Curriculum Connection

Annette Lamb states in our Project One requirements under Curriculum Connection, "You'll be surprised to find that EVERYTHING can be connected in some way."  She is exactly right.  Now given my particular subject, I would hope that now student K-12 is researching information on planning a wedding reception, but ideas can be taken from that topic and applied to the standards the students are expect to learn.  I do remember being in high school and coming up with a plan for a house and decorating it, so I guess anything is possible.  :-) 


Standard 1 of the AASL Standards: Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge. 

More specifically: 1.3.4 - Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community. 

Let's take the idea of blogging for example.  A huge part of this project and something that can be applied at many different grade levels.
  What better way to exchange ideas than blogging!  Currently my 4th grade students participate in the Intermediate Young Hoosier Program.  I have been trying to come up with a better way for the students to communicate with me and others to discuss what they are reading.  The idea of blogging is something that many of my students would love.  The would have access to the computer in their classrooms as well as the media center.  I think this is coming from my new found love of blogging.  I think it is often times easier for students to discuss ideas with each other when they are not face to face.  It seems like they are worried that something they say won't be correct.  I would imagine that promoting this new exchange of ideas with up the participation in the program as well. 

Standard 2 of the AASL Standards: Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. 

Specifically 2.2.3 - Employ a critical stance in drawing conclusions by demonstrating that the pattern of evidence leads to a decision or conclusion. 

At the high school level, students using the inquiry process will need to recognize misleading information.  This would be the "Wiggling" stage of the 8Ws.  They may not be researching an outdoor wedding reception.  However, regardless of what they are researching, they are going to have to do some evaluating.  It is imperative that the students learn how to evaluate the sources of information they are using. 

The following site lists Hoax websites for teaching students how to evaluate the information they are finding.  http://www.shsu.edu/~lis_mah/documents/TCEA/hoaxtable.html  This is an activity that can be done while learning the inquiry process.  Evaluation is key when doing research. 

It is amazing how many standards this project would actually meet.  With just a little altering between grade levels, everything connects in some way!