Mr. McWeeny keeps a journal every year ... He has shared his entry for September 4, 1997 in which he addresses his throughlines:

"Tonight I found an old posterboard and made a poster of my throughlines. I should have done this the last two years, but ... Anyway, it was fun. The four original throughlines still held true ... I just played with them tonight and they came out like this:

"Mr. McWeeny's teaching goals for the year - Each student will...

1. Become an excellent observer by using the sixth sense as well as the basic five senses. (Observations are the foundation of science.)

2. Look for and attempt to understand connections in the world. (Everything is influenced by other things, everything is somehow connected.)

3. Consider and assess how she/he personally connects to the world. (Understanding personal connections helps one understand themself and his/her environment.)

4. Record, contemplate and communicate her/his findings to others. (Sharing is an essential human trait.)

"This is my goal to help each and every student attain these objectives. I like them and believe they are all encompassing. Tomorrow I share these goals with the kids and post them in the room. I need to frame them with some branches or something natural ... "

Today you can find these throughlines on the top of Mr. McWeeny's blackboard in his classroom.

Pictures of Practice Contents Introduction The Colonial Biography Unit (7th Grade History) A Year of Seventh Grade English A Year of Eighth Grade Science The Jazz Unit Snapshot Using the CCDT to Develop Generative Topics