Integrated Studies

In the Middle School and in the High School, teachers and students work in and with the IC to design units of study that integrate technology with science, the humanities and other disciplines. Here's an example of a recent unit of study:

English Language Arts Grade 7 - Students in Rebecca Castellano’s English Language Arts class are spending time in the IC building “identity vessels” - boxes that represent some of the internal and external characteristics that make up their personal identities.

The theme of this unit is identity, and the essential question we’re trying to answer is: Who am I? Students are learning about/reflecting on this question through various class readings and activities, and representing those reflections on their box with words and images. They are also learning about technology (which we will come back to in our last unit, where students will use their familiarity with RD Works and the laser cutter to create games that showcase their learning).

 

Through class work and time in the IC, they are developing the skills of reflection, technology, perseverance/problem solving, helping others, individual responsibility, patience, and many more. The end project is a completed box that is put together (and optionally colored) with a short essay reflecting on the process and explaining what different elements of the box represent about them.

Social Studies 10: Industrial Revolution Integrated IC Unit - Social Studies 10 students begin their exploration of modern world history by studying the ways in which the Industrial Revolution shaped societies. Working with the various tools and machines available in the Innovation Center, students design their own projects to address the Essential Question “How did the Industrial Revolution change the world?”

Student projects need to demonstrate/embody their thesis statement response to that question, and can include a variety of materials and designs. Students also consider how the process of making these projects compares to manufacturing processes before and after the Industrial Revolution. At the end of the unit, students present their work in a Gallery Walk format, providing constructive feedback to others through written comments. In addition to practicing content area skills through the application of hands-on construction and design skills, students also use this early unit to develop effective working relationships with their peers through their different levels of expertise in the Innovation Center.