Storyline is an innovative approach to curriculum integration. The essential elements of a Storyline are setting, characters and events or incidents. The unfolding of the story each day in the classroom provides a structure and logical connection to the curriculum. The difference between thematic teaching using a topic web and Storyline is the presentation of key questions which moves the story along. In a topic web the activities are random, whereas the investigations that take place during a Storyline are in a logical sequence which is dependent upon the preceding episode.

Description of the Storyline method

Storyline is based on the theory that all learning is guided by one's prior knowledge and experience (the conceptual model) and those learners construct their own meaning through action and experience. With this, students are able to be actively involved in their learning as tasks arise within the "story" which the students see as significant and meaningful.

The critical elements of a storyline are:

•Setting the scene in a particular time and place -- Students create a "frieze" or 3D representation of the setting in their classroom. •People or animals or both -- Each student creates a character that he or she then becomes throughout the "storyline." This provides students with a chance to be someone else of a different age, race, culture, personality, time period, etc. •A way of life to investigate -- Daily life is explored as well as rules and expectations of that particular day and age. •Real problems to be solved -- The teacher and students create incidents which could possibly come up in the given setting. Students then must work together or individually (in character) to solve these challenges. •Celebration or Culminating Activity -- Each storyline ends in a way which students are able to share their knowledge with others. Often this is through a presentation for parents, a field trip or community outreach. •Reflection and Assessment -- Students are always given opportunities to reflect and assess their learning in a variety of ways.

For example, with an Oregon Trail topic, the students become pioneers leaving home in the East to settle in the West. The journey requires students to investigate why people migrate, what supplies are needed, what rules they must follow along the trail, what are the possible hardships and challenges. Carefully planned episodes engage students in actual practice and application of basic skills within the context of the storyline. The story motivates students to extend those skills and refine them for "real life" challenges.

The following features guide the development of the storyline:

•The story is progressive and sequential.

•The teacher sets out key questions within each episode that the students must address. •Each episode has limitless potential as every student investigates and contributes depending on their personal experiences and innovation.

•Each student will reach different levels within each key question and will return to the storyline for the next question.

How is Storyline used in Scotland?

The Storyline Method (called Topic Studies in Scotland) has served as a means of moving discipline-based education toward meaningful integration. Twenty five years ago, Scotland began to take a serious look at the integration of content subjects. Three educators, Sallie Harkness, Steve Bell and Fred Rendell were asked by the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum to develop an approach that would specifically meet the needs of high risk students but would also be appropriate for students throughout Scotland. Over time the Storyline method has been improved and is now being used by many not only in Scotland but also in Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Hong Kong and the US.

How was Storyline brought to the US?

The late Kathy Fifield brought Storyline to the United States. As a Fulbright scholar, Kathy went to England in 1985 for a teacher exchange. It was during her year in the United Kingdom that she was able to see Storyline in action. So intrigued by the method, Kathy returned to the states, began to use what she had learned and determined to go back to Scotland to become immersed in this method. In 1988 she spent the year learning under Sallie Harkness and Steve Bell. Upon her return to Portland, Oregon this time, Kathy began to share her new knowledge and enthusiasm with other teachers through Storyline Designs. Two years ago Kathy suddenly died of cancer but her legacy continues as Storyline Designs continues to share the Scottish Storyline Method to educators. At the present time, training has been provided and Storyline is being used in Southern California and the Northwest. Teachers have traveled from as far away as Tennessee and Michigan to take the training. Because of Storyline's unique approach, it has been successful in inner city school settings, ethnically diverse settings, and in schools with a large number of ESL students. In California, a transitional school teaching only new immigrants to the US is implementing Storyline because of its richness in language experiences. The results have been outstanding.

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