Definition
Integrated curriculum is a way to teach students that attempts to break down barriers between subjects and make learning more meaningful to students. The idea is to teach around themes, or "organizing centers" that students can identify with, such as "The Environment," "Life in School," or more traditional areas like "Myths and Legends." (Beane 13 - 14). Major concepts are culled from these broad themes, and activities are planned that teach or inform of these concepts. For example, in a unit entitled "the Environment," students might learn about the concept of conservation through starting their own recycling program, conduct a campaign for environmental awareness, or a survey of which local businesses advocate conservation (Beane 1).

Through this example, one can see how integrated curriculum requires accessing knowledge from all of the traditional subjects without labeling them as such. In addition, integrated curriculum adds problem-solving, real-world application and social consciousness to the learning process, making it a more comprehensive way of educating and of learning.

One can also see from the example that integrated curriculum goes beyond merely "overlapping" the different existing subjects. That is, students do not merely read about Earth Day in English or calculate pollution levels in Math. Rather they learn in a way that avoids labeling knowledge and, more importantly, draws upon their own life experiences and backgrounds. This makes learning real for the students and gives them some ‘stake’ in the learning process.