A Hands-On Approach to Interdisciplinary Learning

What if your students could dive deep into learning across multiple subjects—while enjoying the process? Interdisciplinary learning (also known as an integrated curriculum) isn’t just a passing trend; it’s how some of history’s greatest minds approached knowledge. Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t just an artist—he was an engineer, anatomist, and inventor. Ada Lovelace combined mathematics and storytelling to lay the foundation for modern computing.

The idea that subjects should exist in isolation is a relatively modern construct. Throughout history, innovation thrived when disciplines overlapped. Bringing this mindset into today’s classrooms gives students the opportunity to make connections, experiment with ideas, and create projects that are both academically rigorous and personally meaningful.

A Hands-On Approach to Interdisciplinary Learning

A standout example of interdisciplinary learning was a project I designed for my third-grade students that merged science, technology, art, and language arts to explore the natural world. Instead of learning these subjects separately, students wove them together into one cohesive, hands-on experience.

Science—Researching the natural world: Students began by researching an animal of their choice, exploring its habitat, diet, predator-prey relationships, and unique adaptations. Rather than passively consuming information, students became active researchers, using books and online sources to gather meaningful insights.

Art—Bringing research to life: In art class, students applied their observational drawing skills to create detailed sketches of their animals. They then translated their hand-drawn work into digital files for laser cutting. For schools without laser cutters, students could use tools like the ChompSaw to safely craft with cardboard. Some students even experimented with double-exposure painting techniques, blending their animal with elements of its environment to create visually striking representations.

Technology—Coding and 3D modeling for deeper understanding: Using Scratch, students animated their animals, bringing them to life through block-based coding. They crafted digital stories that explored the animals’ behaviors, habitats, and survival strategies, deepening their connection to the subject matter.

Language arts—The power of storytelling: In language arts, students studied figurative language and poetry, crafting original poems about their animals. Rather than a standard research report, they wove scientific facts into creative writing, adding depth and personal expression to their work. Their poems were engraved onto boards using a laser cutter (or displayed alongside their cardboard-crafted animals), culminating in a final piece that blended scientific knowledge, artistic creativity, and technological innovation.

Bringing it all together: The final projects showcased students’ laser-cut or cardboard-crafted animals mounted onto engraved or written poetry boards—a visual, tactile, and meaningful representation of their learning. The classroom became a space of exploration and synthesis, where students weren’t passive learners but creators engaged in a multidisciplinary process.

The Keys to Successful Interdisciplinary Learning

This type of deep, connected learning requires thoughtful design, meaningful use of technology, and an emphasis on process over product. Here’s how to make it work.

1. Design learning experiences, not just lessons. Instead of structuring lessons around a single subject, build learning experiences that integrate multiple disciplines. An integrated curriculum ensures that learning is not fragmented but instead woven together in meaningful ways. Start with compelling questions:

• How can we use technology to tell a story?
• What would a sustainable city look like?
• How do animals adapt to their environment?

Framing projects around inquiry and creativity keeps students engaged and makes learning feel relevant and connected to their world.

2. Incorporate technology meaningfully. Technology should enhance creativity, not replace it. Free tools like Tinkercad and Scratch allow students to design, build, and experiment interactively:

• With Tinkercad, students can create 3D models of historical artifacts, structures, or their own inventions—translating ideas from mind to design in minutes.
• With Scratch, they can program interactive digital stories, coding animations that bring historical events, scientific processes, or literary themes to life.

When students use technology to create rather than just consume, they develop computational thinking, problem-solving, and design skills that prepare them for the future.

3. Focus on growth, not just the final product. In an interdisciplinary classroom, the most powerful learning happens during the process—the research, iterations, and problem-solving. Encourage students to document their journey:

• What challenges did they face?
• How did they revise their ideas?
• What surprised them along the way?

This reflection builds resilience and deepens learning, shifting the focus from getting it right to growing through the experience.

Why this matters

Interdisciplinary learning isn’t just about making projects more engaging—it’s about preparing students for a world that doesn’t operate in separate subject areas. In real life, artists use coding, scientists communicate through storytelling, and engineers rely on creative design principles. When we blur the lines between subjects, we empower students to think flexibly, collaborate across disciplines, and see themselves as creators and problem-solvers.

The greatest thinkers in history weren’t bound by subject areas, and our students shouldn’t be either. When students experience this kind of learning, they don’t just gain knowledge—they gain confidence. They take ownership of their ideas, persist through challenges, and see the connections that make learning come alive.

By rethinking how we structure learning, we move beyond memorization to exploration and isolated subjects to a world where ideas connect. This isn’t just teaching—it’s unlocking curiosity, creativity, and confidence. And that’s what real learning looks like. Now imagine what your students could create next.