Kent School Inspires Deeper Learning with Cross-Curricular Instruction

Teachers at Kent School have fully embraced the enhanced teaching and learning opportunities that come from cross-curricular instruction. Two recent projects illustrate the depth of student understanding when students can study one topic in different classes.

Middle School Literature is selected based on the period of history covered in each grade. Eighth grade students explore Twentieth Century American History and read Twentieth Century American writers. Eighth Grade students recently completed John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. In addition to classroom discussion and assignments students were challenged to show deeper understanding of the novel through Art and Science.

Middle School Science teacher Hannah Richardson was able to interweave prior knowledge of oyster anatomy and life cycle to give the students a broader understanding of the story. In Art, teacher Pat Parkhurst incorporated The Pearl into two lessons. First, students honed skills by drawing a detailed oyster shell. Secondly, Parkhurst asked her students to choose and recreate a meaningful scene from the novel in silhouette form. “The students really impressed me with their silhouettes. They were able to incorporate so much of the story’s symbolism into their artwork.”
More recently, 5th Gr. students combined Science, Art and community service. In Science class, the 5th Gr. is currently studying fresh water movement within a Chesapeake Bay Studies lens. Connecting the lesson in Art class, the students created stencils of several different species that live in local waterways. The students went downtown to paint the images around local storm drains. Pedestrians will have a visual understanding that everything going through our storm drains ends up in our waterways and effects species living there. We want students to understand that they can create art that makes a difference or raises awareness.