Description: The Integrative Model is an instructional model designed to help students develop a deep understanding of organized bodies of knowledge while simultaneously practicing their critical-thinking skills.
Reflection on in-class presentation: The Integrative model was presented to my classmates and I in an elementary math class. During this class the students were going to learn to compare and contrast two and three-dimensional shapes, and what an object with a particular shape would do when placed on a flat surface. The students began the class by watching a video about shapes and how they moved on a flat surface. Then the teachers reviewed the video with the students and showed them real, tangible examples of the shapes they were learning about. After this, the teachers introduced the new vocabulary to the students and then sent the to their seats for the activity. The students were instructed to do the activity and document their findings. After the activity, the students were asked to explain why the shapes moved the way they did and then they were presented with critical thinking questions in an effort to expand the students' thinking. Finally, to assess the students, the teachers asked them to fill out a worksheet about what they learned.