Week-Long Scandinavia Unit Study for High School (FREE PRINTABLE)

Scandinavia: From Vikings to Visionaries

This unit is appropriate for grades 9-12, but can be tailored to fit a family-style learning format.  It is designed to be used in a single week OR in a Fun Friday format, completing one day of the unit each week of the month.  Visit the Subscribers Page for a printable PDF version.

For extra enrichment, study Norse Mythology in depth.  To tailor for additional middle or elementary school family members, visit this Virtual Field Trip & Scandinavia Resource Roundup.

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DAY 1: Geography & Regional Overview

Activities:

• Choose one of the following countries and draw the flag in your notebook.  Research the meaning behind the flag's symbols: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland

• In your vocabulary notebook, add: Fjords, mountains, tundra, archipelagos

• In your notebook, print a map of Scandinavia and label the following: Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Arctic Circle, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland

• Write a paragraph on the meaning of Midnight Sun

• Watch a video on landscapes of Scandinavia

• Explore the impact of latitude and daylight on life, mood, and culture.  Add a paragraph about this to your Midnight Sun page.

Science Component:

• Study the Aurora Borealis — why and where it occurs.  Add this information to your notebook.

• Explore renewable energy in Scandinavia (hydropower, wind, geothermal).  Choose one and add what it is, how it works, and why it is important to the region in your notebook.

Creative Writing Prompt:

• “Describe a day in a village north of the Arctic Circle.”

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DAY 2: Viking Age and Early History

Activities:

• Watch excerpts from the Poetic Edda and study The Saga of Erik the Red

• In your notebook, identify these gods and tell why they are important: Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki

• On your map, show the routes that Vikings took to explore other world regions

• Timeline: Major Viking events + map of Viking expansion (add these to your notebook)

• Study Viking longship design and societal structure.  Write a paragraph about each in your notebook.

• Identify some Viking contributions to Europe (trade, law, navigation) in your notebook

• Sketch a Viking longhouse or design your own runestone with Norse runes

Creative Writing Prompt:

• “Write a saga about a young Viking explorer.”

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DAY 3: Culture, Language & Literature

Activities:

• Research concepts like hygge (Denmark), lagom (Sweden), and friluftsliv (Norway).  Add descriptions of these, and their importance, to your notebook.

• Research the Nobel Prize and its Swedish roots.  What are some of the categories that surprise you?

• Choose a famous Scandinavian writer. Write a short biography and synopsis of some of their works: Hans Christian Andersen, Henrik Ibsen, Astrid Lindgren

• Watch his biography, then read and analyze a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.  Add this to your notebook.

• Learn some basic Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian phrases.  (free Duolingo)

• Compare Scandinavian education systems to others around the world.  Make an infographic to put in your notebook.

Creative Prompt:

• “Create your own modern fairy tale with a Scandinavian setting.”

Art Connection:

• Explore Scandinavian folk art or minimalist design – draw or paint your own piece inspired by it

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DAY 4: Government, Society & Innovation

Activities:

• Research environmental leadership (e.g., Sweden’s waste-to-energy program) and write what you learn in your notebook.

• Compare U.S. and Scandinavian social systems (education, healthcare) using a Venn diagram.

• Research a modern Scandinavian company or innovation and document it's impact in your notebook

• Discuss pros and cons of high-tax, high-benefit societies.  Add a contrast chart to your notebook.

Civics Writing Prompt:

• “Should the U.S. adopt aspects of the Scandinavian model? Why or why not?”

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DAY 5: Nature, Sustainability, and the Way Forward

Activities:

• Explore how Scandinavian cities are greening urban spaces.  Create an ad to convince your city to utilize the same techniques.

• Watch a documentary or nature film (e.g., Planet Earth: The Arctic)

• Research Sami traditions and cultural preservation efforts.  Write what you learn in your notebook.

• Create a Scandinavia travel guide or photo journal and add to your notebook

• Write a persuasive essay: “Why Scandinavia is a model for sustainable living”

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Optional Books, Media & Resources

Readings:

• Norse Mythology – Neil Gaiman (modern retelling)

• A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman (Sweden, novel, adapted into films)

• The Snowman – Jo Nesbø (Norwegian thriller)

• The Year of Living Danishly – Helen Russell (fun nonfiction)

• Kon-Tiki (Norwegian biographical adventure)

Films/TV:

• The Secret of Kells (Ireland/Scandinavian connection)

• Frozen (inspired by Norway’s fjords and culture)