How Is It All Connected? Interdisciplinary Learning From Grades 7 to 10 in the Subjects of Natural Sciences, German/Social Sciences, and English

Like many other aspects in school life, the idea of interdisciplinary learning is nothing new. Klafki (1998) points out that there has been no real historical research about this top-ic, even though schools originally taught in more interdisciplinary ways. Hempel (2025) recently described the most recent peda-gogical discourse beginning in the 1990s, illustrating the importance of rethinking and testing interdisciplinary teaching. This essay provides a concrete example of how we (Mirjana Markovic and Dennis Krüger) have planned, structured and worked out a setting and structure for interdisciplinary learning at the Laborschule Bielefeld. The intention of such a project was to expand and interconnect a few subjects with overarching topics, to deepen the understanding for a specific topic. Additionally, we wished to provide the students with the possibility to research something that is connected to their own interest with that topic. In connection with these intentions, we also utilise the possibility of action research by collecting data and trying to figure out changes, modifications and improvements. This paper thus begins by outlining the structure that we have implemented for our group, the research that we are working on and an example topic. At the end we will give a brief outlook on the future of this research project and the implementation for the upcoming years.