Introduction Integration of math and science is a current issue impacting the classroom, this issue has multiple view points some negative and some positive. No matter the viewpoints it is important to consider how integration impacts the students. At the end of the day what students retain is what matters most and retaining information can happen in a variety of different ways. Integration provides a way to connect multiple subjects and allows students to make connections. Integration can be difficult for teachers to teach because integration requires organizing and planning, but the outcome of integration is beneficial. With the heavy weight of assessments and standardized tests, teachers need to make sure the material they teach connects to standards and units. Science has become a subject only taught once a week in some Elementary classrooms. Integration of math and science allows teachers to cover more than one subject. Integration allows teachers to teach science and math in the same environment that allows students to flourish. The classroom is filled with a variety of different objectives and as teachers we need to make sure we are using our time to the best of our ability. Integrating math and science allows teachers to cover more than one standards, and it allows students the opportunity to connect math and science. The big question of this research is whether integrating math and science is beneficial for students in the classroom. Each lesson and activity needs a purpose in the classroom and needs to be beneficial to the students. While researching the literature proved a variety of different points about how integrating math and science impacts the classroom. Literature Review While researching information on integration it is important to know the meaning of integration.
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Integration is the combination of two or more subjects. “Integration is"teaching together" may take place in a single lesson, in a unit comprising a series of lessons over several days or weeks, or in a year-long integrated course”(Isaacs et al., 1997). Integration can happen in a variety of different ways, and these different ways need to meet standards. When designing lessons about integration you need to look at the standards for math and science to determine the objective of the lesson. As teachers, it is important to know what standards your school follows. Standards provide teachers’ support to why they are teaching the lesson they choose. Generally all standards mimic the idea, but standards can come from different levels like the district, state, or national level. When teaching math teachers should consider the Common Core State Standards, but there is also the NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. The NCTM Principles were created using the five processes of learning math, these five processes included Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Communication, and Representation. These five processes connected to the different math being done in the classroom and the math being taught in the classroom should connect to these different principles. When teaching science teachers need to consider the science standards. There are the National Science Education Standards, which use the five E’s. The five E’s include Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration or Extension, and Evaluation. The five E’s should be taught in order, while the …show more content…
There are many ways to include science and math, and a program has been created to help increase math and science integration. This program is called STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This STEM program encourages the integration of math and science its goal is for students to follow careers that are in the science and math fields. School is the beginning of students’ paths in this world, and engaging lessons will allow students to become interested is science and math. “Science process should be a means by which science knowledge is gained. Students who participate in scientific practices, such as, questioning, hypothesizing, investigating, developing models, interpreting and analyzing data, linking conclusions to data, and sharing findings with others, are able to develop and provide meaning to knowledge and explanations of the natural world”(Cotabish et al., 2013). The classroom should not be filled with questions about how does this lesson relate to me, but rather engaging students to ask why, how, and what questions regarding the lesson. Teachers need to encourage these types of questions because these questions will lead students to be intrinsically motivated to
Integration is the combination of two or more subjects. “Integration is"teaching together" may take place in a single lesson, in a unit comprising a series of lessons over several days or weeks, or in a year-long integrated course”(Isaacs et al., 1997). Integration can happen in a variety of different ways, and these different ways need to meet standards. When designing lessons about integration you need to look at the standards for math and science to determine the objective of the lesson. As teachers, it is important to know what standards your school follows. Standards provide teachers’ support to why they are teaching the lesson they choose. Generally all standards mimic the idea, but standards can come from different levels like the district, state, or national level. When teaching math teachers should consider the Common Core State Standards, but there is also the NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. The NCTM Principles were created using the five processes of learning math, these five processes included Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Communication, and Representation. These five processes connected to the different math being done in the classroom and the math being taught in the classroom should connect to these different principles. When teaching science teachers need to consider the science standards. There are the National Science Education Standards, which use the five E’s. The five E’s include Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration or Extension, and Evaluation. The five E’s should be taught in order, while the …show more content…
There are many ways to include science and math, and a program has been created to help increase math and science integration. This program is called STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This STEM program encourages the integration of math and science its goal is for students to follow careers that are in the science and math fields. School is the beginning of students’ paths in this world, and engaging lessons will allow students to become interested is science and math. “Science process should be a means by which science knowledge is gained. Students who participate in scientific practices, such as, questioning, hypothesizing, investigating, developing models, interpreting and analyzing data, linking conclusions to data, and sharing findings with others, are able to develop and provide meaning to knowledge and explanations of the natural world”(Cotabish et al., 2013). The classroom should not be filled with questions about how does this lesson relate to me, but rather engaging students to ask why, how, and what questions regarding the lesson. Teachers need to encourage these types of questions because these questions will lead students to be intrinsically motivated to