Route 66 to the Atomic WestIntegrating Curriculum

Patrick MooreCharlotte BolingLauren BasfordKaryn Trong

Atomic West on Route 6619 students, 1 professor, 4 mini-vans

5,000 miles

Historic and National Landmarks

Cold War history come to life

“See America First”

Atomic West on Route 66

The Learning Community

Everyone has a job

Everyone has assignments

Podcasts

Next Exit History

Everyone reflects on learning

Notebooks

Discussion

Trip reflections

Charlotte BolingDEAL Model

Description, Examination, Articulation of Learning

Lauren BasfordI learned…During the Route 66 to the Atomic West trip this summer, I learned how different communities in the west have drastically changed overtime.  Some communities, such as Santa Fe, have a very obvious division between the haves and the have nots.  Where people have come in and taken over the people that were already living in that location.  I also learned how communities like Los Alamos have conducted research and the role those communities played during the Cold War.

I learned this throughI learned this through visiting cities across the west and by engaging in conversations with people who have lived in these areas for many years. I also learned all about the cities such as Los Alamos by being able to visit laboratories, talking to scientists, and by visiting local museums.

It matters because this is our history.  

Now that I know I willI want to take what I have learned and put it in my classroom as much as possible.  Many of my middle school students have not been out of our area.  If I can share with them what I have learned through my travels, I believe they will learn more through that process.   

Karyn Trong

• Experience of a lifetime

• New ways to learn

• New ways to teach

• Prepared me for the classroom

Liesl Bailey

“I used information from both of the immersive classes that I took with Dr.Moore when I taught high school AP US History and Standard US

History in Jacksonville, FL.  I know that it helped connect with students to have stories and photos about the places that I had visited as we discussed them in

their American history textbook.  It's more powerful to teach with real world experiences because it helps engage students which in turn helps them

remember the history they need to know. I truly believe that engagement helps foster student learning.”

Now What?Integrate content into curriculum

The research project

• We know: Teacher knowledge is the most influential factor in student learning.

• We believe: Immersive learning experiences create deeper content knowledge for teachers.

• We wonder: Will P12 students who are taught by Atomic West teachers have higher learning gains?

How do the learning gains of students taught by Atomic West teachers differ from those taught by non-Atomic West teachers.

What pedagogical techniques are effective teaching practices for integrated interdisciplinary curriculum?

The Research Project

Continued collaborations

Moore: Lewis and Clark Westward Expansion (Summer 2014)

Boling: Integrated Interdisciplinary Curriculum (ESE 6217)

Making a Difference

Contacts

Patrick Moore - pmoore@uwf.edu

Charlotte Boling - cboling@uwf.edu

Lauren Basford -

lbasford@escambia.k12.fl.us

Karyn Trong -

kmt42@students.uwf.edu