Indicator 5

The curriculum shall:

• be appropriately integrated;
• emphasize depth of understanding over breadth of coverage.

What to Look for:

This particular indicator includes two different elements that should be visible in the curriculum and is, therefore, treated in two sections:
5A: Are efforts made to show interdisciplinary connections so that students recognize that knowledge and learning are not isolated within a particular subject area? Likewise, is the curriculum within a given subject area integrated so that basic concepts are shown to be connected and reinforcing of each other?

• math courses are integrated and spiral the basic concepts of algebra and geometry, of logic and statistics, etc. as suggested in most curriculum frameworks and in the NCTM standards
• science courses integrate concepts, skills, and knowledge in the life and physical sciences (earth science, physics, chemistry) as recommended by national science organizations (NSTA, etc.)
• social studies courses incorporate and show the relationships between geography, history, economics, sociology, etc. rather than acting as discrete courses (e.g., American Cultural Studies instead of American history )
• Humanities courses (rather than discrete courses in English, social studies, or art history) are offered as interdisciplinary opportunities for students to see the connections between literature, history, social culture, the arts, etc.
• interdisciplinary courses or programs are offered (or efforts within existing courses are made) to draw connections between a range of subject areas/disciplines (e.g., environmental literature; calculus and advanced physics; arts and literature; math and music; etc.)
• themes or essential questions are used to drive the curriculum and thus encourage interdisciplinary thinking (e.g., Is war inevitable in human society? An interdisciplinary unit focused on this question might ask students to read a war novel in English, analyze the causes of war in social studies, and study human behavior in psychology.)

5B: Is depth of understanding valued over breadth of coverage? Does the curriculum emphasize higher order thinking and "essential questions"? Does it push all teachers to encourage students to think critically and to "use their minds well"? Are students asked to go beyond purely memorizing information? Are students taught to think inferentially?

It is necessary to find evidence that the school has sought a balance in going beyond state standards and has created opportunities for students to think critically, to spend time in truly understanding complicated concepts, and to demonstrate, perform, or exhibit their knowledge, skills, and understandings.

• project-based learning is evident throughout the school
• essential questions or themes are used to frame lessons, units, or course descriptions and are found in course booklets, department curriculum documents, handouts to students, or on classroom marker boards
• courses revolve around themes (e.g., "What impact has war had on American society?") rather than chronological coverage (i.e., survey courses) and allow for in-depth research
• all courses allow for in-depth application of concepts to real-life situations
• assessment activities include many opportunities for students to demonstrate higher order thinking, not simply rote responses on multiple choice tests (e.g., students are asked to apply information, skills, ideas, and concepts that they have learned to new situations)
• expectations for higher order student learning are posted in classrooms in order to emphasize to students the importance of critical thinking and the level of learning expected of them; these expectations are evident in the curriculum and instruction and are continually reinforced by teachers