Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Learning:
A Cross-Curricular
Adventure
By
Brittany Hannah and Jared Fraser
Table of Contents
Abstract 2
Introduction .. 3
How to use this guide . 4
Purpose . 5
Hypothesis .. 5
Research 6
Subjects . 7
a) Social Studies 8
b) English ... 17
c) Mathematics .... 24
d) Science ... 29
e) Physical Education, Technology, Art & Music .. 33
f) Final Project: Habitat for Humanity ... 35
Conclusion . 36
Abstract
Students often ask such questions as: Why does this matter? or Why do we have to learn
this? Students need to know that what they learn in school has real life applications; however
teachers do not always know how to relate what is taught directly to student lives. This
resource compilation is intended to fulfill a practical role by providing teachers with an
exemplar how to guide for incorporating a cross-curricular inquiry-based unit in any
classroom. Our research is based upon interviews with several teachers and professors on the
theoretical necessities and implications of inquiry-based education as well as the barriers that
currently face its implementation. We also read research relevant to the inquiry-based field
such as Engaging Readers and Writers with Inquiry by Jeffrey Wilhelm. We learned that
inquiry-based learning, whether it presents itself as inquiry, project, or phenomenon-based
education is a highly relevant and practical means of content delivery which can be
incorporated into the classroom or in multiple classrooms across varying subjects. We have
created a simple how-to guide for teachers and administration to help educate educators
how to easily and effectively incorporate inquiry-based education in a cross-curricular setting.
The guide will demonstrate for teachers how to ask big questions that relate directly to
students lives.
The inquiry based approach to learning is centered on asking students the big questions.
Students will move through school learning material that they see as pointless and not relating
to real life. Inquiry based learning is the process of addressing problems expressed by guiding
questions. In the classroom it is important to make everything relevant to student lives in
order to keep them engaged and active in their learning. The inquiry based approach succeeds
at this by not just simply transmitting information to students then reminding them that this
information is important. Questions like Where does my clothing originate from? or Who
owns the land? are big questions that relate directly to required curriculum outcomes and
provide a relevant and engaging question for students to use as a springboard.
If implemented properly into the classroom, inquiry based learning will encourage students to
speak their minds, to ask their own big questions and cultivate their critical thinking skills.
Inquiry based learning will allow students to engage in the larger curricular outcomes through a
practical lens which challenges them to think beyond the worksheets to the gritty, down-toearth reality of the world around them.
This guide is intended to serve teachers by providing a framework of thinking in implementing
inquiry based education in their classrooms. While the guide only uses one question, the
process is transferable to any big question. Teachers will find in this guide subject materials
and concepts that relate to the big question, a section with suggested questions and
activities, a resource list under most components as well as a sample lesson plan for Social
Studies, English, Mathematics and Science. In the following section, the guide is broken down
into an easy to follow, step-by-step instructions.
Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to eradicate the fear that teachers have about inquiry based
learning. So many educators fear not meeting the curriculum outcomes resulting in a rushed
and well-practiced teaching style that does not leave options open for new techniques and
methods. Teachers fear taking risks in the classroom, but taking risks is important in order to
make the most of instruction time. Risks are necessary in education, if there were no risks how
would we know which new practices work best?
Hypothesis
By using inquiry based learning, students will foster a better relationship with their critical
thinking skills and be more apt to address these big questions that relate to their lives by
allowing a variety of school subjects to interact, collaborate and overlap.
Research
Our research consisted mainly of reading articles and books discussing inquiry based learning as
well as various materials relating to each subject within the guide. Each article and book used
for research purposes has been cited within the reference sections for each subject. We also
interviewed several experts in the areas mentioned throughout the guide and discussed with
them at length the concept of inquiry based learning as a model for teachers to use in their
classrooms or schools. These experts provided insight and direction in the implementation of
the question, How do I build a house? into each subject area. Included is a list of each subject,
their connection to the question as well as key outcomes addressed in each activity.
Social Studies
Governments
By using the question How do I build a house? to highlight various
Social Studies components, the grade 9 Atlantic Canada Social Studies
curriculum offers an opportunity for students to examine the three
levels of government: Federal, Provincial and Municipal. Under each
government section, there are a number of implications for homeowners. For example, under
the municipal government, there are a number of steps before ensuring the purchase or
construction of a home. Similarly, there are also a number of financial expenses to owning a
home that many students may never have considered. For example: property taxes, water,
garbage and electricity bills, etc.
