In approaching this unit of study students will use various skills in listening and reading comprehension, problem solving, and critical thinking. These skills are tested on the Connecticut Mastery Tests. Strategies to facilitate learning will be through graphic organizers to build background and organization of information. In using the integrated approach, students will learn to use cooperative group skills. In each group there is a leader, whose job it is to direct the discussions, a recorder who will present the groups method for solving a given problem, and a time keeper to whom all must listen as he/she keeps the group on task and focused. The teacher is the manager/facilatator of the groups.
Key ingredients to success is to have the activities fun, exciting, and challenging. The need for dependency upon one another shows the importance of collaboration. Also, the class learns to work with no-fault policies. This reduces the negativity and blame in the group for ideas that might lead to an incorrect conclusion or solution. There are several examples of students engaged in data collecting of pieces of information, like in a puzzle, with culminating activities.