Interdisciplinary Learning
Interdisciplinary learning enables teachers and learners to make connections in their learning through exploring clear and relevant links across the curriculum. It supports the use and application of what has been taught and learned in new and different ways and provides opportunities for deepening learning, for example through answering big questions, exploring an issue, solving problems or completing a final project. Children have opportunities to plan their learning and make choices about what they learn. Learning beyond subject boundaries provides learners with the opportunity to experience deep, challenging and relevant learning. Classes are encourages to share their learning with other classes, parents and the wider community through Performances of Understanding. We have developed ‘Jigsaw Planners’ to ensure coverage of all the experiences and outcomes whilst allowing pupils and staff personalisation and choice in the contexts they teach.
Interdisciplinary learning is an important element within Curriculum for Excellence. It makes up one of the four contexts for learning :
· Life and ethos of the school as a community
· Curriculum areas and subjects
· Interdisciplinary learning
· Opportunities for personal achievement.
Sciences, Social Studies and Technologies
Sciences
The sciences curriculum area within Curriculum for Excellence has to meet some significant challenges. While every child and young person needs to develop a secure understanding of important scientific concepts, their experiences of the sciences in school must develop a lifelong interest in science and its applications.
The organisers of science are:
- Planet Earth
- Forces, electricity and waves
- Biological systems
- Materials
- Topical science
Social Studies
Through social studies, children and young people develop their understanding of the world by learning about other people and their values, in different times, places and circumstances; they also develop their understanding of the environment and of how it has been shaped.
The key concepts of social studies are:
- people, past events and societies
- people, place and environment
- people in society, economy and business
Technologies
Within Curriculum for Excellence, the technologies curriculum area relates particularly to contexts that provide scope for developing technological skills, knowledge, understanding and attributes through creative, practical and work related activities.
The organisers of technology are:
- technological developments in society
- ICT to enhance learning
- business
- computing science
- food and textiles
- craft, design, engineering and graphics
Information and Communications Technology is delivered through a discrete programme of study- ‘ICT to enhance learning’ – from Primary 1 to Primary 7 and also through Interdisciplinary Learning. The school has a fully equipped ICT Room with full access to the internet along with SmartBoard technology in every classroom. ICT is used to deliver, support and extend skills in many curricular areas.
