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Interdisciplinary project database

Take Action on Hunger

Identify a local non-profit organization that is working to solve the hunger crisis. Reach out to the organization and find ways that you can assist, such as designing marketing resources, hosting a funding drive, or working directly at the organization’s headquarters.

Cyberbullying

Standing up for yourself goes beyond being willing to take a stand in-person. Increasingly, hatred and bullying finds itself almost entirely online, especially in anonymized spaces. Conduct an independent investigation of how cyberbullying emerges in your community, offering countermeasures for other young people to take and presenting on these ideas.

"Perfect" Language

Analyze what the “perfect” form of your language is. Why is it perceived this way? What does it mean? Where is it found? What is its history?

Audiobooks

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?

Designing for Disability

Designing for disability is a vitally important element of our society. In schools, learning disabilities can often lead to many difficulties, including failure or discipline. Consider, what would your community look like if it centered disabled people? What would you need to account for? What would change? Create a plan that highlights these changes and propose them to your local governance.

Social Media Advertising

Using your knowledge of the algorithm, research how these concepts could be used to advertise a business or nonprofit. Partner with a local organization, offering to manage their social media, developing a content and branding strategy to increase engagement.

School and Burn Out

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.

Moral Machine

Consider the use of self-driving cars, moral questions, and the "Trolley Problem" through this resource, reflecting on its other applicability in real life.

Historical Inventions

Connect the ideas in the lesson below to historical inventions. What would a pitch look like for various historical novels: such as the printing press, telephone, or radar? Would all constituents be for their use? Who would be for and against these ideas? Were they accepted during their time?

Modern Art

What makes modern art valuable? In the past, art was typically contracted — and the value of the materials and time it took to create determined its value. Now, it is up to the interpretation of the viewer and owner to decide its value. Have the class examine these contemporary modern art pieces: are they valuable? What makes them beautiful? Not beautiful?

Global Media

Consider historical events, works of art, novels, movies, and music that are popular in other countries but not your own. Using subtitles or a translation service, analyze the works and highlight their popularity in the other country. Create a collection of various works that can be shown off to others to appreciate the culture.

AI in Conversation

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.

The Value of English Majors

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.

Developing Emotional Connections

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.

Ethics of AI

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.

The "Scene"

Street art is highly connected to other “scenes”, such as skateboarding. Consider what these spaces are, why they exist, and how they operate in tandem with one another.

"Why" Math?

Why is it that we learn about math in the way we do? As in, why do we learn about algebra and geometry and trigonometry? What is the point of abstract or conceptual math? 

Dive into a discussion surrounding why we utilize conceptual math, and the debate surrounding changing the mathematics curriculum.

Defining Success and Happiness

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.

Shoe Manufacturing

Focus on athletic wear and/or shoe manufacturers. Using a similar methodology to this lesson, consider sports and individual training. What impact may this have on one’s health (both from wearing the clothes as well as the environmental impact)?

Alternatively, examine a specific sport (football, basketball, volleyball, track & field,etc.), examining the labor practices of manufacturing its products (e.g. a football, uniforms, shoes, field products).

What is Success?

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.

What Do We Track?

Continue the examination of cultural values with resources from Gallup. Gallup has tracked global well-being and happiness over time. What factors contribute to well-being? What is the relationship between GDP and well-being? Why do some regions of the world report higher levels of well-being than others?

Art and Music Terminology

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.

History of Shifting Goals

It is important to make plans, but various events will cause us to shift our goals. For example, activist and President of South Africa Nelson Mandela studied English, anthropology, politics, "native administration", Roman Dutch law, and was actively involved in ballroom dancing.

Look at various famous leaders, professionals, and activists throughout your country’s history. What was their upbringing? What did they do in school? If they attended higher education, what did they major in? Ultimately, how does this all compare to what they did historically?

Assertiveness

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.

Soft Skill Analysis

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? 

Fast Fashion

Generate a petition/call to action aimed at a company to change their practices regarding fast fashion.

Infographics

Infographics help us make sense of complicated ideas through visuals and seen connections. Research how infographic designers understand and work through complex problems, then design your own infographic to convey information about an idea.

Experimental Design

Creativity and science are both intrinsically and extrinsically linked: experimentation is an inherent part of creativity, and creativity itself has been studied through the use of science. Consider having students learn about different forms of artistry: such as color psychology or the color light spectrum, and have students design and test hypotheses on the topics.

Write a Review

Have students consider a work of art that they love: such as an album, video game, or book. Write a review about it — what does it do well? Who would like it? How could it be better?

Understanding Philosophy Through Art

Examine one of the philosophies showcased in this lesson. Create a self-portrait that incorporates the stories, fables, meanings, and concepts of this given philosophy, interpreting these ideas into art. Use this artwork to inform and inspire change through understanding and action.

Language of the Internet

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.

Future Technology

Research a concept of “future technology” by contacting an academic at a local or regional university. Find a topic that interests you, conduct an interview, and consider the ethical implications of incorporating this idea. Present this idea!