They therefore require little teacher involvement during student completion of activities. Other significant differences can include time allotments for completion of activities, types of cooperative learning that can be used and the range of learning experiences, resources and materials that can be provided. The most significant similarities are that all tasks focus on Maryland Learning Outcomes, emphasize understanding by engaging students in thoughtful application of knowledge, processes and skills, and result in student products and performances. This packet of exemplars focuses on methodologies and strategies that may be used by teachers to integrate content, processes and skills in reading, writing, social studies, science and mathematics. Integration of Maryland Learning Outcomes across disciplines and within single disciplines can be very complex.
Integration requires teachers to use common sense to link outcomes appropriately.
For example, making connections between statistics and reading for literary experience is highly unlikely. However, making connections between the mathematics problem-solving outcome and the social studies economics outcome is more feasible. It is essential to start with the outcomes themselves, along with the suboutcomes and indicators, which specifically address the levels of a particular student or group of students, looking for links to the curriculum that are natural and appropriate. Flexibility for teacher decision making is crucial in planning for integration. Within tasks, options are often suggested for the content areas addressed.