DEAR EDUCATOR,
"In 2005," wrote historian Terje Leiren in the Spring 2005 issue of Scandinavian Review, "Norway ... [celebrated] a century of independence by also celebrating its social, political, and economic emergence from poverty to affluence." The distance its people traveled in that hundred years is impressive. In Leiren's words, "Norwegians in 1900 had more in common with their Viking ancestors than they would with their great-grandchildren." Today, notes the author, those descendants are members of a "modern post-industrial society," whose economy is "increasingly complex" and driven by information technology.

It is no small coincidence that Norway's current status is linked to the development of natural resources that are in high demand. Norway is one of the world's major exporters of oil, gas, and seafood. But the story does not end there. What is most unique is how this nation's small population (4.6 million in 2007) have been using their collective wisdom and wealth. Reflecting centuries of traditional values, 21st-century Norwegians maintain a strong commitment to democratic institutions, to one another's welfare, and to the advancement of world peace and prosperity. These are values that Americans have traditionally held dear, too. Thus, the occasion of Norway's centenary of political independence makes that country's progress and priorities excellent topics for your students' research.

CURRICULUM STANDARDS
This unit will serve courses in history, world regions, government, and contemporary issues (9-12). Among prototypical SOLs supported by the unit are these three, cited from: Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (EE); National Standards for History (NSH); and Geography for Life: National Geography Standards (GL). Students using this unit should be better able to:

• "[illustrate] how changing perceptions of places and environments affect the spatial behavior of people." — "How To Apply Geography to Interpret the Past" (GL)

• "[weigh] the costs and benefits to society of allocating goods and services through private and public sectors." — "Production, Distribution, Consumption" (EE)

• "analyze … consequences of the world's shift from bipolar to multipolar centers of economic, political, and military power." — "Major Global Trends Since World War II," Era 9, Standard 3 (NSH)

CRITICAL TERMS
Depending on students' needs, you may want to preview some or all of the following terms from this unit: biotech, constitutional monarchy, equitable distribution, export earnings, fijord, gender equality, global warming, gross domestic product, information technologies, mixed economy, myth, non-renewable resource, paid parental leave, philanthropy, sociopolitical, and welfare benefits.

WIDENING CIRCLES....
The student pages in this unit have been developed around a "widening-circles" approach to the study of modern-day societies. Norway is explored first as a nation, next as a member of a geopolitical region, and finally as a participant in global affairs. Running through all three pages are underlying questions: How has Norway's geography influenced its people's lives? What does Norway offer to — and seek from — the world community today? What "horizons" are left, for Norwegians to explore? You may want to use those questions — as well as the "Ask Now..." questions at the end of each page — to evaluate students' grasp of what they read.

BACKGROUND ON STUDENT PAGES
As you introduce this unit to students, ask them to speculate on the kinds of issues and fields of endeavor in which a society might have "explored new horizons" in earlier times, and might do so today. Urge students to watch for examples of such "exploration" in each of the three Student Text Pages in this unit. Here's some additional information about key themes and topics on these pages, plus a few suggestions for exploring them further with your class:

1.   Student Text Page No. 1: "As a Nation." Life in contemporary Norway is introduced through the experience of a young professional woman about to begin her maternity leave. Plus: Norway's social welfare plan — and some of the goals behind it, the country's flourishing mixed economy, national efforts to provide for future economic security, and recognition for Norway's human development policies.

1a. About Trondheim. Tell students that Trondheim (mentioned in the introduction to the "Nation" Page) was Norway's first capital, founded in 997. To learn more about the city's cultural history, they can make a great start at the official Web Site for Trondheim. (Select "Culture and Sights" at the top of the opening page.) And, for a different taste of Norway's historic culture, you might steer students to the Site for the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America, where they can download and listen to "Music Samples" played on a truly unique Norwegian instrument!....

1b. Gender equality. Students may ask: Does paid parental leave actually promote gender equality? When it's part of a nation's full-court press to achieve such equality, the answer seems to be Yes! In April 2007, Kjell Erik Øie (State Secretary of Norway's Ministry for Children and Equality) cited his country's parental leave and childcare programs as key elements of a policy dealing with the challenges that an aging population poses for Norway's pension system — a policy that also fosters gender equality. The statistics tell the story. Labor force participation for all Norwegian women aged 16 - 74 is 69 percent. For women with at least one child under 15, the participation rate is 81 percent. At the same time, reports Øie: "Norwegian women have one of the highest birthrates in Europe" (1.9 percent). For more on the topic, see Øie's full address at "Gender Equality: A Key Component of a Modern Growth Strategy."

