Techniques and Sources for Developing Integrative Curriculum for the Gifted

Abstract

This article describes the appropriateness of integrative curricula in addressing the educational needs of gifted learners. Integrative curriculaunify subject matter from a variety of disciplines around a series of generalizations. This unification presents students with a sophisticated, comprehensive view of the world. In graduate seminars at three universities, a series of steps were designed to provide guidance in the development of integrative curricular units. The steps are: (a) identify and select materials amenable to the integration process, (b) study the materials to extrapolate generalizations, (c) evaluate the materials to determine their appropriateness for gifted learners, (d) select a general format for the units, and (e) solicit input from professionals. The article delineates the manner in which these steps were employed to design integrative curricular units focusing on The Search for Solutions film series. Additionally, this article presents: a general unit format, an application of that format using “Patterns” as an interdisciplinary theme, and an annotated bibliography of integrative curricular material sources.