Integrated Science and Social Studies Unit of Instruction for Middle School
[Content] [Overarching Concept] [Process Skills] [Overview] [Print (text only) ] [Download PDF]
Content
The cultural and ecological “worlds” of Central Asia, specifically the countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.
Overarching Concept, i.e. “The Big Idea”
The natural world affects the daily functioning of the man-made world and may determine its fate.
AND
The man-made world affects the daily functioning of the natural world and may determine its fate.
Process Skills
Comparing/contrasting, observing, inferring, classifying, predicting, formulating hypotheses, experimenting, defining operationally, interpreting data, formulating models, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing.
Overview
This integrated unit of instruction will capitalize on the novelty of the subject matter, namely the countries of Central Asia, to help students explore the interplay between the natural and man-made worlds. One advantage of this subject matter is that incorrect preconceptions will be minimal or non-existent, so the study of this area of the world will help to provide a clearer lens for the study of the interconnectedness of the natural and man-made spheres in America. Another advantage is that students will gain an appreciation for countries and cultures that are not typically the focus of middle school curricula.
Specifically, this unit of instruction will offer students the opportunity to examine common sets of data both from the perspective of the social and the natural sciences. For this reason it is strongly suggested that science and social studies teachers coordinate the lessons as described so that students will be continually approaching common content from two distinct perspectives. However, it is also possible to separate the lessons based on primary subject area, i.e. science and social studies. In either case, this unit is designed in such a way that students will produce products suitable both for accurate assessment and for presentation to peers, families and/or the community at large.
