The Interdisciplinary Studies Department supports Madeira’s mission to launch women who change the world by providing opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills to help them navigate and take charge of their lives in high school and beyond.
Interdisciplinary Studies classes are designed around Madeira's community values: awareness of self and others, compassion, creativity, intellectual curiosity, integrity, and resilience. The classes provide opportunities for student to discover and develop their individual and collective identities, learn how to make healthy choices and care for themselves and others, strengthen their ability to communicate effectively and advocate for themselves and others, increase their awareness and understanding of cultural and societal issues, and build their critical thinking and analytical skills. The classes are focused on inquiry-based learning.
STEAM classes teach students the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making through a variety of creative, collaborative and practical activities. These courses include concepts and/or processes used in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
2-block course; Required of all ninth graders
The Student Life ninth grade curriculum engages students in the examination of who they are as individuals and as community members, how they influence and are influenced by others, and how they can care for themselves and cultivate healthy and inclusive communities. Each student will develop and apply essential life skills as she builds a deeper understanding of herself and of those around her. Students will be assessed through experiential activities, inquiry-based projects, presentations, journal entries, papers, and class participation. This course is taught by faculty and staff members from various departments, giving students the opportunity to learn from community members not usually found in the classroom. These faculty and staff members bring their unique, professional perspectives to the curriculum. Prerequisite: None
1-block course; Open to grades 9-12
Civil discourse has long been viewed as a fundamental building block of successful societies and democracies. But in today’s increasingly partisan American culture, are we losing the ability to engage and share ideas in a persuasive, spirited, informed and most importantly, respectful, way. In this class, students will explore the foundations of successful civil discourse, active listening, and media literacy. While examining different communication styles, students will delve into the concept of confirmation bias and how the practice of consuming our news only from sources with whom we share the same biases serves to widen the ideological divides in our society. We will also explore what questions we should be asking to be discerning, media-literate consumers in an increasingly complex information ecosystem. Throughout the course, students will research a variety of issues and then, through a combination of journaling and structured conversations, will practice the skills they have learned. Prerequisite: None Offered in alternate years. Not offered in 2021-2022.
1-block course; Open to grades 9-12
This class is an introduction to riding, designed for students who have had minimal or no previous experience with horses. Students will learn how to groom, lead, tack, mount and dismount. Students will also learn the correct position and basic controls while riding a horse in the walk and trot. The theory and practice of basic horse care will also be taught. Prerequisite: Department approval. This course has a physical fitness requirement.
1-block course; Open to grades 9-12
This course offers an exploration of topics in programming and physical computing while giving students the opportunity to develop the critical 21st-century skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. This course is open to students new to coding. Students will work with the teacher to develop a personal learning path. This course will be taught through a blended model, giving students the opportunity to learn in an environment that sparks creativity and to practice time management and self-motivation skills. Prerequisite: None
*Special Note: This course satisfies the coding requirement. A Windows or Mac OS laptop with administrator rights and USB are required for this class. An external mouse is highly suggested.
1-block course; Open to grades 9-12
Mindfulness practice involves paying attention to the present moment in a specific and deliberate way without judgment. Research shows that mindfulness can have a profound impact on the way neurons fire in the brain and subsequently the way different regions in the brain, most notably the prefrontal cortex, communicate with each other. In other words, mindfulness practice can permanently influence how we think. Through examination of the work of Daniel Siegel, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and others, students will investigate the anatomy, functions, and interconnectedness of the brain, how the brain continues to change over the lifespan, and how mindfulness practice impacts the brain's functions and by extension, one's ability to make decisions, regulate emotions, and interact with others. This course will provide each student the opportunity to explore the basic tenets of mindfulness, experience different ways to focus attention and increase awareness, and develop her own unique daily mindfulness practice. Prerequisite: None
1-block course; Required for all 9th graders.
