Advancing Interdisciplinary Learning in Math and Science

The chain reaction started in the spring, when the St. Margaret’s science department switched the Grade 9 science curriculum from conceptual physics to physics 9, an all-encompassing physics course that better touches on all of the subject’s major topics. A subsequent request was made to the math department to better support the switch.

It culminated with a thorough collaboration between the two departments and the creation of a 100-page workbook that blends the teachings of Grade 9 math and science to help students connect the concepts of each.

“We are always looking for ways to coordinate and identify synergies in our curricula across departments because we know that interdisciplinary learning provides deeper connection in all subjects for our students,” said Jeneen Graham, St. Margaret’s academic dean. “This collaboration between the math and science departments is an outstanding example of how we approach curriculum development and seek ways to bridge disciplines and advance their mutual relevance for our students.”

The “Mathematical Methods of Science” workbook authored by the St. Margaret’s math department teachers was provided to each freshman at the beginning of the year regardless of the math course they were enrolled in—for most students, it’s either geometry, geometry honors, algebra II or algebra II honors.

The goal was clear.

“It’s important for students to make the connection between the two different disciplines,” said Elizabeth O’Shea, math department chair. “It’s great when they see something in their physics or chemistry course and say ‘Oh I learned that in math!’ and vice-versa. A strong background in math helps science make sense.”

Physics 9 as a class incorporates some math concepts that many freshmen until now weren’t learning in math class until later in the school year. Upper School science chair Jennifer Ross-Viola reached out to Mrs. O’Shea and asked if the math department could tweak the curriculum to learn those concepts earlier.

Mrs. O’Shea agreed, and as the math department started working on this, a second epiphany arose—with geometry typically offered in the year between algebra 1B and algebra II, what could students do during that year to keep algebra skills fresh?

The answer to both problems was to create algebra problems based on scientific topics. “They can see science language and they can solve problems while reinforcing algebra skills,” Mrs. O’Shea said.

Upper School math teachers went to work this summer writing problems on relevant topics from exponents to graphing to quadratic functions to basic trigonometry—topics that also aligned with physics. They then took the problems to the science department teachers, who edited them to make sure they lined up with the presentation and science terminology they teach. Once they signed off on it, the math teachers did a final edit before the workbook was published.

Mrs. O’Shea, who teaches geometry this school year in addition to her duties as chair, uses the workbook about once a week in her classes. She’s listening to feedback and jotting down notes, with plans to work with the other math and science teachers to annually revise the workbook—all with the goal of better aligning the curriculum in an interesting and enlightening way.