In an effort to provide samples to teachers on how to create and develop learning pathways and/or integrated units, our science consultants have teamed up and collaborated with consultants in ELA, math and social studies and created a variety of resources that will be found below. These resources are freely available and we hope that they will serve as a model for integrating standards from a variety of content areas as well as from the Universal Constructs and Social Emotional Learning competencies.
Lessons and Units
| Grade Level | Link to Lesson/ Unit Materials | Description |
|---|---|---|
| K | Supplemental lesson to accompany Mystery Science “Weather Watching” unit | What materials would we want to use to build the perfect playground so it is not too hot in summer and not too cold in winter? |
| K | Unit Materials Google folder | How does a Dog Park Change a Community?
In this unit, students are tasked by “the mayor” to help plan and design a dog park that is safe for humans and dogs. This is a full 4-5 week unit that incorporates standards from science, social studies, math, and ELA in addition to SEL competencies, universal constructs, and 21st Century skills |
| 1st grade | Learning Pathway | How do plants and animals meet their needs to survive? |
| 3rd grade | Unit materials Google folder | Survival, Trade, and Migration – 8 week unit with 3 learning cycles
Survival: What would you need to survive? |
| 5th grade | Learning pathway | What is causing gravesite markers and structures to deteriorate over time, in Iowa? |
| 5th grade | In development – Anticipated pilot August 2023 | This will be a fully developed 6-8 week unit that integrates standards from science, math, social studies and ELA in addition to SEL competencies and universal constructs |
| Secondary | Lesson flowchart | How does thermal energy transfer when combining varying temperatures of mediums? |
| High School (life science) | Learning Pathway | What impacts populations of animals in the natural ecosystems? |
| Science Team Publications |
Integrated Unit Design |
Doing It All (NSTA: Science & Children, Nov/Dec 2022) Designing Interdisciplinary Units in Elementary School (Edutopia, May 2023) |
Resources Utilized in Development
Content standards by grade level (math, ELA, science, SEL, Universal constructs) K-6
ELA Standards (explicit/integrated)