The Rigor of Interdisciplinary Education
Editor’s Note: Interdisciplinary units, which investigate a single subject from multiple disciplines, maximize the boys’ engagement and connection-making, and deepen the level of thought. Such units are a hallmark of the Curriculum Initiative at Saint David’s. The following three articles provide a look at interdisciplinary work in K Omega’s dinosaur unit, the Third Grade study of the Middle Ages, and the Eighth Grade humanities Via Fiorentina project.
More Than a Dinosaur
By Meghan Zuckerman and Kara Cohen
ach spring Omega boys transform into paleontologists and delve into the world of dinosaurs. The topic of dinosaurs is highly motivating to Kindergarten boys. Just the word alone sparks their imagination and curiosity: Where did dinosaurs come from? Where did they go? What did the different types of dinosaurs look like? Why do dinosaurs no longer exist? These are some examples of typical inquiries from the Omega boys prior to beginning the unit of study on dinosaurs. As the unit develops, the boys actively engage in an in-depth study to find the answers to their own questions. They learn through meaningful experiences involving student-directed research, hands-on experiments and activities, and a field trip to the Dinosaur Hall at the Museum of Natural History. At the end of the
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unit there is a culminating presentation where the boys collaborate and share all that they have learned with parents and fellow students. The Omega dinosaur unit engages the boys’ curiosity and challenges them in a variety of ways. This multi-disciplinary study enables the boys to learn a variety of skills across many different subject areas. The unit incorporates math, language arts, s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