Activities & Questions
Teachers can create a list of expenses that need to be paid to both
provincial and municipal governments. Teachers can create the choice
between rural and urban communities. Then, teachers can give students a
monthly salary to pay their expenses that is less than the necessary amount. Students will then
need to decide which municipal service they deem to be less important as well as learn the
risks of missing bill payments. Possible questions might include, Why does the government
take so much money? Who pays for road repairs? Who pays for garage removal?
Resources
Municipal Governments: The Canadian Encyclopedia: http://bit.ly/1Cyyhrn
City of Fredericton Municipal Services: http://bit.ly/1BSe19s
History
Historically, depending on how far back you look into the past, building
homes was setting up camp for a few months then moving to another
area. Far back in history humans were nomads and did not have a reason
to remain planted in one place. Until, of course agriculture came along
and allowed for them to remain rather than chase after herds and gather vegetation. Building
houses settled the West.
The way in which houses are built is much different than it used to be. In terms of materials,
legislation, laws, areas, styles and workers and technology. Many of these topics can be
explored through the question How do I build a house? The answer to this question would be
different depending on what time period or year we were discussing.
Activities & Questions How did they build houses in the past? How much
has building houses changed since the beginning? Take students on a walk
through your community. Many Canadian cities built by water are often
the oldest parts of the town. As a city gradually grows away from the
center, the various styles and family needs through each successive
generation is apparent in the houses and neighbourhoods of that city. Allow students the
opportunity to make observations and assumptions based on what they see. Create an I Spy
chart to guide students interpretation of the neighbourhoods they are travelling through.
Displaced People
In learning about houses throughout the world and down through
history, its important to learn about societies and cultures that have
experienced the lack of a home. This opportunity enables students to
appreciate the value and importance of identity in a home or dwelling location. For example,
the history of First Nations in Canada not only demonstrates an alternative cultural concept of
10
house and home such as many Westerners hold but also the importance of identity that is tied
to location. Students may be exposed to the mistreatment and abuse that came from settlers
attempting to uproot First Nations communities from the homes they inhabited. Additionally,
students should be exposed to several other nationalities who have experienced displacement
throughout history such as Jews, Armenians, Northern Cypriots, etc. In contemporary historical
events, students may be introduced to the ongoing displacement of communities in Syria and
other countries.
Activities & Questions
Pretend youre a displaced person. Your students are refugees who are
headed to get on a truck that takes you to a boat. You have one minute to
write a list of 10 items to take with you. While driving, your friends
backpack goes overboard. Each student must provide one item to that person to help them.
Once you arrive to the boat, the captain demands payment of two items per person.
Resources
The UN Refugee Agency: http://bit.ly/1ui6rRE
Globalization
When thinking of houses and homes, how does the answer to the question
How Do I Build A House? differ across the world? The process which we
go through here in Canada differs so much from how houses are built in
Africa, Serbia, and China or even in the United States. When thinking of houses globally what
factors would play into these many differences? Factors such as climate, terrain, building
requirements and restrictions, and the enforcement of those laws, materials available, and so
much more come into play when we think of how to build a house in another country.
11
12
LESSON PLAN
NAME:
B.Hannah/J.Fraser
ADMIN: M. Holmes
GRADE: 9
I CAN
Describe where Canadians live and explain why communities are established and grow at
particular locations.
Account for the variations in growth of settlements due to physical and human factors.
Confront the issues of regional stereotypes.
LESSON FORMAT:
Teacher led, and then group form, and then pairs working together independently of other
pairs.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Craft materials, research devices, and chart paper and markers.
ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
WARM-UP ACTIVITY
[Optional]
10 MINUTES
Begin by asking students which areas of the region they are from.
Ask students if they live inside the city limits (or town limits) or if
they live on the outside of those limits in smaller communities.
Then, divide the class for the rest of the class based on this
information. Move student within the city to the very centre of
the room with all of the supplies and best view of the board. Move
the remaining students to the outside of this tight inner circle,
away from many resources. (If all students are from one region,
assign them a region).
13
INTRODUCTION
[Review Reinforce Recap]
5 MINUTES
BODY
30 MINUTES
CLOSURE
5 MINUTES
15
EVALUATION
DIFFERENTIATION &
SPECIFIC
ACCOMMODATIONS
The teacher will provide students with a prepared and coconstructed rubric that was done in previous classes for in class
assignments (that fit the same criteria as this assignment). The
teacher will also ask students to fill out a peer evaluation form for
their partner. At the end of the assignment, students will hand in
these evaluations and be graded according to the rubric.
