart (p.122) & 1:4:P:C:R (p.134)

Thursday

Cemeteries – Dead Center of Town or Living History? (Religious Education)

  • Generate a list of the rituals and customs surrounding death and burial in different religions. How? Round Robin (p.122)
  • Describe, in your own words, one of the death and burial customs or rituals you have listed. How? Concept Map (p.76)
  • Interview someone whose job involves death and burial customs e.g. funeral director, cemetery curator or minister of religion.
  • Devise 5 interview questions. How? Pairs & RAS Alert (p.114)
  • Analyse the death and burial customs of a religion group. How? Y-Chart (p.126)
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of death and burial customs in helping people cope with the tragedy and mystery of death.  How? Elimination Draw (p.80)
  • Modify an ancient death or burial custom so that it would have significance for people in today’s busy world. How? MAS (p.106)

Friday

Cemeteries – Dead Center of Town or Living History? (Mathematics)

  • Write 10 mathematical facts about the cemetery you visited, e.g. Shapes, Proportion of male / females, average and median size of graves. How? Round Robin (p.122)
  • Explain the factors that influence the demand for cemetery space. Which do you think has the highest correlation? Conduct research to find the answer. How? POE (p.130)
  • Develop a Spreadsheet to calculate the future land space required for cemeteries for the next 10 years. Variables include current population, population growth rate & death rate in the local area, proportion of people who will be buried / cremated. Use ‘what ifs’ in the model, e.g. a medical breakthrough – death rate decreases 15%. How? 1:4:P:C:R (p.134)
  • Examine the mathematical information on the epitaphs and identify patterns, e.g. average age of death in 1900 – 1909 compared to 1990 – 1999. How? 1:4:P:C:R (p.134)
  • Draw at least 3 conclusions from the mathematical data you have collected and analysed. How? 3:2:1:R:I:Q (p142)