Interdisciplinary project database

Find an adult mentor, role model, or someone you look up to and talk to them about how they demonstrate tenacity. Ask them to take the Grit Scale quiz (see below) and discuss their own barriers to grittiness.

Compare housing data to various environmental outcomes and conditions. Consider: what did prices used to be? What are they now? Why?

Develop a committee that focuses on student’s interpretations of success and happiness in the school. How many students have realistic expectations for what they want to do? Provide resources for students to help them achieve happiness.

Is there a contentious issue in your neighborhood? Look at building development, environmentalism, traffic/road servicing, and more, and see what people are talking about. Interview different perspectives on the topic and showcase how their opinions differ but could be compromised on.

Perform an audit of your physical spaces (appearance, entrances, fixtures, safety, etc.) using some of the guidelines of universal design in physical spaces. Is the environment appealing, welcoming, and accessible to those with a variety of cultural backgrounds, ages, abilities, and other characteristics? Create an action plan to address areas of improvement.

One could explore the ethical implications of AI from a number of different angles. For example, one could consider the impact of AI on employment, specifically whether or not AI will lead to mass unemployment as machines increasingly take on tasks that have traditionally been done by human beings.

Consider how bullying and discrimination specifically targets marginalized groups and how allies of these movements can demand action. For example, utilize The Trevor Project’s Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth.

Incorporate soft skills and team building into a series of games. Have students reflect on why they work or don’t work well together as a group, how they can improve their individual role, etc. Play the games again after reflection to put their new understanding into practice!

Perform an in-depth analysis of a certain “soft skill”: teamwork, communication, time-management, etc. Why is that skill valuable and needed? Where can you find examples of it in action? How can that skill be better taught in a school curriculum? 

Understand the intersection of math, data, and algorithms in the world of wicked problems. For example, is it always the case that the more problems something causes, the less likely we should do that thing? Or does it matter who the problem affects? Analyze how math connects to the humanities in making ethical solutions.

Learn about major historical events that occur in another country that are rarely, if ever, spoken about in your country’s curriculum. Consider if these historical events matter to you, and if the historical events of your country would impact them.

Create a list of mitigated risk activities that would occur in your community, such as public speaking, creating a public mural, and exploring a park. Consider your comfort level and preparedness for these tasks, then sign up for a wide variety of activities that challenge your safety level (within reason). Make a log of everything that you complete.

Emotions have a physical connection to how we present ourselves through body language. And of course, humans have also perceived emotion through art for thousands of years. Look at how artists present different forms of emotion through art, both through drawing and music, then have students present an emotion artistically.

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When considering city planning, it’s worthwhile to imagine our communities in the past or in the future. Either by conducting historical research or by looking at upcoming initiatives, create a model of your community in the past or future. Document how it differs from today and why that matters.

Perform in-depth research about a community in your neighborhood. Interview and speak to the residents and learn about their traditions, celebrations, and lifestyles. How does it differ from what you do at home? Prepare a report that can be shown off to other residents.

Math instruction can sometimes emphasize following particular steps instead of building a toolbox of strategies. In this article, Shelley Gray reflects on different methods for completing a mathematical equation (or really any concept) with an emphasis on finding what works best for you.

The Rorschach Test is one of the most easily recognized assessments of the subconscious throughout pop-culture. But how should it be used and its results understood? Is it science or pseudoscience, how would we know?

Read and discuss Life in the City Is Essentially One Giant Math Problem from the Smithsonian. Consider: what math problems must we solve in order to successfully design a city? Have students brainstorm these problems, then consider what their expressions and solutions may look like.

Identify a "wicked problem" (a problem that seems impossible to solve) in the world and the various contexts, communities, and perspectives that exist around the topic. Show a diagram of how complicated this issue is, highlighting solutions that minimize potential damages.

Consider how “proper English” has evolved overtime, and that one singular form of English hasn’t always existed. Most recently, a great example would be the APA making a singular “they” proper English. This was a result of gendered stereotypes about who would be speaking. Further, one can analyze modern interpretations of Shakespeare.

Find examples of propaganda, surveillance, or marketing in your neighborhood. Document how these things are used, challenging or supporting their existence.

Have a class discussion on the concept of equity vs. equality. Is it fair that some have access to achieving their personal goals, while others will have a much more difficult time due to a lack of resources? What can citizens, communities, and the government do to ensure that everyone has a fair shot?

When having conversations, it’s sometimes easy to get lost in one’s train of thought. When this happens, we’re no longer fully engaged in the conversation — we’re not listening. Introduce and practice the idea of visual notetaking to help learners utilize sketching and drawing to connect together ideas and engage in the art of listening.

Analyze the science of standing up for yourself. Developing the confidence to speak up and demand action is incredibly difficult, and it’s more difficult for some than others. This research highlights assertiveness and what it means to make these decisions.

Does listening to an audiobook count as “reading”? As one of the fastest growing forms of entertainment in the world, many argue that audiobooks are “cheating”, and that it isn’t the same as reading a book. Have a class discussion about audiobooks. Is it reading? If we say it isn’t reading, what about those who have difficulty reading books for a variety of reasons?

Create a cost-benefit analysis of living in your current country vs. living in a completely different environment. What would your life be like? What lifestyle changes would you need to make? Would this be something you’d want to explore?

Words like determination, tenacity, grit, and perseverance can often have different connotations depending on the context and how they are used. Find synonyms and antonyms related to these keywords used in the lesson, and play around with new and interesting contexts that could change the connotation. For example, “gritty” would not be a positive way to describe your dinner! Or could you use “aversion” as the opposite of perseverance in a sentence or story?

Consider the concept of “laziness.” Is it possible for someone to be “lazy”? What if “laziness” didn’t exist at all? Consider the philosophy of “laziness” and journal on how this understanding leads us to change practices and systems in the real world.

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The concepts of rhythm, balance, repetition, and harmony are not only musical concepts, but ideas explored throughout art. Demonstrate how these ideas apply to visuals and challenge students to represent these ideas in their work.

Continue to examine how various religions interact in the world today, especially how these impact countries: their politics, culture, economies, and more. How do leaders navigate the world stage in light of various faiths?

Our language evolves through slang. Determine how slang is used in sports and why certain phrases are used, such as in American football: “hut hut hike”, or how football (soccer) teams communicate to make plays.

Similarly to science and math, our understanding of art is highly influenced (in traditional curricula) by Western, male artists (e.g. Picasso, Michelangelo).

Highlight the contributions of female scientists and non-Western thinkers in both historical and modern settings.