If you review the content standards for all disciplines, you will find that most of the content standards, all the disciplines, as well as the basic knowledge and skills students need can be taught within the theme of Hurricane Katrina.  A compendium of state content standards in located at the MCREL.ORG web site.  We have ascertained that many of the specific standards within each discipline can easily be taught via the Katrina unit. 

Hurricane Katrina is an excellent theme for a 21st century curriculum.  What is a 21st century curriculum? Critical attributes of a 21st century curriculum include:

• Interdisciplinary

• Thematic

• Project-Based

• Jigsaw - every unit should be designed with Jigsaw as the foundation.

• Research-Oriented - individual and group research.

  • Each student conducts an individual research project on topic of his/her choice within the unit theme.  Teachers may provide a list of possible topics, but students should not be limited to that list.  They should have the freedom to select a topic they really care about, and simply clear it with the teacher. 

  • Expert Groups will also conduct research.

• Connected to Community - local, state, national and global

• Global Classroom - students will use the Internet to conduct research as well as to create and publish, and will collaborate with students, organizations, and experts from around the world in research projects.

• Multicultural

• Authentic Assessments - performance-based and rubrics

• Multiple Intelligences

• Multiple Literacies

• Multiple Media Literacies - students will utilize media literacy skills to analyze and critique as well as produce media messages

• Critical Pedagogy - all frameworks will address issues related to social justice as well as helping the students learn to critique what they see and hear in the world, then envision possibilities for improvement and make and implement plans of action for personal and social change.

• Service-Learning

• State and National Standards - teachers will be sure that all standards are met within the units.

• Assessments, Activities, Materials and Desired Outcomes are fully aligned

• Service-Learning possibilities

• Provide for parental participation and contribution

• Authentic Assessments -  Individual, small group and whole group activities, instruction and assessments

• Utilize multiple forms of media for implementation and assessment

• Strategies for developing independent and interdependent students

• Resources - from recommended children's literature to web sites, agencies and organizations