Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

The Interdisciplinary Classroom Uncovered

Emily DeGrange
Franciscan University of Steubenville

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

If we teach todays students as we taught yesterdays, we rob them of tomorrow.
John Dewey
The interdisciplinary movement is sweeping the nations classrooms. No longer is the
traditional educational method of departmentalizing subjects and teacher-based lectures seen as
the most successful way to teach a class. Instructors who are stuck fast on this old style of
teaching are often phased out for innovative educators who can combine subject matters and
disciplines into one coherent lesson. The modern educator needs to be able to work in a team as
team teaching is now becoming the norm in many schools. Schools want teachers who can
guide students into being life-long learners who take charge of their own education. Today, the
interdisciplinary approach is a key concept to the advancement of school curriculum at all
levels (Jones, 2009, p. 76). Learning should be based around the learner. Project-based
learning is the method of instruction that is focused all on the learner, their specific needs and
education that is meaningful to the learner based in real-world application. The project-based
style of learning with its teams of interdisciplinary instructors will be what molds the next
generation. Welcome to the interdisciplinary classroom.
The interdisciplinary classroom is based on the idea that specific educational disciplines
do not have to be segregated from one another. Math does not have to be in a separate part of
the day than social studies with no cross-curricular activities. In fact what better way to solve
difficult math word problems than to put the word problems on trial! The teacher could propose
an incorrect solution to a difficult math problem. The classroom could be rearranged into a
virtual courtroom. One student could be assigned as the defendant and try to defend the
incorrect solution. The prosecution will propose the correct answer to the problem while
different students serving as witnesses will present evidences and proofs as to what the correct
answer is and why. The judge will ultimately decide the correct answer after hearing from both

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

sides and present the correct answer to the teaching. This fun interactive way to prove a math
problem also gives children a chance to understand the working of the court system; it is as one
would say a two-for-one deal! This style of integrating one subject into another is just one of
the things a person would see walking into a proper interdisciplinary classroom.
When taking a behind-the-scenes look at the interdisciplinary classroom, one thing to be
noticed is the team teaching style. Team teaching combines teachers from different disciplines
and puts them together to write a curriculum for their shared students (Jones, 2009, p. 76). This
teaching style is effective because it gives students a resource that they can count on. All of the
teachers know exactly what every other teaching is doing which makes it easier for planning.
Teachers could coordinate test days so students are not bombarded with a lot of testing all on
one day. When teachers collaborate on their lessons together to teach the same students, it
encourages the building of strong teacher-student relationships. Students feel as if their voice
matters and that they have a say in their own education; students feel empowered in their
education (Jones, 2009, p. 77). Team teaching takes the pressure off just one teacher and gives
each of the educators more time to focus on the individual students in the classroom which is
the whole point of having a student-based learning approach.
When a person looks at the methodology used in a typical classroom, he or she might
she daily lesson plans for each subject usually with an individual worksheet often for
homework as well as a group class discussion or activity to reiterate the lesson of the day. When
a person looks into a project-based classroom, he or she will see a very different methodology
employed. In this project-based environment, the central topic or theme will be learned by the
students completing an interactive project on the topic where they will be uncovering and
discovering and learning on their own. With project-based learning, students get to construct

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

their own ideas by building off of what they already know and expanding it with new
knowledge on a topic. Psychologist and education theorist Jean Piaget felt that individuals
construct knowledge through interactions with the environment, and each individuals
knowledge construction is different (Grant, 2002). When students are allowed the freedom to
create their own projects, they will be able to retain the information and be excited about their
learning. For example, if the theme of the unit was the Civil War, students could each choose a
topic of interest to research and present to the class. A group of students who like to perform
could reenact one of the major battles from the Civil War. A student who is in to math could do
research on the number of soldiers who died and display their findings on a pie chart with the
percentages of fatalities at each battle. Students who love to write could create an interactive
blog from the perspective of an army nurse. The possibilities are endless. This style of teaching
is so effective because it places students in charge of their own learning (Grant, 2002). When
students look back on their learning, they most likely will not remember the details of the Civil
War based on a lecture or a worksheet, but they will remember the popular food for the soldiers
to eat that one of their classmates researched and baked or the song they wrote about the pain
Abraham Lincoln was feeling for his country. The project-based approach opens up a world of
possibilities for the classroom combining academic disciplines.
Wrapping up the tour of the interdisciplinary classroom, teachers can see how this way
of teaching is extremely beneficial and will have very positive repercussions on a students
education. When students have a say in their learning, they will want to learn. Students in an
interdisciplinary project-based environment typically have more autonomy over what they
learn, maintaining interest and motivating learners to take more responsibility for their
learning (Grant, 2002). Breaking free from traditional molds, innovative teachers are

