Upper Erdkinder and the Power of Interdisciplinary Learning

BY ROBERT FROLICK, ERDKINDER LEAD TEACHER

One of the key components of the Upper Erdkinder Program is interdisciplinary study. High School students, ages 16 to 18, are in what Dr. Maria Montessori called the second part of the Third Plane of Development. During this portion of the Third Plane, students apply their knowledge and experiences to use their abstract thinking back towards concrete application. They begin to make connections among the academic disciplines.  

Upper Erdkinder read during the inter-session Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. The book tells the story of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. The Ferris wheel debuted at the Exposition and became one its most memorable attractions. During the second semester, Upper Erdkinder is studying physics, and specifically, different types of waves, magnets, and electricity.  They are also studying trigonometry to understand the mathematical properties of waves based on the Unit Circle. This is a very challenging concept, but creating a concrete model helps students see trigonometry in action. They build Ferris wheels with the spokes of the wheel representing the key angles and positions showing how far and the wheel travels around the circle and its final position. Combining history, science, and math together, students take this one lesson and see how it relates to the wider world.