Interrelationshipsare the logical or natural association between two or more things. Second graders work to understand how individual parts contribute to a whole and how the whole is made of interrelated parts. Interrelationshipsexpand upon the concepts of life connections, patterns and interactions, and sorting by extending these concepts to the idea that individual objects possess reciprocal relationships that influence and interact with one another dynamically.
Interrelationships can connect all 10 content areas as detailed below.
Comprehensive Health and Physical Education
In comprehensive health and physical education, interrelationships are critical to understanding the impact of one’s behavior on the individual and common good. For example, physical education classes serve as a controlled environment for students to practice safe behaviors, including following rules and maintaining personal space, and for students to explore their connection to creating a safe school environment. Understanding one’s role in being healthy through nutritious eating and physical activity as well as creating a safe environment is a fundamental step in developing healthy and civilly-minded graduates.
In dance, interrelationships compare dance styles and their connection to a community as well as the use of music and costuming in creating an overall effect. Understanding how the dance is connected to rituals or festivals and how costume pieces are selected are some examples of the interrelationships found in dance.
Drama and Theatre Arts
In drama and theatre arts, interrelationships are essential in creating a dramatic scene. Understanding interrelationships enables learners to demonstrate how people interact with one another and their environment. Acting within an ensemble requires a basic understanding of interrelationships.
In mathematics, interrelationships are found by examining the connections within and between mathematical content. For example, the interrelationship between measurement and subtraction strengthens the understanding of both concepts. Second graders examine interrelationships to develop strategies for addition and subtraction.
Reading, Writing, and Communicating
In reading, writing, and communicating, interrelationships are critical to understanding ideas. In second grade, this includes an understanding of the correlation between the reader’s/listener’s background knowledge and the intended message of the author/speaker. Knowing the relationship between the specific vocabulary or theme and the intended audience is essential for effective communication.
In science, interrelationships refer to the constant interactions between objects and organisms. The interrelationship between objects or between organisms can be studied to help us understand the natural world. Knowing the ways forces influence the motion of objects and how organisms rely on their habitat are two examples of complex interrelationships.
In social studies, interrelationships provide meaning by connecting various component parts and relating them to a larger structure. For example, second graders are learning how individual primary sources contribute to the creation of a view of history and how individuals create groups such as the local community. In geography, students are learning about individual physical features that contribute to a place or region. While studying economics, second graders focus on the interrelated nature of resources and scarcity. In addition, second grade civics focuses on the interrelationships between individuals in order to prevent bullying behaviors and support civil interaction between individuals.
In visual arts, interrelationships require a foundational ability to connect how the whole is related to the parts and the parts are related to the whole. For example, interrelationships are identified when comparing the differences of artworks and their connection to a community using criteria from characteristics and expressive features in art. Understanding how the foreground and background are related or how the subject of the piece is related to its surroundings are additional examples of the interrelationships found in works of art.
In world languages, interrelationships are found between basic vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation of words in both the target language and the learner’s language. Learners use interrelationships between context and the meaning of words and phrases to help construct meaning. Cultures interact with each other in multiple ways through expressive products such as the sharing of music and art. Language interrelationships also facilitate business and cultural communication.
Summary Document: All standards pages for interrelationships