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

continuing to explore all the possibilities the interdisciplinary classroom has to offer. The more
content areas that one theme can be incorporated into, the more the students will continue to
grasp the concepts because they are receiving and interpreting the information in more than one
way. Students are able to connect information from one theme or topic to another and apply it to
the real world. Real world application is ultimately what will set students apart from their
fellow peers and shoot students to success. The interdisciplinary approach will be what shapes
the future doctors, lawyers, presidents, scientists and great thinkers of the world. Learner-based
learning is the future of education.

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

References
Grant, M. (2002). Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and
Recommendations. Meridian, 5(1).
Jones, C. (2009). Interdisciplinary Approach - Advantages, Disadvantages, and the Future
Benefits of Interdisciplinary Studies. Essai, 7, 76-81.

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

Curriculum Planning Map Cross Curricular Program
Four 12 day mini workshops
Workshop 1:
Unit and Time Frame

Standards

Evidence of Understanding

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Instructional Strategies

Technology Strategies
Diverse Learners

12 day mini-course on the Mexican holiday: Transmisin del

Poder Ejecutivo Federal (Transmission of the Federal
Executive) Celebrated on December 1st
Ohio New Learning Standards 7th Grade Social Studies
16. The ability to understand individual and group
perspectives is essential to analyzing historic and
contemporary issues.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.C
Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others'
questions and comments with relevant observations and
ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.D
Acknowledge new information expressed by others and,
when warranted, modify their own views.
Students will be able to effectively understand the process of
a president running for office and then the citizens voting for
the president by having each student create a political
platform for themselves and then giving a speech. Students
will then vote for who should be the president from their
class.
Teachers will observe students as they write their political
platform. Students will have to turn in their issues to the
teacher as they come up with them.
Students will create a Prezi through which they give a 3
minute presentation to their classmates on their individual
political platform. After all presentations have been given,
students will vote on who should be the president (students
may not vote for themselves).
Technology/ computer work
Small group work to discuss issues
Whole class speaking presentations
Students will create a Prezi highlighting the keys issues in
their political platform to present to their classmates.
Technology work (Prezis)
Graphic organizer for organizing political issues

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Workshop 2:
Unit and Time Frame

Standards

Evidence of Understanding

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Instructional Strategies

Technology Strategies
Diverse Learners

12 week mini-course on the Mexican holiday:

El Da de Muertos (The Day of the Dead)
Celebrated on November 1st and 2nd
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details,
and well-structured event sequences.
Students will be able to understand the importance of
honoring family by writing a story (fictional or nonfictional) in which the characters are family members.
Students will then culminate the project with creating an
Animoto video that represents their family.
Teachers will observe students as they bring in family
recipes, family stories, family heirlooms, stories, journal
writings etc. to share with their classmates.
Students will create an Animoto video that incorporates
family pictures and describes their individual family culture
and traditions.
Technology/ computer work
Student sharing of family customs
Story-writing
Students will create an Animoto video on their individual
family.
Technology work (Animoto videos)
Student written journals
Student recipes of family dishes

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

Workshop 3:
Unit and Time Frame
Standards

Evidence of Understanding

Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
Instructional Strategies
Technology Strategies

Diverse Learners

12 week mini-course on the Mexican holiday:

