'Tales of Expression' is a transdisciplinary unit our 3rd grade students worked on across all specials classes. In this project, students had the opportunity to dive into the world of fairy tales, exploring how they connect across different subjects. But how exactly does a transdisciplinary unit like this work? Well, it’s when students connect concepts and ideas from different subjects to create a deeper understanding of a central theme. In our case, that theme was fairy tales.
Throughout this unit, 3rd grade students worked with teachers in PE, art, music, Spanish, STEAM and library, bringing together everything they've learned to create something truly special.
Since we're highlighting STEAM, Music, and Library this month, below are examples of students' work from this transdisciplinary unit.
This month, our 3rd graders dove into a fascinating unit called "Tales of Expression." Here's a glimpse of what we've been up to:
Students used various percussion instruments to accompany traditional African story.
🎵 Sound and Stories
Our young storytellers discovered how sound can breathe life into a narrative and transform its mood. They experimented with various audio elements to enhance their tales, learning that a well-placed sound effect can make all the difference!
🎺 Musical Instrument Exploration
We investigated different types of musical instruments and the unique sounds they produce. Students had the opportunity to match instruments with specific parts of their stories, creating a rich auditory experience.
📚 Cross-Cultural Connections
In collaboration with our Spanish class, students explored stories from different cultures. This interdisciplinary approach allowed them to draw connections between various storytelling traditions and broaden their cultural understanding.
✍️ Creative Writing Project
As a culminating activity, each student wrote their own story in Spanish class. This project showcased their creativity and newly acquired skills in both storytelling and language.
Students were able to discuss the characters in the stories and also retell what happened in the story.
Students in Kindergarten and First grades listened to the stories "Love Monster" and "Freckleface Strawberry." They then discussed how the character changed during the story and what made them change.