Cross-Content Lessons
I'm finding our best days in first grade, are the busiest days! It is the days that are centered around one central idea and encompasses all portions of the curriculum. The cross content lesson plans allow me and my students to do our best work while fully emerging ourselves into the learning at hand.
This takes a little magic, a lot of planning, and sometimes the stars to align, to deliver a topic, multiple lessons, and a school day (hello crazy calendar) that coincides. But I am finding, a little dedication-and a few hours on the weekend to dedicate to research, brings a BIG reward.
How am I doing this? I am still figuring it out... But what I am doing-is starting with a project and working backwards.
Come the harvest season, my cooperating teacher and I knew we wanted our students to carve pumpkins! How would this fit into our day? So we started with the pumpkins, and centered the day around it. We ended up with a day to remember with lots of giggles, new experiences, and authentic understandings formed. Using this cross content approach I am brought back to the wise words from my grandmother, waste not, want not.I truly feel that's what cross content lesson planning is--you're utilizing every piece of a subject. Considering grade level and classroom community-you may even want to let your students help plan! A simple way to add some autonomy in the classroom could be to use a KWL chart to base your relating plans off of! Remember it's O.K. to have fun! Let me know how it goes...