STUDENT A
STUDENT B
STUDENT C
Students
that
struggle in this area
of work may be
partnered with a
student that is
strong in leading
and modeling. The
student should not
be unengaged, but
following
and
assisting anywhere
they can on the
assignment.
The
teacher
should
check in regularly
and ask questions
about what they are
doing and why.
Lead the student to
success
by
encouraging them
to express their
ideas
in
the
assignment.
16
English
17
Literature
There is a number of literature that focuses on the house or home. One
selection by David Richard Adams is called Nights Below Station Street
which follows the characters surrounding a home in Northern New
Brunswick. Additionally, other literature sources may be consulted such as The Notebook,
Grapes of Wrath (displacement), The Great Gatsby, etc.
Questions/Activities
Students could be asked what literature they have encountered that deals
with the concept of house and home. It could be anything from
Homebuilding: Do-It-Yourself to poetry about the difference between a
house and a home. Possible questions could prod this line of thinking such as - What do you
think of with the word house? What about the word home? Is there a difference for you?
Explain the difference. Could a house still be a home if the situation were different?
Interview
Focusing on the real life skills, those hard skills students will need someday,
and this section is based on interviews for various purposes. In order to build
a house there is a need for interviewing and being interviewed. Typically, a
person would go to the bank in order to secure a loan or mortgage to be able to build or buy a
house. This is an excellent opportunity to ensure that the spoken curricular outcomes are being
met while also changing the context from perhaps a typical job interview scenario. Students
will be required to do basic research beforehand in order to understand fundamental aspects of
mortgages. The classroom could host a financial representative in the classroom and field
questions related to mortgage hunting, purchasing, etc. Perhaps even more engaging would be
the opportunity to go to a bank and ask such questions. Similarly, students should be aware of
what types of questions when searching for a contractor to employ in the construction or even
simply the purchase of a home. Older homes often need little to extensive renovations and
having an inspector will also ensure that the house is properly valued.
18
19
Poetry
Personal Connections to Houses
Is it possible to be emotionally attached to a house? Thinking about houses
and whether they are establishments that humans place meaning onto is
part of building a house. Some people buy pre-owned houses, some build their houses from
scratch on a piece of land they might have spent their whole life saving for. Some people buy or
build houses right after they are married, some do it on their own before meeting a special
someone. Houses are the place where many people raise families. It is important to remember
all of these things when building your home, you are constantly considering the future.
Resources
Poetry Inquiry Tips: http://bit.ly/1NSeaKx
Poems about Home: http://bit.ly/1Hg0qp9
Exploration of Inquiry in the English Classroom: http://bit.ly/1ToGFDq
20
LESSON PLAN
NAME: B.
Hannah/J.Fraser
ADMIN: P. Sherman
GRADE: 9
Reading and Viewing: Students will be expected to respond personally to a range of texts.
Speaking and Listening: Students will be expected to speak and listen to explore, extend,
clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.
I Can..
Read a piece of text respond to it through writing, speaking or another form of expression.
Actively listen to a poem and draw my own interpretation from it.
Explore what the author is expressing through poetry.
Reflect on my thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences that accompany the poem.
LESSON FORMAT:
Teacher directed, and then group oriented and finally closed by the teacher.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Projector, Power Point, laptop, coloured pencils, blank drawing paper, and sticky notes.
ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
Teacher will show a picture of their house (or just any home), and
WARM-UP ACTIVITY will ask students to write on a sticky note what makes a house a
[Optional]
10 MINUTES
home. The students will spend 5 minutes on this. When they are
finished their sticky note they will place it in one of the following
columns on the board: Family/Memories, Furniture/Design, or
Neighbourhood/Location. Ask students why they believe these are
the aspects that make a house a home.
21
INTRODUCTION
[Review Reinforce Recap]
5 MINUTES
BODY
30 MINUTES
22
CLOSURE
5 MINUTES
EVALUATION
DIFFERENTIATION &
SPECIFIC
ACCOMMODATIONS
STUDENT A
STUDENT B
STUDENT C
For
students
that
require
more help with
self- reflection
activities ensure
that sufficient
think-time is
given for the
reflection
questions. For
the
students
that
really
struggle it may
be beneficial to
pair them with a
classmate or to
speak with them
one on one to
ensure they are
making
progress with
the reflection
aspect of this
activity.
23
Mathematics
24
Mathematics, when used in a context that students can apply to real life, is
extremely important. Learning math outside of its context by doing
repetitive sheets does not benefit any student. This section allows for
students to use their knowledge in mathematics in order to solve real life
problems. In her book, Relearning Mathematics Marilyn Frankenstein argues that knowledge
of numerical and statistical concepts is vital to make our individual and collective lives
meaningful. Through the question How do I build a house? this knowledge can be used in its
proper and meaningful context.
