The question has been raised, “Should we teach by subjects or by unit studies?”
Schools have traditionally fragmented the subjects, each one stood alone, artificially isolated. But it has now become vogue to integrate (rather than isolate) the subjects into “unit studies”, at least in the elementary years. However, much of what is put together into “unit studies” many times is an artificial construction too. It seems many times the creators of unit studies are going through their scope and sequence, and thinking, “Hmm, we have to cover this, this and that; how can we fit this into that so we don’t leave any gaps?” The result is many times contrived and forced, not a natural flow.
Real Life is melded. It fits and works together – integrated, not fragmented into isolated bits. It’s integrated, but yet it flows naturally. (This could take us on a whole other rabbit trail against the isolation of the “sacred” and “secular”. But I won’t go there today.)
So back to education. Each discipline/subject has its own rudiments, origin and purpose/history, vocabulary and such. Yet, this doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be melded together as they fit. They can and do flow together naturally.
There is a natural “tension” that recognizes the Individuality of each discipline, but also encourages the natural flow together of Unity with Diversity, as things fit. It is natural to study a piece of literature from the same historical period you are studying, and to both read and write on those things, to learn of the scientific discoveries from that time, to look at the governments of the time, and all of it through the lens of Scripture. It is real life – individual, yet in union.
By the way, in L.E.D. we call these Topical Studies.
