CURRICULUM INTEGRATION TO

PROMOTE STUDENT OUTCOMES

By Jorge Romero II
 THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING UNITS,
RATHER THAN SIMPLY INDIVIDUAL LESSONS

• Planning with the final outcome in mind (Backwards

design)
• Unit/lesson objectives that students will achieve
• How they will demonstrate it in each lesson/whole unit
through formal/informal assessments
• What does the student need to know and what ways will
he/she learn it
• Gives room for improvement, modifications, plan B or C.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING UNITS,
RATHER THAN SIMPLY INDIVIDUAL LESSONS

• The three steps of backwards design:

 D ES I G N I N G I N S TR U CT I O N A L U N I T S T H AT E MB O D Y
H I G H EX PE CTATI O N S FO R ST U D E N T LE A R N I N G
A N D A LI G N W I T H A C A D E M I C STA N D A RD S

• Independence and personal accountability opportunities

• Clear expectations and success rubric/criteria

• Be a facilitator

• Student prior knowledge and interests

• Open question/critical thinking assignments

 D ES I G N I N G I N S TR U CT I O N A L U N I T S T H AT E MB O D Y
H I G H EX PE CTATI O N S FO R ST U D E N T LE A R N I N G
A N D A LI G N W I T H A C A D E M I C STA N D A RD S

• Diverse pace of learning

• Diverse learning strategies to align with students’ learning style

• Build lessons where students take an initiative to learn and grow

academically.
 P LA N N I N G D I F F ER EN TI ATE D I N ST RU C TI O N A L
ST RATE G I E S A N D T EC H N O LO G I E S T H AT CA N BE
U S ED TO M A X I M I Z E H I G H - Q U A L I TY I N ST RU CT I O N

• Differentiated grouping

• Student’s current readiness (Not too easy, not too hard)

• Group students by interests

• Cube activities

• Station activities
 P LA N N I N G D I F F ER EN TI ATE D I N ST RU C TI O N A L
ST RATE G I E S A N D T EC H N O LO G I E S T H AT CA N BE
U S ED TO M A X I M I Z E H I G H - Q U A L I TY I N ST RU CT I O N

• Videos, visuals, audio

• Google Drive, Microsoft Office, PowToon, poster boards

• Give students freedom to choose how they will demonstrate their

learning and knowledge for lessons and units.
 ENSURI NG THAT CURRICULUM AND
I NSTRUC TIONAL P RACTIC ES ARE CULTURAL LY
INCL USIVE

• Gain an understanding/self-assessment on culture awareness

• Cultural classroom culture and environment

• Open-ended projects

• Students discussions and sharing background/culture expertise

 ENSURI NG THAT CURRICULUM AND
I NSTRUC TIONAL P RACTIC ES ARE CULTURAL LY
INCL USIVE

• Multicultural events

• Communication with families

• Local diverse community resources

• Attend local cultural events to learn

About the school community.
 INCORPORATING THE SCHOOL'S
VISION AND GOALS INTO INNOVATIVE
INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

• After-school programs

• Parent-child events

• Peer tutoring

• Parent tutoring

• Social emotional learning

 REFERENCES

• Arnold, J. (1997). High expectations for all: perspective and practice. this we believe and now we must act. Middle School
Journal, 28(3), 51–53.
• Bowen, R. S.  (2017). Understanding by design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved from
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/.
• Cox, S. G. (2008). Differentiated Instruction in the elementary classroom. Education Digest, 73(9), 52.
• Jones, K. A., Vermette, P. J., & Jones, J. L. (2009). An integration of “backwards planning” unit design with the “two-step”
lesson planning framework. Education, 130(2), 357–360.
• Montgomery, W. (2001). Creating culturally responsive, inclusive classrooms. Teaching Exceptional Children, 33(4), 4.
https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/004005990103300401