Interdisciplinary Unit Evaluation

We are coming to an end to the semester and we are practicing what we have learned by making up our own lesson based on Interdisciplinary Studies.  Presentations of each unit are being presented to us and we are evaluating a classmates≠ interdisciplinary unit.  Amanda and George's History Unit is the unit that we are now evaluating.

        They have described the time frame the students will be studying.  They have mentioned the age range of the students and the grade level which is at a high school level.  A two week unit which topic is the depression and the theme is the struggle of survival.  The unit will also include some math as well as English, science and history.  The unit doesn't really show the diverse population, they have not said what kind of school district they will be teaching in and the characteristics of the students. 

They ask for the students≠ point of views.  They were relating the lessons with real life problems it is anchored in the lives of the students.  They lessons I feel challenge the students because they are learning about problems through out history that others have encountered and they may not have known about. 

They have said the New Jersey State standards for their lessons.  They have listed materials that they will be using.  They also list the primary sources for the lessons.   They do not show blue prints, the anticipatory sets were well thought out but the lessons do not help if there happens to be a substitute teacher present who hasn≠t read over the materials.  The lessons need to be more laid out and self explanatory.   The plans were more of guidelines than blueprints. The questions link concepts together through out the different disciplines by the theme of the struggle of survival.  They did not flat out tell us what the essential questions was but the reworded it to incorporate them into the presentation. 
       The students work as a whole and also on their own.  The students do their own research on problems.  The students are viewed as thinkers but are also encouraged to be in charge of what they learn.  The lessons are student centered by asking the students questions on what the lesson is about or what they would like to do with the activities such as open discussions.   They have tried to make the lessons relevant for the learners by asking how they felt.  They try to show constructivism by having the students relates the book to their own life.

They have done an excellent job on their presentation.  I feel that every one found this assignment hard in their own ways.  I know I have had a hard time understanding the lesson plans and we have changed topics about four times.  I am proud of all of us that we were able to act like teachers and come up with excellent ideas for these units.