Da de la Bandera (Flag Day) Celebrated on February 24th
Ohio New Learning Standards 7th Grade Social Studies
12. Maps and other geographic representations can be used
to trace the development of human settlement over time.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas, concepts, and information through the
selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Students will be able to understand the importance of flags
by exploring the flags of countries around the world,
creating their own personal flag and writing a rationale for
as to why they chose the various elements on their flag.
Teachers will pre-approve students flag rationales and
observe them while they are working on their flags.
Students will present their created flag to their classmates
and explain to them why the created the flag that they did.
Computer website exploration
Group discussion of flag elements
Students will explore http://www.mapsofworld.com/flags/ to
see countries of flags from all over the world and read the
rationale for why each countrys flag looks the way that it
does.
Online exploration
Physical drawn or computer drawn flag
Written rationale

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10

Workshop 4:
Unit and Time Frame
Standards

Evidence of Understanding

Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment

Instructional Strategies

Technology Strategies

Diverse Learners

12 week mini-course on the Mexican holiday: Cinco de

Mayo (Fifth of May) Celebrated on May 5th
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2
Recognize and represent proportional relationships between
quantities.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.A
Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and
point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and
logically.
Students understand the historical importance of the
holiday by creating a ratio and proportions project showing
the low probability the Mexican army had at the Battle of
Puebla.
Teachers will observe students as they play several ratio
games.
Students will create a problem in which they create a ratio
problem that shows the low probability the Mexican army
had at the Battle of Puebla and create a scenario in which
the Mexicans win.
Computer games
Small group ratio activity (instructions found here):
http://www.mathwire.com/games/pig.pdf
Students will play an online game called Ratio Rumble
found here:
http://mathsnacks.com/ratiorumble_game_en.html
Technology work (online game)
Virtual simulation (small group ratio game)
Individual writing of Battle of Puebla project

Running Head: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM UNCOVERED

11

Dear Families,
Welcome to another school year! We are so excited to get to spend this year with you
and your children! As you are probably aware at this point in time, we are proud here at Homer
Junior High to educate under the guidance of interdisciplinary teams. Each team consists of four
teachers, each from a different academic discipline, who work together to teach a shared group
of students. We have found this method to be the most effective in teaching our middle
schoolers because when the teachers work closely together with the same students the students
are getting the individualized instruction that they need to succeed.
This year, your childs interdisciplinary team has devised a program for the year that
consists of small 12-day mini units. Each mini unit will be focused on a specific theme that will
be covered and studied in-depth throughout all the content areas. The title of our year will be
Who We Are: a Study of Culture and Tradition. Throughout the whole year we will be
studying the different cultural backgrounds in our classroom and in our country. We will learn
about the traditions and families that shape us and the role of each student in their culture.
Homer Junior High has a demographic population that is over 75% Mexican because we
are located so close to the Mexican border. Because of this, a lot of our culture studies will
revolve around traditional Mexican holidays and celebrations. For example, we have one 12day study planned on Transmisin del Poder Ejecutivo Federal (Transmission of the Federal
Executive) Celebrated on December 1st . This holiday is when the new president of Mexico is
elected every six years. To learn about this holiday in an interactive hands-on way, we will have
our own mock election in the classroom. Each student will write their own campaign speech
highlighting issues they are passionate about through which we will study persuasive writing.
Students will interactively learn how an election works through a civic social studies course.
We will also discuss the differences between how an American president is elected and how a
Mexican president is elected. This is just a glimpse at one of the very exciting project-based
units we have planned for this year!
Young adolescents are experiencing a very critical turning point in their lives. They are
changing and growing and transitioning from childhood to adulthood and it can be a very
tumultuous experience. Students often want to fit in more than anything else. They want to
discover who they are and find their little niche in the world. Unfortunately for a MexicanAmerican child trying to fit into American culture, it can seem impossible for him or her to
carry their traditions into a new place. We here at Homer Junior High want to break this mold
and show students that not only should they not be afraid to stick true to their traditions, but
their traditions should be celebrated! We invited you to join us in our cultural immersion this
year as we learn who we are.
Sincerely,
The 7th grade interdisciplinary team