Teaching the Levees:

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Rebuilding New Orleans

Frederick Douglass High School

Center for Engineering and Applied Technology (CFEAT)

Atlanta, Georgia

Background

The Frederick Douglass High School Center for Engineering and Applied Technology Small Learning Community utilized the School Achievement Plan as a basis for constructing an interdisciplinary unit of study. Small families which consist of grade level teams were given the challenge to develop a thematic unit utilizing the engineering theme “wave” across the curriculum. The topic chosen by the community was based on a deconstruction of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Instructional Focus

In 2006, Spike Lee produced an award winning documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. This film used powerful imagery to convey the social, political and economic effects of the disaster as well as an in depth analysis of the levee breaches. In the spirit of this film, lead teachers were given the challenge to intersect the aftermath of the disaster with a collective effort to reexamine all aspects of the tragedy with a concise instructional focus.

The central engineering component consisted of student reconstruction of the levees. Thus, all content areas designed lesson plans in accordance with the thematic unit implementation schedule from September-December 2007 for the culminating activity.

Meaningful Connections

Frederick Douglass High School Achievement Plan

The advent of small learning communities will provide countless opportunities for interdisciplinary instruction. Teachers will be required to plan, implement and evaluate collaborative units of instruction that feature an emphasis on essential learnings in math, science, social studies, language arts and SLC themes of pre-engineering and applied technology; fine and performing arts, multimedia, NJROTC, travel, hospitality and marketing.

Structural Considerations

Small Learning Communities

Reorganize the traditional department structure and foster the use of teacher teams provided with ample planning time to integrate the curriculum.

Teaming Strategies

• Use interdisciplinary teaming including all core subject areas, foreign language, PE and theme based courses, i.e. Engineering.

• Promote the integration of technical writing across content areas

• Examine the skills that are necessary across content areas and determine common benchmarks and strategies to use across disciplines.

• Create mixed ability student teams with differentiated tasks and responsibilities

Advantages

•Allows students to see connections among disciplines

•Creates teams of teachers that take ownership of a specific group of students

•Encourages collaboration and opportunities for teams of teachers to look at student work and talk about individual students who need help.

•Student teams allow students to engage in higher order thinking skills.

Challenges

•Aligning with state curriculum, scope and sequence

•Soliciting buy-in from teachers•Ensuring teacher and material continuity

•Providing specific, targeted, job embedded professional development

•Ensuring that curriculum integration is authentic to the natures of various disciplines

Progress Measures

•Examine team configuration to ensure that all teachers and students are placed on interdisciplinary teams based on integrated units, with students kept together in grade level families throughout the day.

•Monitor the process, procedures ad structures created by each team to ensure that literacy, basic skills, common benchmarks, and strategies are used and taught across content areas.

Frederick Douglass High School Implementation Model

Frederick Douglass High School maintains a school-within-a-school model for interdisciplinary teaming.

This student centered structure creates the vehicle for critical dialogue during a common preparation period.

For example, the English/language arts department and social studies departments often coordinate thematic units to incorporate textual reading comprehension and technical writing across the curriculum while tying historical concepts to real world problems.

Also, collaboration works to include school wide targets in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Frederick Douglass High School Implementation Model

In addition to SLC focused planning activities, the team meets at least once a week to discuss progress, and review the implementation timeline.

Staff in-service days are also embedded in pre-planning meetings to review differentiated instructional methods-such as integrated coursework, project based learning, field trips and community exhibitions.

Frederick Douglass High School

Implementation Model

Implementation Timeline•Document each quarter through the use of rubrics to show the results and impact of learning as it is applied to school or community issues through team and student presentations.•August-September- Introduction of theme “wave” and professional development with PLTW.•October-November-Engage in research, meet weekly to discuss progress, monitor student research efforts and develop and outline of activities

Implementation Timeline

•December-Prepare for school-community presentation “”CFEAT in New Orleans”•January-February- Follow up with student projects for local and regional fairs. NAF Advisory Board meeting•March- Measure progress with an evaluative tool/rubric. Students present at state academic fairs.•April-May- Review data and prepare for Spring/Fall exhibition “CFEAT Goes Green

Thematic Unit Rationale

•Explain the rationale behind the design of the unit. A rationale describes your team’s beliefs as curriculum designers and your aims for the specific populations you teach (R. Hyman)

•Think about what students should be able to know and do.

•Ask yourself “what will the demonstration of knowledge and skill look like in my classroom? What would be important for a teacher who is not familiar with this unit to know about its design or your reasons for creating it?

•Implementation Overview-Describe briefly how the unit is organized

•Implementation Timeline-Describe the anticipated timeline for this unit of study

•Prior skills and knowledge-Determine what students already know and what they will learn

•Materials Resources Needed-Identify instructional materials and supplies needed for your lesson

•Outline of Activities

Instructional Focus

Sample List of Activities

Science 9th grade Biology Creating a DNA Database for Identification

Math 11th grade Analysis Analysis of a Hurricane

Language Arts 11th grade American Literature Poetry Display of Katrina Victims

Social Studies 11th grade U.S. History Cultural Mapping the Katrina Diaspora Migration

Foreign Language 10-12th grade Spanish Katrina News Broadcast

Engineering 10-12th grade Engineering Concepts New Levee Design

Using the Concept Wheel to Plan Effectively

•Group Exercise: Place your organizing center in the hub of the concept wheel.

•Draw spokes off the hub: one spoke for each discipline you intend to include in your unit.

•Complete each discipline-independent planning, with students, and with colleagues

•Develop Essential Questions

•Map out each segment of your curriculum using national and state standards

Works Cited

Hyman, R. Interdisciplinary Unit Template, Caldwell College (June 19, 2008)www.efsk6.org/6109071410393/lib/6109071410393/ED_500_Final_Interdisciplinary_Unit_Template.doc

Meier, Deborah, “Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle Level Reform” National Association of Secondary School Principals Reston, VA (2006)

Using the Concept Wheel to Design a Culminating Event

• Begin with the end in mind.

•Don’t edit too much.

•Invest in your team.

•Attempt to include everyone.

•Be realistic.

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