Granite School District - Program Summary

Quality Teaching and Student Achievement through Integrated Thematic Instruction

Over ten years ago, three innovative administrators in the Granite School District began collaborating on best teaching practices that incorporated the latest research on how students learn. Their goal was to create a thematic integration model that would be more student-focused. After several months spent investigating various models, the team identified work done in the Tahoma Washington School District that was in line with their vision.

With support from Granite District's Board of Education, the team proceeded to put together a framework for the program now known as Interconnections. This thematic integration model integrates science and social studies with research based strategies for increasing student achievement (Marzano, 2001). Initially, the program used four pilot elementary schools. This year all 60 of the district's elementary schools are using Interconnections. There are also many schools in other districts across the state using the Interconnections program.

How It Works

The K-6 program is set up on a trimester with curriculum divided into thirds, each third called a "strand." The strands are based on state core standards for science and social studies and have been named America, World and Environment. The strands, with their associated themes, follow a curriculum map that emphasizes critical thinking skills and life skills outlined by the Utah State Board of Education. In a typical day, a teacher will teach Language Arts in the morning hours and then Math and Interconnections in the afternoon.

Making It Work

According to Dr. David Sousa, "The quality of learning rarely exceeds the quality of teaching." Therefore, the most important resources for the program are well prepared teachers. District Interconnections specialists focus on professional learning so teachers understand the concepts and content of the program. Likewise, teachers are given a comprehensive guidebook, complete with lesson plans, activities and resource collections -all of which have been developed in-house by teachers and district curriculum teams.

Each strand has an associated collection of resource materials that includes CDs, books, videos, laser disks and overheads. Teachers have immediate access to these materials through media assistants who order and organize the supplies.

Another key resource in the Interconnections program is a student's parents. Not long after its implementation, parents wanted to understand what Interconnections was and how it differed from traditional teaching/curriculum models. A Parent Pamphlet called "What in the World is Interconnections?" (See Parent Page) was designed to explain the program and encourage parents to take an active role in their child's learning.

Principal leadership contributes to the success of the program. With its grass roots history, principal and teachers feel connected to the development and implementation of the program. Principals and lead teachers hold monthly meetings to support new teachers, address questions and solve problems that may arise on the classroom level. The joint effort and support of principals is one of the driving forces for Interconnections.

Results of the Work

There are several reasons why the Interconnections program deserves recognition. First, the program's impact on students is tremendous. Students are so excited by the learning process that they often bring in additional articles and information found on their own time associated with the topic they're studying in class. Additionally, the students show a strong retention of science and social studies concepts from year to year. In fact, teachers have commented that it is easy to spot a student from an Interconnections school because their retention and understanding in these subjects is so noticeable. The enthusiasm felt by students is reflected in improved test scores. Interconnections schools have witnessed remarkable science Criteria Reference Test (CRT) increases. These improvements are not demographic based -significant increases have occurred in Title I schools as well.

Interconnections also leads to improved teacher satisfaction. Teachers using the program receive a significant amount of professional development. They also enjoy the opportunity to collaborate in developing and revamping instructional materials. More than anything, teachers report that students are more attentive and involved in the classroom. This makes for a positive learning process and is rewarding for both students and educators.

Finally, Interconnections is recognized throughout Utah as a premier curriculum model, neighboring districts purchase materials and send their teachers to be trained in the program. The program is consistently refined to meet the needs of students using the latest instructional research. It is a program with a student focus that is making a significant difference in how teachers teach and how students learn. The results are numerous and exciting!