CrossCurricular Project Ideas?

Question

I am teaching in a alternative school, and need to think of some project ideas that would include more than one area of discipline (i.e. English and Science.) I want to get projects that would take up a significant amount of time (2 weeks or more.) that they could really get into, and have something ongoing to work on.

The level is high school, and students work mostly at their own pace.

I am going to make up rubrics for these.

If anyone else used crosscurricular projects in their classroom, I would love to hear how it worked, and how you adminstered it. I have some basic ideas, but just want ideas on how to flesh the projects out.

I am thinking that students can choose a minimum of two projects for the year (preferably more) and at least one of them will be from a piece of literature that we study. The other(s) can be of personal interest.

What I have so far are doing an album, a movie, a model of place.

Answer 1

I have been places where we did the Harlem renaissance. This was done by the Specials teachers. We made this project to coincide with Black History Month.  

Answer 2

* Science project using mathematical formulas to determine distance, vectors, energy, etc.

*  Color Project using primary color lights that when projected create pure white.  It is neat.  I did that project in my Physics class.  You could again use math to determine the proper distance required to make this happen, or English to a lesser degree.  You could cross with history to determine when primary colors were established.

Answer 3

we used to have an environmental week where all subjects were involved, not just 2. i'm not sure that's what you are looking for, but i'll give it a try in the hope that you will come up with your own ideas from these.

for 7th grade, we had come up with "media" as our topic. each group was assigned one medium such as radio/tv/print/etc..

students had to view their medium through all the different subjects taught eg. it's history, it's development, physics involved, effect on environment, effects on mankind & society, statistics, & so on.

all this could be done in various forms [& in all the languages taught} such as prose or poetry, written short story/play/anecdote/jokes/riddles; a model, a skit/play/puppet show/movie/, interviews & reportage, drawing/sketching/painting, .... eg. the newspaper group compiled stories as well as articles on their project in the form of a newspaper...

there were also visits to the studios where kids could learn the ropes, see work in action, meet with people in that industry & talk to them.

each group also invited some parent or person involved with the industry to give a talk or demonstrate.

everything went into the final project.  

if you have engllish & science, you can similarly come up with umpteen topics.

eg kids can do some sort of 'experiment' to show the effects of various pollutants on a potted indoor plant [loud noise/contaminated water/hot or cold water/over- or under-nourishment/presence or absence of sunlight/placement of the plant] & so on.  they can report this in the form of a news item in the "paper" or an article in a "magazine" or a report on TV/radio/internet along with photographs showing 'before-after' effects ......

hope this helps

all the best