Finding Purpose Through Choice: Grade 10 Interdisciplinary Science Project (The Glen, Fal 2024)

At Bayview Glen, we embrace the real world beyond our walls In the real world, the problems that need to be solved rarely present themselves within the confines of a single subject Thus, we empower students to inquire into and propose thoughtful, innovative, and ethical solutions for real-world problems with a broader scope.

Interdisciplinary projects are an important part of supporting our students in developing the skill set needed for this kind of inquiry In this article, we will highlight the interdisciplinary project we offer our students at the end of Grade 10 This project presents students with an opportunity to combine science with any other course they are taking to research the essential question of how to communicate scientific research.

Giving students a voice and a choice allows them to find and pursue their interests and passions And they do! Students chose a wide variety of combinations, including Science and Physical Education focussing on muscle development, Science and Religion, addressing climate change action through a religious lens, and Science and Mathematics, highlighting the use of statistics in false positives in cancer testing.

At the start of our exam week in June, students presented their interdisciplinary projects at a Science Fair in our Theatre and their research, critical thinking, and communication skills were assessed by their teachers, Ms Landau and Mr Conrad Students opted for a wide range of communication forms, from videos to books, from artworks to posters Our students showed that giving them the possibility to think outside the boundaries of their subjects and classrooms unleashes creativity and gives them insights into pathways they would like to pursue in their academic careers that they never considered before this project.

Leen-Jan van ‘t HofDirector of Teaching and Learning, Upper School