IMPACTT (Integrating Multiple Perspectives Across the Curriculum for Today and Tomorrow) is a dynamic, innovative, completely integrated curriculum. It is a high quality program for all students which incorporates health, EH, and biomedical education (biomed) as a continuous topic core through grades 9-12. A comprehensive high school program, IMPACTT fulfills four years of science, math, and English and three years of social studies. A career component is also incorporated. IMPACTT utilizes engaging inquiry driven """"""""Major Projects"""""""" related to a thematic unit. Major Projects are designed so that students master academic content and transferable skills by applying new knowledge to themselves and to their community. Thus, IMPACTT presents content in a real-world, meaningful context, rather than through unrelated packets of information. ? ? The current 9th and 10th grade modules were developed in a two-year constructive study with experts from the University of Arizona (UA) Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center in partnership with teachers and curriculum developers from Sunnyside Unified School District (SUSD). The project was successfully piloted with 40 diverse, ninth grade students who volunteered to participate during the 2000-1 school year, and is currently supporting 48 9th and 10th grade students. In order to expand on that success, health/EH/biomed experts from the UA will partner with SUSD to enrich the existing 9th and 10th grade modules and to develop new, comprehensive integrated curricula modules for grades 11-12. There are four specific objectives for the project:*Create integrated modules: Develop and refine four integrated modules organized into four broad """"""""umbrella"""""""" themes of """"""""The Environment"""""""" (9th), """"""""World Explorations"""""""" (10th), """"""""Systems"""""""" (11th), and """"""""Science, Government, and Economics"""""""" (12th). Each module will focus on health/EH/biomed while addressing major academic subjects in each grade.*Pilot the model: Pilot the model at Sunnyside High School (91 percent Hispanic), where the graduation rate is only 57 percent.*Develop training modules: Five self-contained training modules will be developed to assist teachers and schools that are adopting IMPACTT.*Field Test: The completed IMPACTT model will be field tested at another local high school. Guided by that experience, the curricula and training modules will be refined and a national dissemination plan will be developed.
