Plan an interdisciplinary project with a partner class

Bring subjects together around one question

An interdisciplinary project asks students to use more than one subject to understand a question or develop a response. A partner class adds another setting to investigate and an audience that can ask questions about the work. Start with a curriculum topic both classes can explore, then decide how the subjects will connect.

For example, a climate question might need scientific data, an explanation of economic choices and a discussion of policy. A neighbourhood proposal could combine geography, environmental science, social studies and mathematics. Choose a manageable question and one result that draws on those contributions.

1. Name what each subject contributes

Begin with the knowledge students need to answer the question. In a climate project, they could interpret scientific evidence, compare costs and explain a proposed policy choice. Ask which sources and methods each subject uses and how the findings should inform the final decision.

Make the connections explicit. A cost estimate may change a design; an environmental observation may raise a question about who can use a place. Ask students to explain these relationships rather than present disconnected pieces of research.

UNESCO's education for sustainable development guidance connects learning with environmental, economic and social questions. It can help you choose a theme and learning focus for a cross-subject project.

2. Use the partner class's perspective in the work

Agree what each class will investigate locally and which question it will ask the other class. A partner may notice a different constraint, priority or assumption. Students can describe their own setting, request context and revise an explanation after hearing the reply.

Prepare respectful questions and the language students will need. Give them time to clarify an unfamiliar word or check that they understood a point. Discuss individual experiences and evidence without asking one student to represent a whole country or culture.

3. Plan one output that uses the subjects together

A sustainable neighbourhood proposal is one possible project. Two partner classes could compare a local green space, then suggest an improvement with a map, evidence and a short explanation of trade-offs. Decide how each subject will contribute to that proposal.

Ask partners to question the draft and use their feedback in the next version. The output could be a presentation, model or written proposal. Keep a record of the decisions so students can show how the subjects and both classrooms contributed.

Health can also supply a cross-subject theme. The World Health Day page points to a classroom project idea; students could examine how public-health messages combine information, visual design and communication.

4. Choose digital tools for the task

Give each tool a purpose: collect source notes, compare data, draw a chart, exchange questions or prepare a presentation. Use school-approved tools both classes can open. Check the format and connection needs before students begin.

Teachers can use Class2Class project chat and teacher messages to coordinate. Shared document editing, data visualization and any live video meeting use tools the teachers choose. Agree how students will share their work, explain an unfamiliar term and respond to a partner's question.

5. Give students choices and time to reflect

Invite students to suggest a question within the unit, choose a way to investigate it or decide how to communicate the result. An agreed audience, such as the partner class or school community, gives them a reason to explain their choices clearly.

Keep those choices connected to the learning goal. Students can review a first draft, a partner reply and a revision, then explain what changed. The Class2Class educational framework describes student agency alongside competencies and shared international work.

Look at individual learning as well as the joint product. Ask each student which idea they contributed, what evidence they used and what they learned from another perspective. The guide to making skills visible offers practical ways to collect work samples and reflections.

Agree a manageable plan with your partner teacher

Explore a project idea, then decide how it fits both curricula. Keep the first version focused enough to teach and assess. Write down the question, the subject contributions and what each class will share.

• Name the learning goal for each subject and the evidence students will need.
• Choose one shared output that uses those subject contributions.
• Agree class ages, language support, lesson time, response dates and teacher responsibilities.
• Check the actual project resources and prepare anything your learners still need.
• Leave time for partner questions, a revision and an individual reflection.

Class2Class is free for teachers and students. Teachers choose partners and adapt the work; the collaboration FAQ explains the process. For the international task design, see the main COIL guide.

Anuradha Sharma from India describes the lesson plans in her published teacher testimonial:

Love this platform! The lesson plans are amazing.

Anuradha Sharma, India

Sources

• UNESCO. Education for sustainable development.
• Class2Class. Educational Framework.
• Class2Class. Questions from schools, DPOs and partners.
• Class2Class. Anuradha Sharma teacher testimonial.
• Class2Class. How global classroom projects make 21st-century skills visible.