The first place winner of our Cross-Curricular Lesson Planning Contest was created by Mary Lynn Espinosa of River’s Edge Montessori in Dayton, Ohio. Knitting together our topics Feathers and Flight, Countdown at Kitty Hawk, and The Mechanics of Flight, with the scientific concept of biomimicry, she designed a hands-on learning plan that introduces students to physics concepts in the context of history.
“Integrating problem-based learning into my lesson planning leads to an increased level of student engagement,” said Espinosa. “These lessons immerse students in the content.”
This lesson plan is designed for fourth graders, but can be modified for older grades as well by updating reading levels and standards. “Addressing different learning styles and learning abilities can be challenging,” She said. “However, the Lexile leveled topics, the infographics and animation embedded in the content of Kids Discover Online are a few of the ways KDO provides help with these challenges.”
Thanks Mary Lynn! You can find our unit on the Wright Brothers here, and this winning lesson plan below, or here.