What is cross-curricular learning?
Cross-curricular learning involves establishing patterns of information between different academic subjects.
It offers a creative way of developing knowledge, understanding, and practical skills through studying related topics.
A common way of expanding knowledge on a specific subject is to study the history of that topic and apply that learning to other teaching lessons.
How can cross-curricular learning benefits students?
Cross-curricular learning allows for more inter-connected lessons that capture your students’ imagination.
It also enables them to identify patterns of information between subjects that will help to enforce vital knowledge.
Good cross-curricular learning can involve many subjects, but it usually relies upon links between only a few vital subjects.
Making sure the links between lessons are natural and not forced is vital to a successful cross-curricular learning strategy.
Examples of Cross-curricular learning
Geography and History
- If you are learning about a specific country in Geography, studying that country’s civilization and origins in History is a great way for students to engage with learning by creating links between different subjects.
- Great examples include learning about Greece in Geography and the Ancient Greeks in History.
- You could even expand this to include a study of ancient Greek Gods in Religious Education lessons.
- Other good examples include studying Castles and the Great Fire of London.
History and Literacy
- If you are studying a particular text, examining the historical and geographical context in which the book was written is a good way of creating cross-curricular links.
- For instance, you could enhance literacy lessons on the books of Charles Dickens by studying the Victorian Era and the Industrial Revolution in History.
