Teaching and Learning with Technology
Diana Dell, Ed.S. - Instructional Technology Specialist
Year 2- Interdisciplinary Thinking

Session Goals:

  • develop a common definition for interdisciplinary teaching

  • identify the need for interdisciplinary teaching and the benefits interdisciplinary teaching provides students

  • identify important elements of an interdisciplinary unit

  • plan an interdisciplinary unit for the classroom that includes technology to support student learning

  • learn, laugh, and share!

Essential Questions:

  • Why do experts recommend the use of interdisciplinary lessons?

  • What do good interdisciplinary lessons look like in the classroom?

  • How do teachers develop interdisciplinary units?

  • Community Building and Tootsie Pops! - Think of a lesson in which you participated as a student that involved using information or skills from at least two different subjects.  Share what you did and how you felt about the experience.
     

  • Why Develop Interdisciplinary Units?  http://resources.emints.org/links/interdisciplinary/
    Using the resources listed under the heading "Why Develop Interdisciplinary Units?" research and discuss with your partner answers to the first two essential questions. Record your personal notes and the group's conclusion on the chart provided.
     

  • Dinner Break
     

  • How Do Teachers Develop Interdisciplinary Units? http://resources.emints.org/links/interdisciplinary/
    Explore the resources under the heading "How are Interdisciplinary Units Developed?" Develop lesson ideas with the following unifying theme: Food, Nutrition and the School Cafeteria. Prepare and present a concept map describing the essential questions and assessment ideas of your unit.
     

  • Group discussion:

    • What challenges appear when completing interdisciplinary lessons with a class?

    • What are some advantages to using interdisciplinary lessons?

    • How might a teacher incorporate student input into the planning of the unit?
       

  • Evaluating Interdisciplinary Units
     http://resources.emints.org/links/interdisciplinary/
    With your partner, select one of the interdisciplinary units listed under the heading "Examples" to evaluate.  Record strengths, weaknesses, and interesting features on the chart provided.
     

  • Developing an Interdisciplinary-Unit Plan
     http://resources.emints.org/links/interdisciplinary/
    U    se the information that you learned in this session to create plans for an interdisciplinary unit. Use the process outlined in the module and the additional guidelines under the heading "Implementation Guidelines" from the online resources.

 


eMINTS National Center | eThemes
 

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