* Cross-curricular refers to making connections *between* different subjects within a curriculum. It's about drawing parallels and showing how concepts from different subjects relate to each other. For example, a cross-curricular lesson might connect the historical context of a novel (literature) with the geographical setting (geography) and the social structures of the time (history). The focus remains on the individual subjects, but highlights their interconnectedness.
* Interdisciplinary goes a step further. It involves integrating knowledge and methods from *multiple* disciplines to create a new understanding or approach to a problem or topic. It's not just about making connections, but about creating something new by combining perspectives and methodologies. For example, an interdisciplinary project might explore climate change by integrating perspectives from environmental science, economics, sociology, and political science to develop a comprehensive strategy for mitigation and adaptation. The boundaries between disciplines become blurred.
In short: Cross-curricular is about connecting existing subjects; interdisciplinary is about creating something new by combining them. Cross-curricular is a subset of interdisciplinary—all interdisciplinary work is inherently cross-curricular, but not all cross-curricular work is interdisciplinary.