Investigating Crickets: Jumping Across the Disciplines in a Naturally Interdisciplinary Project

Abstract

A phenomenon from the natural world, cricket chirping behavior in relation to ambient temperature, is used as the springboard for engaging the curiosity of gifted students in an interdisciplinary classroom curriculum. Mathematics and science standards and disciplinary practices are prominent in the investigation, while other disciplines deepen the experience. An analysis of the cricket project in terms of the Parallel Curriculum (core, connections, practice, and identity) provides an interesting lens for examining interdisciplinarity (see Tomlinson, C. A., Kaplan, S. N., Renzulli, and J. S., et al. (2009). Parallel curriculum: A design to develop learner potential and challenge advanced learners. Corwin Press).