1c. Economic measurements. In the "Today's Boon" segment, the $257-billion figure for Norway's GDP represents purchasing power parity (ppp), the dollar value of the universal "basket" of goods and services that Norway's GDP earnings could buy (within Norway, at Norwegian prices). The CIA World Factbook and many other sources use purchasing-power figures when reporting on a nation's economic status. The Factbook also reports GDP in terms of the official exchange rate between a particular nation's currency and U.S. dollars. Measured thus, Norway's GDP was $284 billion in 2007, when Norway's kroner were converting to dollars at the rate of about 5.84 to 1. And student researchers may come across still other figures, based on different forms of measurement. Under the World Bank's Atlas method, for example, a nation's gross national income (GNI) is expressed in current dollars, but is based on a three-year-average conversion rate for that particular nation's currency. However, in Norway's case, such differences do not affect the bottom line. As a 2006 report by the World Bank demonstrates, Norway's per-capita GNI ranks among the world's top five, whether measured by the "ppp" or by the Atlas method. (See also the Norway Data Page for a profile of Norway's population and economy.)

Suggestion: Charting contrasts. The "Nation" Page focuses on Norway's welfare system and mixed economy. After students have read the page, tell them that the young woman described in the opening lines would also receive a tax-free subsidy for each of her children under the age of 18. More: Along with all other workers in the country's public and private sectors, she would also be guaranteed an annual four-week, employer-funded vacation! Encourage student teams to (a) make a chart comparing these and other facts about the Norwegian welfare/mixed-economy system with comparable laws and systems in their own country, and (b) discuss/debate the "plus" and "minus" points on each side. For students who may want to examine comparable systems in other nations, a good start can be made with the entry for "Welfare State" in the online encyclopedia "Wikipedia." For an excellent (though much more detailed) presentation of Norway's welfare benefits, you might want some students to consult the online booklet "National Insurance Scheme."

2.   Student Text Page No. 2: "Within Its Region." Life at sea for inhabitants of Norway's earliest coastal fishing villages is portrayed. Plus: the era of Norse Vikings and their journeys, the evolution of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish kingdoms and their later interrelationships, the emergence of national goals among Norwegians in the 19th century — followed by independence (1905), Norway's economic achievements, and its relations with the EU

2a. Map lore. The value of the "Region" Page will be enhanced if students have access to a regional map of Norway (see the Norway Map Page). NOTE: Because of distance and scale, LE's map could not include Svalbard, a Norwegian territory — and the northernmost part of Europe. Halfway between Norway and the North Pole, the archipelago of Svalbard was opened by treaty in 1920 to the coal-mining interests of dozens of countries — though today it is inhabited chiefly by Norwegians (the majority) and Russians. Svalbard is also the location of Norway's new "doomsday" seed bank, where Norway will freeze and store plant seeds from around the world, as an insurance against those plants' extinction during any future global catastrophe! Prompt students, using a globe or atlas, to locate Svalbard's islands. Then have them read some fascinating details about "The Seed Bank Atop the World" in the October 12, 2007 issue of the Los Angeles Times....

2b. Indigenous people. Opening lines on this page call to mind early Norse seafarers. But Norway was home to an even earlier culture group, whose descendants — the Sami — still dwell in the country's northernmost parts. For an up-close look at how the Sami are coping with the 21st century, watch the short video of a December 2005 PBS documentary at "Norway: Reindeer Men: Mythic nomads in a modern world." After viewing, you may want to select the link at "Background Facts and Related Links," too!

2c. Early history. Vikings have become such a familiar icon in modern-day sports, cartoons, and other forms of popular culture, you may need to remind students about who the "originals" were. Here's one source: "Eyes On.... Viking Explorers" — a brief, informative Learning Enrichment unit that includes a map of the Vikings' journeys. (Scroll to the end of that unit's Teacher Page for links to student and map materials.)

2d. Northern Europe today. It would be hard to overstate the importance to Norway of associations whose other members share its regionwide interests. Such groups are valuable as bases for scientific and cultural exchanges, and for addressing common regional problems — air pollution and the depletion of fish stocks, for example. This student page mentions the Nordic Council, founded in 1953. Norway also co-founded two other regional associations: the Council of the Baltic Sea States (1992), and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (1993). Student researchers visiting the Web Sites of these Councils will find maps, membership lists, and a wealth of information about the priorities and projects of these different groups of North European nations. They may also find references to the Northern Dimension, the recent collaboration of Norway, Russia, and Iceland with the EU. (NOTE: The EU includes all other members of the Councils listed above). The goals of the Northern Dimension? "The prosperity of Northern Europe, its sustainable development, and the well-being of its population." Invite students who have visited these sites to share the results of their research. Have them summarize the goals of each association, noting any major concern or topic that many or most groups are now addressing (resource management, environmental protection, etc.). Then ask students to speculate on why the membership of "regional" associations seems (over time) to be expanding in size! What factors might explain that expansion? And: Would including more nations add to, or lessen, the value of membership for any one nation?

