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Logo with three overlapping mountain shapes and a large circle above them, next to the text Integrated Curriculum for Vermont Educators in white letters on a light gray background.

Integrated Curriculum

What is Integrated Curriculum?

The Integrated Curriculum for Vermont Educators is a gift to educators to support this continual work in creating learning spaces that are inclusive, academically challenging, and full of joy. At the center of the ICVE circle, in the hexagon, is the Integrated Curriculum. The Integrated Curriculum is our vision for what teaching and learning might look like when we start with educational equity at the center of the design process.

What makes it “integrated”?

The Integrated Curriculum is made up of Kindergarten-12th grade curriculum maps for English Language Arts, Essential Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Each map leads with essential questions instead of the content in order to engage analytical thinking from the start. Each map also includes a sample unit to inspire adoption and/or modification. The maps also weave together the Vermont Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirement Hierarchies, the Vermont Transferable Skills, and Vermont’s IRIS Ethnic Studies Student Standards. 

The Integrated Curriculum for Vermont Educators' project circle. A light grey circle with a gradient of 6 trapezoids surrounding a navy blue hexagon that reads Integrated Curriculum for Vermont Educators in white lettering. In each trapezoid, there is a navy circle, a yellow icon, and a title. Clockwise, starting at the top, the first trapezoid reads. "Culturally Responsive Learning" with a globe icon; next reads "Trauma-Informed Education" with an icon of three people with arrows going towards one person and back towards the other; next, "Social and Emotional Learning" with an icon of a person's head, showing a brain with a heart on it; now the bottom trapezoid which read "Proficiency-Based Learning" and contains the icon of a person reading; followed by Universal Design for Learning, which has an icon of two circles, one with a lightbulb and the other a pencil, and then lastly, a trapezoid that reads "resotrative Practices" and has a picture of two hands clasped together.

What makes it “integrated”?

The Integrated Curriculum is made up of Kindergarten-12th grade curriculum maps for English Language Arts, Essential Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Each map leads with essential questions instead of the content in order to engage analytical thinking from the start. Each map also includes a sample unit to inspire adoption and/or modification. The maps also weave together the Vermont Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirement Hierarchies, the Vermont Transferable Skills, and Vermont’s IRIS Ethnic Studies Student Standards. 

Curriculum Maps

Click a subject below to access its curriculum map. Maps also include unit plans and overviews when applicable. 

Click here to access the English Language Arts Curriculum Maps. A dark blue button with a map under it that you click to go to the ICV English Language Arts Curriculum Maps.
Click here to access the Essential Arts Curriculum Maps. A dark blue button with a map under that you click to go to the ICV essential arts curriculum maps.
Click here to access the Mathematics Curriculum Maps. A dark blue button with a map under that you click to go to the ICV mathematics curriculum maps.
Click here to access the Science Curriculum Maps. A dark blue button with a map under that you click to go to the ICVE Science curriculum maps.
Click here to access the Social Studies Curriculum Maps. A dark blue button with a map under that you click to go to the ICVE Social Studies curriculum maps.

Vertical Alignment Matrices

As you explore the matrices, you will be able to see when a particular Priority Performance Indicator (PPI) is used, at which grade level, and how many times over a student’s K-12 educational experience. 

Click here to access the English Language Arts Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE English Language Arts Alignment Matrix
Click here to access the Social Studies Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE Social Studies Vertical Alignment Matrix
Click here to access the Essential Arts Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE Essential Arts Vertical Alignment Matrix
Click here to access the Transferable Skills Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE Transferable Skills Vertical Alignment Matrix
Click here to access the Mathematics Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE Mathematics Vertical Alignment Matrix
Click here to access the IRIS Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE IRIS Vertical Alignment Matrix
Click here to access the Science Vertical Alignment Matrix. A button that goes to the ICVE Science Vertical Alignment Matrix

Quality Criteria Tool

The Quality Criteria tool will help educators analyze the quality of the units they design.

Click here for your own quality criteria tool.

How to Use ICVE

Now that you have access to these innovative tools, you may need some guidance on how to use them. Below are some suggestions for ways you might begin:

A classroom educator might…

  • Select an essential question to tweak a unit you already teach.

  • Test out one of the full unit plans and adjust to your context.

  • Explore the ICVE strands to learn more about instructional strategies that will support the implementation of Social-Emotional Learning or Restorative

  • Practices, for example.

  • Make a copy of the unit plan template to design a new unit or reflect on a past unit. (Unit plans are inked in the Curriculum Maps and on the Curriculum Map page.)

  • Adopt a curriculum map and develop the summative assessments.

    A school or district leader might…

    • Review the Vertical Matrices to see where you can integrate IRIS standards across a grade band.

    • Adopt and/or modify the unit plan templates.

    • Use an ICVE strand’s materials to deepen learning and understanding.

    • Use an ICVE strand’s materials to engage in collective learning with staff.

    • Engage staff in curriculum reflections using the Quality Criteria for Integrated Curriculum Units tool.

    Strands of ICVE

    Click on any of the boxes below to explore the Integrated Curriculum for Vermont Educators (ICVE) strands.

    Integrated Curriculum

    What is the Integrated Curriculum and how can I use it?

    Culturally Responsive Learning

    How do I integrate Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education in my practice?

    Trauma-Informed Education

    How do I integrate Trauma-Informed Education in my practice?

    Social and Emotional Learning

    How do I integrate Social and Emotional Learning in my practice?

    Proficiency-Based Learning

    How do I integrate Proficiency-Based learning in my practice?

    Universal Design for Learning

    How do I integrate Universal Design for Learning in my practice?

    Restorative Practices

    How do I integrate Restorative Practices in my practice?

    Integrated Curriculum

    What is the Integrated Curriculum and how can I use it?

    Culturally Responsive Learning

    How do I integrate Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education in my practice?

    Trauma-Informed Education

    How do I integrate Trauma-Informed Education in my practice?

    Social and Emotional Learning

    How do I integrate Social and Emotional Learning in my practice?

    Proficiency-Based Learning

    How do I integrate Proficiency-Based learning in my practice?

    Universal Design for Learning

    How do I integrate Universal Design for Learning in my practice?

    Restorative Practices

    How do I integrate Restorative Practices in my practice?

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