Natural ledge and stone dam at Mansfield Hollow, Connecticut.

Grades 6-8 (and up) Curricula

What kind of wall would result from the stones in this picture? These are rounded boulders from Sherman, CT.

Grades 6 and Up Curriculum is presented with a much different format than seen with the lower grade level curriculums due to its strong reliance on community. We embed our interest in stone walls and transdisciplinary pedagogy within a specific, real-world project developed by 7th grade classroom teacher Dr. Dana Gnesdilow. Her curriculum follows a redevelopment issue taking place in the town of Mansfield, Connecticut called the Downtown Partnership Project.

Her approach prompts students to grapple with the many perspectives surrounding the community decision to build a town center in this college town community, and, if so, what one might look like. Students must ultimately make their own informed decisions about whether a central hub should be built for their community, and if so, they must develop a prototype. Due to the projects grounding in the Town of Mansfield, a list of detailed lessons is unnecessary and would prove meaningless for future developers of transdisciplinary curriculums. Instead, components of the project, such as the teaching steps, project guidelines, rubrics, worksheets and concept maps detailing connections across disciplines are provided, so that educators may adapt this curriculum into their own specific school communities and projects.