Interdisciplinary project database

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!)

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.

Relate a "trolley problem" to the environmental crisis. Climate change is a major problem facing the world’s population and it is likely that individual actions will need to change to create a sustainable society. Are individuals willing to give up daily actions they take for granted? Is this the only way to solve the problem?

Getting started is often the hardest step in making a difference. Consider how different organizing campaigns have utilized art and marketing to spur others toward change. Then, utilize these ideas in your own action campaigns.

Students will be conversing with AI using this website. They will first read a conversation between a human and AI, and then they will have a conversation with AI themselves. They will need to think of questions to ask AI, and AI will respond accordingly. This lesson will help students understand how AI works and how it can be used in conversation.

Analyze charts and other data to recognize how we can go about feeding the world by 2050 (as our population exponentially increases). Think about what steps young people can take to ensure that these changes happen.

How does our use of money contribute to our philosophy? How does the relationship between humans and nature involve the economy? Using case studies, examine how building development, use of natural resources, and more impact the environment. Use mathematical thinking to consider economical ethics.

Consider how math presents itself in real life. Although we commonly address problems through word problems, these are often linear expressions on what are much more complicated issues. What would a math problem look like that’s more holistic, addressing a real problem in the community? Offer examples and brainstorm how many questions you’d need to solve.

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?

Examine mythology and folklore of various ancient religions. Identify the morals of various stories, dissecting why these stories were written and the goals the authors had for their work.

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.

Learn about how linguists use the scientific method to understand the use of, and develop of, language. Utilize this technique to analyze audio files and determine dialects, regions, or language development.

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.

Look at the impact of environmental racism on communities. Consider studying how lead poisoning affects people and why it matters that we care for all people in communities.

Read this article summarizing points in the book, Excellent Sheep, which talks about the obsession with US ivy league schools. Consider: does a competitive education bring us happiness?

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.

What local sites are vital to your own cultural heritage or those of others in your community or region? Research or visit these to understand their impact and importance!

How do we know that someone is truly paying attention to us? How do we communicate that we are hearing them? Present different ways in which one can have a full conversation with other people, identifying distractions or charismatic faults that may interfere with positive communication.

Expand beyond the inwards/outwards identity activity to other methods of expressing one’s identity through artistic expression. For example, have students identify issues that matter to them and have them express these ideas in a specific art style. Examine how various social justice movements utilize art to demand change.

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.

Read about the ways that financial earnings and class are connected to the way we speak. Typically, rich, middle, and working class people all have different dialects. Check out this article to understand what this looks like in New York City.

How can artificial intelligence be used to improve our understanding of mathematics?

One way AI can be used to improve our understanding of mathematics is by providing a way to visualize mathematical concepts. For example, consider the concept of a function. AI can be used to create a 3D graph of a function, which can help us to better understand how the function behaves. Additionally, AI can be used to create models of mathematical problems, which can help us to better understand the underlying principles at work.

What is the language of the Internet? How does it differ from your local context? How does it contribute to society? How does it harm society? Analyze the language of the Internet through slang, grammar, memes, etc.

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.

Watch “How This Guy Uses A.I. to Create Art | Obsessed | WIRED”. What is fascinating about this clip? Consider the idea: is it possible for artificial intelligence to create art on its own? If so, is this art as valuable as human-created art? Why or why not?

Creative writing is a skill set that will always be needed: whether for personal or professional life. Have students create a “choose your own adventure” story on a topic of their choosing. Use a free tool like Twine to assist students in the process.

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.

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.

In the United States, there has been a significant decline in the number of college graduates with humanities degrees while the number of science and computer science degrees has skyrocketed. Discuss with your class why they think that is, what the positive or negative consequences could be for society, and what they think would have to be different for those trends to change.

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.

Incorporate philosophical principles through the use of meditation and mindfulness. How can finding inner-peace lead to making conscious decisions? Utilize the ideas of silence and Zen thinking to focus on both movement, physical activity, and self-reflection.

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Organize a class trip to a local site of faith, for example a Buddhist temple or a Islamic mosque. Work with local community leaders to establish a program on learning about the faith, including how the core beliefs of the religion and the ways they give back to the community. Create pamphlets to encourage your peers to attend.