2e. European Union. When discussing the ongoing debate over Norway's possible membership in the European Union, inform students about the European Economic Area agreement (1994), under which Norway receives most of the same trade benefits that EU member nations enjoy among themselves. For an excellent, detailed statement of Norway's current relationship with the EU, see "Europe's Future," the June 4, 2007 address to the Storting by Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre. (Look especially for references to the "High North," Norway's term for "the north of mainland Europe plus the Barents Sea.")

Suggestion: Guided reading on Norway's centenary. In "A Century of Norwegian Independence" (see introduction to this Teacher Page and "More Sources," below), historian Terje Leiren steers the reader through a series of cliff-hanging moments in Norway's 20th-century history. The article is long. But persevering students will find it an excellent tutorial on the roots and branches of modern-day nationalism, as Norwegians experienced it. The following questions will help students look for the article's main ideas: (a) Describe life in Norway before its people dissolved the Union with Sweden in 1905. (b) How did that dissolution (separation) occur? (c) What policies did Norway's early Liberal and Labor Parties promote, with regard to the nation's resources and its people's welfare? (d) How did Norway's location influence its role in World War II? (e) What world organizations did Norway join after WWII, and what was the reason for joining each? (f) What major cultural changes have occurred within Norway in recent decades? (g) What evidence does the author give to support his statement that, "As a small country, Norway must balance (a) the fear of being swallowed up by a larger power with (b) the need for allies and [for] the protection of a larger organization"? [Letters added and punctuation adapted. LE's ed.]

3.   Student Text Page No. 3: "In Today's World." Norway's generosity toward the relief of global poverty and its attendant ills is illustrated through a recent billion-dollar pledge for health-care programs for infants and mothers. Plus: origins — and other examples — of Norway's "helping-hand" tradition, guiding principles behind its foreign policy (with examples of policy adaptations to changing times), and challenges awaiting Norway in the Arctic Region.

3a. National generosity — today. The conference described in the introduction to this student page was the third annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, a non-profit organization founded in 2005 by former U.S. President Bill Clinton to address issues of global poverty and climate change. Norway's billion-dollar pledge at the opening of that conference and other generous contributions it has made over the years are the subject of a New York Times article, *Norway Gives More To Fight Ills Overseas," by Celia W. Dugger. To put that into perspective: According to a recent OECD report, Norway's Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2006 amounted to 0.89 percent of its GNI (Gross National Income) — well beyond the UN target of 0.7 percent, per nation! By comparison, the USA contributed 0.17 percent of its GNI in the same year. In sharing such data with students, however, remind them that the base numbers (the national GNIs) from which the percentages are computed differ widely. In dollar terms, the USA, the United Kingdom, and Japan ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in the amount of foreign aid that each provided.

3b. National generosity — the next generation? Students in Norway have an early exposure to the experience of helping others. More than 40 years ago, a group of Norwegian teens launched Operasjon Dagsverk (Operation Day's Work) for just that purpose. Realizing how many people on our planet go without an education because of poverty, they selected a country (Algeria), researched its people's education needs, and donated pay from a "day's work" to raise $15,000 for their project. By the beginning of this millennium, Operasjon Dagsverk had spread to several other nations (including the USA), and raised over $20 million for education projects in dozens of countries! (To learn how U.S. schools get involved, check the U.S. Agency for International Development.)

3c. Conflict resolution. If you're looking for a way to introduce the topic of Norway's peacebuilding efforts, direct students' attention to Afghanistan, where Norwegian troops are playing an important part in the stabilization efforts conducted by NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The goal: to help Afghanis improve their living conditions and develop new education and public administration services. For quickly accessed updates on this work, keep an eye on current issues of "Aftenposten: News from Norway." (Use the Search box on the paper's Home Page to find articles on Afghanistan.)

3d. Exploring spirit! One of the threads running through this unit deals with "exploration." Urge students to research and report on some of Norway's great explorers, including Fridtjof Nansen, Roald Amundsen, Thor Heyerdahl, and Liv Arnesen, who — with her American colleague Ann Bancroft — completed the first all-women's crossing of Antarctica (on foot) in February 2001.

Suggestions: Mock conference.... Several of Norway's modern-day concerns — the environment, EU, Arctic zone, etc. — are addressed on this page. Have each student select and research one of those interests (or others, such as oil management) to represent at a conference on "Norwegian Priorities for the Future." After speakers present their position papers, have students vote to decide what Norway's policy priorities should be(!).... Time line. Taken together, the three Student Text Pages in this unit cover a great deal of Norway's seafaring past (as well as its present!). Challenge students to review all three pages for data that might be included in a "marine" chronology of Norway's history, and then have them place each fact on a timeline. (You might want to tell students that Norway's North Sea oil extraction began in the 1970s. Also, remind them to include the ongoing search for offshore resources in the Arctic waters north of Norway.).