In this transdisciplinary, inquiry-based course, students will bring together science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in the study of topics that might include: Sound, Kinetic Sculptures, Agricultural Design, and Paper Engineering. Students will gain knowledge of and employ the Elements and Principles of Design, the Design Engineering Process, tool usage, and technical drawing throughout their project work. Prerequisites: None
1-block course; Open to grades 9-12
Modules:
Topics in STEAM: 21st century Design, Sustainability and Bio-fabrication: In this course students will explore the unexplored and examine the unexamined as we simultaneously delve into the past, present, and future of design innovation through the lens of the circular economy, bioengineering, biomimicry, and 4D technology. This course will emerge students into concepts of sustainable design (including learning from indigenous design ideas and techniques), efficiently and effectively using digital tools and conceptualizing not only 3-dimentionally, but also exploring product design over the course of an item's entire life cycle. Students will also explore and prototype living and breathing design that is created to grow and change over time. Students will learn to use the functions and processes of the natural world in their design process by designing and prototyping living, breathing, sustainable solutions to 21 century design challenges. Prerequisites: None
Topics in STEAM: Engineering for Robotics: This inquiry-based course will explore the Science, Technology, Engineering and pure Mathematics that undergirds the field of Robotics. Throughout this hands-on course, students will learn and experiments with electrical wiring, mechanical design and, programming to design and prototype working robots. Students will learn through videos, in-class demonstrations, and hands-on practice. Students will use the principles they learn in this course to solve and prototype solutions to real-world problems. Prerequisites: None
Topics in STEAM: Designing for the Human Body: In this inquiry-based course students will learn how to design, plan, and 3D model accessories, clothing, and/or shoes through the lens of anatomy and movement of various parts of the human body. They will learn about ergonomics and creating customized, generative, supportive, environmentally friendly, and aesthetically pleasing clothing and accessories for the body. Prerequisites: None
Topics in STEAM: Sound Engineering: Podcasting, radio, musical recording, live performances, sound effects, movie scores. They all have one thing in common, sound engineering. In this project-based course students will learn technics related to mixing and record sound for many environments and applications. The course will culminate in a final sound project of the student’s choice: podcast, musical recording, sound effects, or wherever their imagination takes them. Prerequisites: None
1-block course; Open to grades 9-12
This course offers an exploration of topics in programming and physical computing while giving students the opportunity to develop the critical 21st-century skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. This course is open to students who have already satisfied the coding requirement. Students will work with the teacher to develop a personal learning path. This course will be taught through a blended model, giving students the opportunity to learn in an environment that sparks creativity and to practice time management and self-motivation skills. Prerequisite: Open to students who have already satisfied the coding requirement.
1-block course; Open to grades 10-12
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of human movement. Students will be able to identify major skeletal structures along with related articulations (joints) and landmarks of that system. Students will also gain understanding of the muscular system related to movement and be able to comprehend concepts such as origin/insertion, agonist/antagonist, and concentric/eccentric movements. Prerequisites: 10th-12th grade students who have completed biology.
Open to grades 9-12
Mods 1 through 7 on Tuesday, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Additional worktime outside of class may also be required.
Engineering and Invention Lab is a year-long interdisciplinary project-based class. Students will work in a team to invent a technological solution to a real-world problem of their choosing. Using design thinking they may develop such technologies as assistive devices, environmental technologies, consumer goods, wearable technology, or an app. This course offers students the opportunity to learn about the steps involved in the invention process including grant writing, budgeting, research, and development, prototyping, and working with stakeholders. Students must be available to meeting with stakeholders and for presentations that may occur outside of class time. Earns three academic credits. Course may be repeated.
Must complete Student Life and STEAM Fundamentals courses, one additional student life credit, one coding credit.
Interdisciplinary Curriculum is taught by faculty and staff members from various departments, giving students the opportunity to learn from a variety of community members not usually found in the classroom. These faculty and staff members bring their unique, professional perspectives to the Interdisciplinary Curriculum.