Project

Student's Project

The student needs to make a product on their own that brings two subject areas together (poster, essay, lab report, piece of art, etc.) that integrates at least two subject areas.

This should arguably not be direct instruction, but student-driven discovery. Students learned about subject area #1. They learned about subject area #2. Then they bring those two things together in some novel manner. EXAMPLE: They learn about shading in art. They learn about angles in Math. Then they make a poster about shading and angles. Some kids can only talk about angles. Some kids will talk about parallel lines. Some kinds will talk about slope. Some kids will talk about derivatives.

This will be assessed in Rubric B, strand 1 ("creates a product that synthesizes disciplinary knowledge to communicate effectively purposeful interdisciplinary understanding").

Student Explains the Project

Students will need to write or discuss verbally how their project actually does show that they understand BOTH subject areas.

Do students:

• Explain how the project shows that they understand both areas?

• Make new meaning that is only because they thought about both subject areas?

This is assessed in Rubric A, Strand 1 ("justifies how their product communicates interdisciplinary knowledge.")

Academic Content in the Project

Students will have two subject areas. They will need to demonstrate strong understanding of the content in each area inside the project.

Do students:

• Use proper content vocabulary?

• Understand the processes related to that vocabulary?

• Demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter?

• Explain their knowledge in EACH subject area?

This is assessed in Rubric A, Strand 1 ("fully analyses by explaining disciplinary knowledge.")

Integration of Interdisciplinary Ideas

Students will need to write or discuss verbally how their interdisciplinary project is effective (or not effective).

Do students determine:

• Is it good?

• Does it integrate the two subject areas?

• What could be improved?

• Are there other disciplines that could also be learned about to make this project better?

This is assessed in Rubric A, Strand 2 ("fully evaluates by explaining the strengths and limitations of interdisciplinary perspectives").

Student Reflection

Students need to reflect in writing or verbally on what they learned during the project.

Do students:

• Discuss what they learned?

• Discuss how they came to a new understanding?

• Discuss what to do next with their new understanding? How can they do something with this information, or how can they see the world differently because of this understanding?

This is assessed in Rubric C, Strand 1 ("discusses the development of their own interdisciplinary learning") and Rubric C, Strand 2 ("discusses how new interdisciplinary understanding enables action").

THIS IS A VERY NEW REQUIREMENT! Even the last IB Interdisciplinary Unit did not include this at all. It would be very uncommon for any non-IB Interdisciplinary Unit to ever have this reflection piece.

Please feel free to give the reflection forms in "Materials" below to students so that they can have a clear place to earn the credit for their analysis and/or reflections.

MATERIALS

• Rubrics: Google Doc of IDU Rubrics

FORMS FOR STUDENTS

Students need to explain their project AND reflect on their project. If you require students to explain in their project (like in a poster) then they might only need the Reflection Form. If their project does not have a place to explain (like a piece of pottery that uses isosceles angles) then they might need the form with both explanations and reflections.

• • • Form for Student Explanations & Reflections: Google Doc Student Explanations & Reflections

    • Forms for Student Reflections only: Google Doc Student Reflections

Project Ideas

• Understanding ourselves through an exploration of the needs of individual versus team sports (PHE and sciences).

• Measuring the level of happiness in teenagers (mathematics and psychology)

• Studying different ideas and mechanisms for measuring time (mathematics and history)

• Experimenting with the role and use of language (language and literature, language acquisition and arts)

• Demonstrate creative expression through the investigation of indigenous societies’ connection to nature and emotional learning (sociology, visual arts and PHE)

• Exploring the role that control over our environments has played in the lives and well-being of human populations (biology, and individuals and societies)

• Investigating waste management and designing an effective recycling campaign for the school (design, chemistry, economics and psychology)

• Designing a promotional campaign to raise awareness about the role and responsibility of individuals' unsustainable consumption (business management, digital design, chemistry)