There are several real-world applications in which math is required and relate to the question
of home construction. Everything from the actual construction of homes to financing
construction involves math. The following are several suggested examples which connect to the
question, How do I build a house? Statistics financial, mathematics, credit/credit scores,
mortgages, loans and measurements, angles, load and pitch.
25
Resources
Gutstein, Eric. Reading and Writing the World with Mathematics: Toward a
Pedagogy for Social Justic. 2006.
Secada, Walter. Changing the Faces of Mathematics: Perspectives on Multiculturalism and
Gender Equality. 2002.
Secada, Walter. Changing the Faces of Mathematics: Perspectives on Indigenous People of
North America. 2002
Frankenstein, Marilyn. Relearning Mathematics: A Different Third R Radical Maths. 1989.
Cabinet Measuring: http://bit.ly/1HiTJVs
Mathematics in Construction: http://bit.ly/1FcwBJG
26
LESSON PLAN
NAME:
B.Hannah/J.Fraser
ADMIN: I. Newton
GRADE: 9
I CAN
Collect data based on measurements.
Solve problems that involve rational number and arithmetic.
LESSON FORMAT:
Teacher led mini lesson, students will branch off into pairs.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Cabinetry measuring tapes (enough for all pairs). Cardstock paper, rulers, pencils, scissors.
27
ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
This lesson is intended to familiarize students with using rational
numbers in a real life context through the question How do I build
a house?
MINI - LESSON
(15 Minutes)
28
Science
29
Science is a large part of asking How do I build a house? This question alone
opens many doors in the subject of science which they teachers can use as a
springboard to learn several skills. Science relates to building a house in many
ways, as the following sub-sections will demonstrate. Science skills are
essential to students, however they also like math, need to be experienced in the proper and
relevant context. If students cannot see the relevance of the information that they are
expected to know, they will deem it unworthy of their time; that is why always reverting back
to this solid question is essential to student engagement.
Several subsections within the broader spectrum of science may include electricity, cells as a
home, animals, habitat (humans and animals), environmentally consciousness, heating, water &
water systems.
30
LESSON PLAN
NAME: B. Hannah/J.
Fraser
TOPIC: Science
ADMIN: P. Sherman
GRADE: 9
Students will be expected to: recognize that the nucleus of a cell contains genetic information
and determines cellular processes.
I CAN
Identify the key components of the cell and along with their functions. Correspond the
functions of the cell to the functions of household appliances.
Prep: Projector, Power Point, laptop, coloured pencils, chart paper, sticky notes.
ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
INTRODUCTION
BODY
Teacher will ask students to think about the type of house that
they would want to build some day including the dream
appliances they would purchase. Have students draw one room
of their house including their dream appliances. Ask students to
volunteer to explain the purpose of their appliances. Have
students consider whether their appliance is necessary or not.
Place a large floorplan of a house with most major rooms on the
board or even on the floor of the classroom. Have students
include their dream appliances in the room where it is most
appropriate.
31
CLOSURE
EVALUATION
DIFFERENTIATION &
SPECIFIC
ACCOMMODATIONS
Have students return to the group after 15-25 minutes and report
on each cell function represented. Add to the cell map if possible.
STUDENT A
STUDENT B
STUDENT C
Have
enriched
students lead the
discussions within
their
assigned
groups or/and have
them paired with a
student who may
struggle to stay on
task.
32
33
Physical Education, Technology, Art and Music are all subjects which can also
incorporate the theme of How do I build a house? Several ways in which this
is possible is:
Cooperation
Final Project
35
Conclusion
Inquiry-based learning is an effective tool for every teacher to employ in the development,
instruction and assessment of students in key curricular outcomes. The difficulty arises when
teachers who may not have had previous experience with inquiry-based learning feel
overwhelmed with implementing this method into their class. We have spent considerable time
researching effective strategies for using inquiry-based learning, consulted with numerous area
experts and created a how-to guide to introduce inexperienced teachers to this fantastic tool.
This resource has been designed to encourage teachers to branch out of their typical teaching
methods and employ strategies, in this case inquiry based learning, to engage the most amount
of students as possible in a real and authentic way.
Further information may be found at: www.questionsthatteach.wordpress.com
36
Special Thanks
Philip Sexsmith
Lisa Holyoke-Walsh
Dr. David Wagner
Dr. Alan Sears