The Importance of Integrating Curriculum Disciplines in Middle School Classrooms

Integrated curriculum has been a method of teaching towards student interest and success for over 50 years (Beane, 1992). Research has shown that integrated curriculum positively effects students\u27 test scores and content area grades, and for this reason has become a widely promoted curriculum reform strategy. Parker (2007) observes that the real world does not fragment problems into specifically designated content areas, yet students are taught to engage in their math brain or social studies brain (p. 1) for fragmented periods of time and then switch their thinking skills in jolted one hour blocks of time. Instead, Parker (2007) addresses the benefit of integrated curriculum to teach students how to utilize their brains in an integrative matter during their formative K-12 years. In addition to Parker\u27s finding, in this paper, I identify the leading research in integrated curriculum and the reasons it is beneficial for middle school learners. Also in this paper is a complete four subject, three trimester integrated curriculum pacing chart for grades six through eight to be easily adopted by the middle school teachers of the Adams 12 Five Star School District in order to begin the implementation of integrated curriculum in local schools