Naples Middle High School Eighth Graders Blend History, Math, and Language Arts in Interdisciplinary Project
Eighth-grade students at Naples Middle High School recently completed an interdisciplinary project in Mr. Nordhaus’ U.S. History class, merging historical inquiry with mathematics and language arts in a dynamic, co-taught learning experience centered on the 1920s.
The project, focused on “The Roaring Twenties,” challenged students to design advertisements for new or hypothetical products inspired by emerging technologies of the era. These creative ads served as a springboard for deeper academic exploration, as students researched the historical value of their products and examined the purchasing power of the average American citizen during the decade.
To determine affordability, students utilized real economic data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, analyzing inflation rates and average manufacturing wages in the late 1910s and early 1920s. The lessons were co-taught by Mr. Nordhaus, Mr. Noonan, a Multilingual Learner Program (MLP) teacher, and Mr. Macone, an Advanced Academics Programs and Services (AAPS) teacher. The trio collaborated to identify College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), effective teaching practices, and DoDEA-approved sources to guide student research.
In co-taught sessions, the team implemented a Team Teaching approach to support students in graphing hypothetical product price changes over time using coordinate planes. By applying mathematical skills to historical data, students were able to understand the economic fluctuations of the 1920s from multiple academic perspectives.
To extend their learning, students participated in Philosophical Chairs and Jigsaw discussions, debating whether the average American family of the 1920s could afford the products they had researched. These debates were grounded in historical evidence, data analysis, and graphical interpretation. Mr. Nordhaus and Mr. Noonan led discussions on historical reasoning, while Mr. Macone supported students’ mathematical thinking.
“The students engaged in meaningful discourse, using both historical and mathematical terminology,” said Mr. Nordhaus. “They discussed concepts like slope and linear versus nonlinear functions while also tying in historical themes like the 1920s recession and the rise of consumer culture.”
The interdisciplinary approach allowed students to make significant connections across content areas. One student shared, “It was fun to be able to use my math knowledge to figure out economics and history.” Another said, “I think it could help me in the future because I want to become a graphic designer, and making ads is an important part of that job.”
The project reflects the school’s commitment to cross-curricular learning, encouraging students to think critically and creatively across disciplines.