SOCIAL STUDIES READING SKILLS
Realizing the significant pressure on social studies teachers to emphasize reading skills with secondary school students, LE offers the following tip for use with this unit (see also LE's Page on Reading Skills in the Social Studies):

* Recognizing the specialized vocabulary of writers and commentators in the field of social studies. One of the most challenging goals for any educator is to help students become familiar with the terminology appropriate to his or her field. This unit's Student Text Page No. 2 ("Within Its Region") includes a number of terms with special meaning for students in social studies courses. Here are 20 of them: (1) allies, (2) coastal waters, (3) constitution, (4) democracy, (5) hot/cold war, (6) monarchy, (7) myth, (8) national identity, (9) off-shore fishing rights, (10) parliament, (11) political union, (12) progress, (13) regional groups, (14) shared culture, (15) sociopolitical, (16) stable relations, (17) telecommunications, (18) territorial warfare, (19) trade links, (20) trade routes.

1. Depending on the course you're teaching, distribute a list of some or all of the above numbered terms a day or so before you hand out copies of this unit's Student Text Page No. 2. Ask students to reflect on the word-list as a whole and then draw an inference (make a prediction) about the focus (main idea) of the article they will soon read. Possible predictions of the article's focus: "Norway's Government" (see Items 3, 4, 6, 10, for example); "Its History" (5, 8); "Its People's Culture" (7, 14); "Its Economy" (9, 17, 19, 20); "Its International Relations" (1, 5, 13, 16, and 18). Some items (11, 12, 15, for example) could support more than one category…. As the subtitle of the page indicates, the focus is actually on Norway's regional relations.
2. On the same day that you distribute the word-list, assign a different term to each student, with the assignment to research and report on the term's meaning. Emphasize that the explanations you're looking for should relate to some aspect of the social studies (History, Economics, etc.). Thus, simply providing the basic definition of "telecommunications" (exchanges of information over a distance) would not complete the assignment. But providing the basic definition and then relating it to, say, the field of Economics (as an example of a growing industry, or a new career field, or an investment target, or a factor in globalization, etc.) would do the job. Review students' reports in class. Then distribute Student Text Page No. 2, pausing now and then as students read it, to check their understanding of the new terms.

MORE RESOURCES
Some of the best current sources on Norway are on-line. See, for example, Norway's "official site in the United States," where you can find links to such interesting topics as "Society & Policy," "Culture," and "History." This same site also provides a link to "News of Norway" — a magazine with colorfully illustrated, informative articles

Other worthwhile electronic sites include: "Norway", a major article in the CIA's World Factbook and "Background Note: Norway" from the Web Site of the U.S. Department of State.

And, in case you haven't visited it yet, the excellent Site maintained by the American Scandinavian Foundation provides up-to-date information on Norway and its Nordic neighbors (see the home-page click-on map!), as well as links to other relevant sources.

Finally, LE also recommends the following sources:

Aldridge, Susan. "Blue Biotech Puts Norway on the Map: Prospecting for Commercial Opportunities in Marine Environments." Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. October 15, 2005. Research in Trondheim.

Bruni, Frank. "A Nation That Exports Oil, Herring, and Peace." The New York Times. December 22, 2002. Page A3.

Chowder, Ken. "Norway's Wild Western Isles." The New York Times. June 15, 2003. Page 24. An excellent article on Norway's Lofoten Islands, north of the Arctic Circle.

Dugger, Celia W. "Norway Gives More to Fight Ills Overseas." The New York Times. September 30, 2007.

"Ibsen Centennial Opens." Aftenposten. January 13, 2006. Heralding the 100th anniversary of Henrik Ibsen's death, a Norwegian newspaper honors "Norway's best known playwright."

Leiren, Terje. "A Century of Norwegian Independence." Scandinavian Review. Spring 2005. Page 7.

"Millennium Development Goals." Wikipedia online encyclopedia.

"News from the Barents Region." BarentsObserver. Excellent source of current information on a part of the world that is critical to Norway's interests and security.

"Norway and the European Union." Wikipedia online encyclopedia. Pros and Cons of Norway's membership

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. "For a Better World Economy." March 2007. (Select links to "Table 1" and "Chart 1" for data on Norway's official development assistance)

"Security in the High North…." June 5, 2007. Address by Liv Monica Bargem Stubholt, State Secretary in Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Støre, Jonas Gahr. "Journalism in a troubled world…." June 4, 2007. Address by Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

United Nations. "Statistics in the Human Development Report." (Check the right-hand column for Norway's 2006 ranking.)

"Who owns Arctic's wealth?" USA Today. August 14, 2007. Business Section. Page 10a.