Interdisciplinary project database

Demonstrate how artists have been inspired by global art movements over time. Showcase how the development of art movements and intersection of regional developments has led to masterful works over decades and centuries.

We’ve seen what body language looks like through a few examples in the lesson below, but how else do we look when we experience emotion? Have students act out various emotions, from being tired and angry to joyful and gleeful.

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Much of the beauty and understanding of historic, classic languages have been lost to time. “Dead languages”, which are no longer spoken or have morphed into something completely different, still can teach us a lot. Research and present on a dead language, such as Sakhalin or Kuril Ainu.

Read about how school affects burn out. This guide written for teachers can be analyzed with students to identify pain points, recognize ways to improve the classroom, and have an open dialogue about stress and frustration.

What will the city of the future look like? Beyond infrastructure and strictly logistics, aesthetics are also incredibly important to a flourishing city. Study different forms of architecture historically and around the world. Then, have students brainstorm their own unique, intriguing, or outright wacky versions of new, modern architecture.

Let students brainstorm issues in their community, then analyze the game played in the lesson below. How could it be modified, improved, and transformed? Write new instructions and explain to each other how to play, including the new issues as additional cards.

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?

Arcology is a future-driven building initiative to create self-sustaining communities, usually in the form of large, multi-faceted skyscrapers. Check out this link which provides information about the practice. What stands out to students? Is this a viable practice? What would be the alternatives?

Paraphrase or have students read the article, Here's Why We're Underestimating The Value Of English Majors, and discuss the value of studying English/Language Arts/Humanities at university.

Reach out to members of your community and survey how they use social media. What are your findings? Summarize and display these ideas to educate others on how social media can be used for good (or perhaps not!)

Why is it that people in urban, rural, and suburban areas all have different dialects and vernacular? How are people from these different places perceived? Why is it important to counteract stereotypes about SLI?

Expressing art through dance and modern interpretative dance has both fascinated and confused audiences. Watch “Youth - Daughter || Bonnie Su Dance Choreography.” Reflect on how dance can be used to signify concepts, such as how this dance signifies the images we see on social media.

Consider how scientists work together with their faith, recognizing that many scientists are religious, such as through intelligent design theory. Point to times in which science and faith have been in conflict, both historically and in current events.

Examine the great debate between the Ptolemaic system and the Copernican system. Why did people believe in both of these ideas? What conflicts emerged as a result of Copernicus’ theories? How did our modern view of the Earth revolving around the Sun emerge as mainstream knowledge?

Just as mathematical concepts have changed over time, so has our understanding of art. Consider how the use of color has changed in significance and practice. In addition to understanding color theory, our historical knowledge of colors adds additional significance and holistic understanding of our world.

Partner up with another family and analyze each other’s lifestyle. Learn about what they do everyday, their family traditions, and what they enjoy doing. Compare and contrast how this differs from your own. If time, expand this analysis to other families to showcase and celebrate the differences of your classroom community.

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

Conduct the Harvard Project Zero “What makes you say that?” activity, which helps students share their interpretation of why they believe certain things, such as their expectations for the future.

As people begin to demand more opportunities for personal time, more and more workplaces are offering 4 day workweeks. What impact does this have on the world? Examine how this practice impacts society.

Stories in various mediums (such as books, movies, lyrics, and games) are one of the best ways to develop an emotional connection on perceived harms, bullying, and counteracting hate. Encourage students to share stories of when they’ve felt disrespected, either by other students or by educators, and give them private spaces to share these and learn from each other.

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.

Research the state of “flow” and connect it to the hobbies you love (or take on a new hobby!) Document how understanding a “flow state” changes, for better or worse, your interest, engagement, or motivation in conducting your hobby.

Create a cost-benefit analysis for another decision you face in life now or in the future. Alternatively, create a cost of living analysis of the community in which you live.

Learn about the various ways that posture and body language play a role in presentation skills. How can we align our posture to change how others perceive us? How does posture help and aid our growth and development? What exercises or techniques can we use?

Consider the concept of scale. How much larger is a building in your community to a person? The land mass of your city to your country? Earth to Jupiter? Explore the mathematical possibilities of scale (and with it, distance!)

Consider the impact of biotechnology on world hunger. Will the implementation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) alleviate the hunger crisis? Is there any danger to the production and consumption of GMOs?

Repeat the Value Sort activity (in this lesson) with adults in your community: have students repeat it with parents, have teachers complete it in your building, have different groups in your community complete the value sort. Compare responses: what stands out as notably similar or different? What accounts for generational differences, or those explained by culture, religion, class, ethnic background, etc.?

Read about how artists pitch their work to galleries. Consider: is it important for artists to have public speaking skills to present their ideas? Why would it matter, if at all, to display your work in a public setting like a gallery? And, is it possible for our current works to be in a gallery right now?

There’s a lot of amazing people doing work to make change. However, they’re often not aware of each other and therefore not having as much of an impact as they could. Act as a community liaison, researching all of the community action groups and individuals doing work in a certain sector of your community, arranging meetings and helping these groups coordinate with each other.

Oftentimes, artists are their worst critic, and keeping hope as an artist is especially difficult. Check out this article on overcoming the myth of the “starving artist”, which argues that modern day artists thrive and earn livable wages in stable careers.

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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Consider why someone may lose hope or passion overtime. Could it be an unrealistic view of “success”? A lack of confidence in school? Feeling like one stands out? Self-doubt? Address this issue by conducting research and presenting your findings.