Cross-curricular connections; writing across the curriculum
Students who use information they have learned in different contexts tend to remember that information longer. Using skills across disciplines also builds student confidence. Students are able to demonstrate success when they apply a skill. As a result, cross-curricular connections are extremely important for reinforcing learning and for building life-long learning skills.
In the Spotlight
Alvarado Intermediate School, Rowland Unified School District, a 2004 Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage Model School
Alvarado Intermediate School
uses interdisciplinary teaming to strengthen cross-curricular connections that reinforce essential standards. This structure gives the students a sense of belonging and allows for teacher dialogue and planning during a common preparation period. Staff members in every department and course develop and implement strategies for supporting the schoolwide targets of writing, reading, and mathematics identified in the annual school plan.
In the Spotlight
Rincon Intermediate School, Rowland Unified School District
Eighth-grade students take on the role of an immigrant arriving at Ellis Island. They choose a name, research the country and culture of the arriving immigrant, and go through a simulated entry to America. At the end of eighth grade, students complete a research project and presentation focused on one aspect of the history curriculum that includes science, math, and physical education history.
Many subjects are ripe for cross-curricular connections. For example, capoeira (Outside Source) (definition from online Merriam-Webster Dictionary) is a Brazilian martial arts/dance that includes culture, music, and physical activity. Students in a history class could do a project about capoeira, which would teach students about culture, blend the visual and performing arts, and build in relevance as students learn about how slaves hid martial arts training in a dance form. (The visual and performing arts standards [PDF; 2MB; 172pp.] call for knowing dances of different countries, the culture, and social history of the dances.)
In the Spotlight
McKinleyville Middle School, McKinleyville Union Elementary School District, a 2006 Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage Model School
In the integrated math and physical science lessons, students create and launch rockets, use old CDs to create race cars, and graph velocity and weight using Bungee Barbies.
Olive Peirce Middle School, Ramona Unified School District, a California Middle Grades Partnership Network School
Olive Peirce Middle School used a commercial, cross-curricular writing program for three years. At the end of that period, 93 percent of the students scored at the proficient level on the language arts portion of the CST.
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