Welcome to Interconnections
Interconnections is a thematic approach to teaching the Utah elementary science and social studies core curricula. Introduced over a decade ago, Interconnections was and continues to be a collaborative effort of classroom teachers, media coordinators, curriculum specialists, and district administrators. Built on the Backward Design model, each grade level in the program includes four to six units sequenced to build on skills and knowledge outlined in the curricula and assessed through the state test (SAGE). Each unit includes an enduring understanding and three to five essential questions designed to teach both science and social studies comprehensively and efficiently.
Time is a precious instructional resource. Interconnections recognizes this and consolidates resources, ancillary materials, and lesson plans into one user-friendly notebook per grade level. Theme-related graphics associate individual lessons and support materials with specific units of instruction. In addition to the notebook, electronic versions of the program replace the need for overheads and excessive photocopying. Program updates and support services for teachers are available through the Granite School District Interconnections intranet website.
Students need to recognize authentic connections among content areas and use them to enhance their skills and understanding of a given subject. Students must be engaged in learning tasks that promote life skills and higher-level thinking. Students need opportunities to apply their reading and writing abilities during science and social studies instruction. While Interconnections adheres to this philosophy, it honors the expertise of individual classroom teachers and encourages them to make program adjustments as necessary to meet the needs of individual students and classrooms.