Grade Level
Gr. 3;
Document Type
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Keywords
Birds, study and teaching (Elementary); Curriculum evaluation;
Abstract
Integration of subject areas with technology and thinking skills is a way to help teachers cope with today’s overloaded curriculum and to help students see the connectedness of different curriculum areas. This study compares three authentic approaches to teaching a science unit on bird adaptations for habitat that integrate thinking skills and technology skills: a problem-based learning approach utilizing the CoRT Breadth thinking skills (de Bono, 2000); a thematic approach integrating several subject areas using Talents Unlimited thinking skills (Schlichter & Palmer, 1993); and a process skill-focused approach using object boxes (Rule, Barrera, & Stewart, 2004). Three third grade classes of students (N=60) of mixed ability and Spanish/English proficiency from a western rural community participated in this pretest- interventionposttest study. Posttest scores showed all classes gained in knowledge of bird facts and adaptations, descriptive vocabulary, curiosity, technology self-efficacy, and knowledge of computer applications. Problem-based learning students showed the most curiosity (measured by questions generated for a topic-related image); thematic unit students excelled in computer application knowledge; while object box students showed largest gains in science knowledge, vocabulary, and computer self-efficacy. Integration of thinking skills allowed teachers to structure and scaffold learning in all three approaches. All three authentic approaches exhibited strengths along with challenges and are recommended. [67 references, 12 tables]
Department
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Original Date
5-2008
Copyright
©2008 Audrey C. Rule and Manuel t. Barrera
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Rule, Audrey C. and Barrera, M. T. III, "Three Authentic Curriculum-integration Approaches to Bird Adaptations that Incorporate Technology and Thinking Skills" (2008). Open Educational Resources. 293.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/oermaterials/293
