Junior School teachers often choose to deliver content and meet curricular objectives through interdisciplinary units. This method of learning helps to raise students’ awareness of the meaningful connections that exist among the academic disciplines.

An interdisciplinary curriculum explores the connections among disciplines to present content, skills, thinking processes and assessments in a more unified way. Instead of skimming across the surface of subject areas in one class, the interdisciplinary approach enables students to learn about a topic in greater depth by exploring its role in science, math, music, art, language arts, computer, library and even physical education.

Students engaged in interdisciplinary learning often find the content more exciting and relevant, especially if teachers can connect the disciplines not only to each other but also to the past and present in a way that relates to students' lives.

Examples of Interdisciplinary Projects

• PK students explore ideas in art related to classroom units on night, holidays around the world, light and color
• Kindergarteners learn about ocean life in social studies, science, computer and language arts, and learn songs and dances for an ocean-themed performance.
• First graders participate in Olympic games in PE and Skype with a former Olympic torch-bearer in computer class while learning about the Olympics in social studies
• Second grade food drive service project integrates skills in math, art, public speaking and social studies as students learn about hunger, create posters and flyers, and count donations and calculate how far they are from their goal.
• Third Grade State Fair incorporates library research, musical performances, multimedia presentations, writing state books and various art projects.
• In the Fourth Grade Greek Museum, students research gods and goddesses in social studies and library, write speeches, design costumes and practice public speaking.
• Fifth graders create and perform a Gregorian chant version of the SSA alma mater in music while studying medieval Europe in social studies.