Teacher's Guide

Cross-curricular collaboration

Public health and life skills, and sustainable development, are cross-curricular topics in the curriculum renewal. If we are fond of nature, we are more inclined to look after…

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Illustration: Scheie, 2020, page 5

Public health and life skills, and sustainable development, are cross-curricular topics in the curriculum renewal. If we are fond of nature, we are more inclined to look after nature. At the same time, it is also well documented that being out in nature is positive for both our mental and physical health. Topics such as the climate footprint of friluftsliv (the Norwegian tradition of unhurried, outdoor open-air living) are interesting and important, not least with a view to exploring how simple measures can reduce it.

In the curriculum renewal, deep learning and cross-curricular topics are central. UDIR writes:

The topics are intended to help pupils achieve understanding and see connections within individual subjects and across subjects. Pupils are to learn how perspectives from different subjects complement one another.

(Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2020)

There are good opportunities to work in a cross-curricular way in friluftsliv, as most subjects can quite easily be linked to tur activity (an outing in nature on foot, ski or bike, from a short walk to a multi-day trip). Here are some examples of small, simple collaborations:

  • History: make the tur to an area of historical significance and explore the history of the place.
  • Norwegian: write a text in which you compare your own experiences or reflections about a tur with texts from National Romanticism or realism.
  • Maths: practise map scale on different maps, take the maps outside and see what it looks like in practice.
  • Social studies and maths: draw up a budget for a tur and outdoor gear and try to keep to it.
    • Here it is possible to give pupils different budgets.
    • You can also bring in social inequality.
    • What consequences can it have if more people buy second-hand and hire equipment?

Multidisciplinary and cross-curricular teaching

What does cross-curricularity actually involve?

Multidisciplinarity or cross-curricularity means that pupils work on problems or topics that require knowledge and skills from several subjects.

(Meld. St. 28 (2015-2016): Fag-Fordypning-Forståelse –En fornyelse av Kunnskapsløftet, chapter 4.3.4)

There are several ways of working in a cross-curricular way. UIO mentions four different degrees of cross-curricularity:

Illustration: Det utdanningsvitenskapelige fakultet. Universitetet i Oslo, 2021

More information about these four directions can be found here:

Hva er flerfaglig og tverrfaglig undervisning? - FIKS - Forskning, innovasjon og kompetanseutvikling i skolen

UIO also has a good online resource that addresses various aspects of cross-curricular collaboration and how a school can make it work:

Hvordan kan skoler arbeide tverrfaglig? - FIKS - Forskning, innovasjon og kompetanseutvikling i skolen

Websites and apps for cross-curricular teaching

Websites and apps for cross-curricular teaching

Cross-curricular teaching plans

Cross-curricular projects / tasks

Overview of competence aims linked to cross-curricular topics and friluftsliv

Next steps

Learn more

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Gina Wigestrand, Snuitide (2021)