Association for Research in Science Teaching (New Orleans,

This paper describes the progress of applying the integrated curriculum in two elementary classrooms. Utilizing science as the core course of integrated curriculum, thrc3 eiementary teachers and two university-based educators worked together to design and to conduct the experimental course of integrated-curriculum. Based on the approach of collaborative action research, the team members had weekly meetings to discuss the strategies of integrated-curriculum plans, designed the integrated-curriculum, applied the curriculum, found the problems (including teaching and learning problems) and solved problems, and developed the suitable integrated-curriculum model with a theoretical and practical rationale. Results of the study show that the activity-based integrated-curriculum is a proper model for teachers in connecting the different subjects to deal with aspects of one topic at the same time, and is a proper approach for students in connecting their learning in the school with their real life experiences. Under th