by Cynthia Hori, Rachael Mastanduno, Madeline Tank
Through the Integrative Studies program, the McGillis School acknowledges the inherently integrated nature of the world. Teachers of humanities, science, and writing collaborate to plan and implement a dynamic curriculum that makes explicit interdisciplinary connections. In doing so, we link content, conceptual understandings, and essential skills to real-world contexts and problems. Such a curriculum requires critical thinking and creative problem-solving for students and teachers alike. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam, the Integrative Studies program further empowers our students to be agents of change and to repair the world.
This year, McGillis 6th Graders studied wolves and turned their work into an exhibit, presenting their projects to create awareness about wolves and answer questions. Projects ranged from life size wolf packs and a replica of a wolf den, in addition to children's books, rewritten fairy tales, poems, podcasts, and games about wolves.