Secondary Program University of North Carolina Wilmington uncw/ed/informal

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From Historic Cemeteries to High School Classrooms: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Student Learning and Teacher Training Secondary Program University of North Carolina Wilmington http://www.uncw.edu/ed/inform al/ NC-ACTE Poster Session, Watson School of Education, UNCW 9/10/08

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From Historic Cemeteries to High School Classrooms: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Student Learning and Teacher Training. Secondary Program University of North Carolina Wilmington http://www.uncw.edu/ed/informal/. NC-ACTE Poster Session, Watson School of Education, UNCW 9/10/08. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Secondary Program University of North Carolina Wilmington uncw/ed/informal

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From Historic Cemeteries to High School Classrooms: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Student Learning and

Teacher Training

Secondary Program

University of North Carolina Wilmington

http://www.uncw.edu/ed/informal/

NC-ACTE Poster Session, Watson School of Education, UNCW 9/10/08

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This presentation showcases instructional approaches university faculty used to help students develop inquiry-based lessons across multiple disciplines using community resources.

Experiences represent efforts to educate K-16 learners

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Purpose

• Informal learning settings exist throughout every community, and each can add a true contextual experience for Standard Courses of Study, if integrated appropriately.

GoalsProvide preservice teachers with experience in:• informal learning settings• working as students to investigate community resources

in interdisciplinary teams• planning an interdisciplinary lesson with peers from other

disciplines • designing and implementing an effective field trip.

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Oakdale Cemetery and Pine Forrest Cemetery

http://www.oakdalecemetery.org/

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Pictures of Oakdale Cemetery

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Our Position• Importance of learning outside the classroom.• K-16 students deserve learning opportunities

that are plural and integrated.• Informal settings (Museums, Aquariums, Zoos,

Battleships, Cemeteries, etc.) provide rich contexts for authentic learning.

• Field trips provide experience, context and motivation for making career choices.

• Students need to become aware of connections within multiple disciplines.

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Pictures of Pine Forrest Cemetery

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Practical Applications

• Planning a field trip

• Lesson Plans

• PowerPoint Presentations– Interdisciplinary between Science, Social

Studies, English and Math

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Pictures of Pine Forrest Cemetery

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Interdisciplinary Content Addressed• Science content

– Chemistry – chemical weathering of gravestones– Biology – disease prevention and epidemiology,

succession ecology, survival curves

English Content– Literature from from cemetery’s historical eras– Iconography– Epitaphs

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Pictures of Oakdale Cemetery

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Interdisciplinary Content Addressed• Social Studies content

– Historical aspects- Revolutionary and Civil Wars, WW I and WW II

– Civics & Economics – citizenship, war production– Sociology- segregation and racial inequality

• Math content– Geometry – Algebra– Statistics

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2 Cemeteries, 2 Stories• We wanted students to compare and

contrast two current but historical cemeteries from the 1800’s.

• Oakdale Cemetery – designed to serve Wilmington’s white middle to upper class

• Pine Forest Cemetery – designed to serve Wilmington’s African-American community.

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Challenges• Adapting a formal school structure to an informal

experience• Developing a partnership with an informal setting• Time consuming with planning and

implementation • Administrative costs for travel, services rendered,

and resources consumed (loss of integrity)• Working with your interdisciplinary peers

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Conclusions

• With the advent of school restructuring (i.e. new schools, ninth grade academies), the opportunities exist for thematic approaches.

• Motivation across populations (students, pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, university faculty)

• Tie informal settings with the missions and curriculum goals of schools

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