submitted by Lisa Hoyt
Art, Science and English Arts equals creative thinking at the Berlin Elementary School. Berlin students have been focusing on plants as a theme this year in art class, using plants as a point of departure to study elements and principles of design as well as integrating New York State Art learning standards.
Berlin art teacher Jackie Monette collaborated with the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center to teach across curriculum and added science and English Language Arts (ELA) to their study of plants. Students explored what artists and scientists have in common; learning that observation, sketching and looking closely in detail are common traits. Dyken Pond Center staff brought in plants from nature with a variety of adaptations to their habitats and microscopes to look closely and challenged the children to invent their own plants that have adaptations for survival.
Teaching across curriculum is one way to show how everything in life is connected and all subject areas are interwoven. When we find common threads, learning becomes more relevant to students and sparks curiosity. Curiosity can then be used to engage the child, building connections that last throughout a lifetime. Cross curricular learning also develops skills in reasoning, critical thinking and problem solving. To learn more about this collaboration, please contact the Berlin Elementary School at 658-2127 or the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center at 270-2960.