Bringing SDGs into the Classroom: Agents for Change Project
The best way to teach SDGs or bring them into your classroom is through a student-led action project. Allow students to explore various resources, make connections and choose a topic they care deeply about. In this SDG project, students will build a greater understand of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the role they can play in support of a better future. The project calls students to become agents for change in some small way. Students will explore an SDG or global/ local issue that is meaningful and important to them. Students will build knowledge on what has been done to address this goal/ issue and what still can be done. Students are called to put together a plan of action, as well as, educate their peers on the issue.
In stage 1, we teach SDGs by allowing students to explore a variety of resources, question their understanding and make connections to their local and global communities. Students exchange their new knowledge and questions and begin to explore the meaningful projects, outcomes and publications that other students from around the world have begun. In stage 2, students engage in deeper research so they can carefully outline what still needs to be done to address the specific issue they have chosen. Then it’s time to be a goalkeeper. Students use key insights and understandings to develop a plan of action. With inspiration from other students around the globe, students will brainstorm a publication, project, campaign or outcome.
ROADMAP
Stage 1 - Learn
In this stage, you will explore the 17 SDGs through various resources and make a connection to your own community. You will explore various projects, movements, publications, and initiatives that circle the SDGs.
RESOURCESShare a QuickWrite. Do a community walk and think of the question list attached to this stage. Imagine you have been given the power to change things, what would you change in your community, society, and country?
Explore the resources attached to this stage and this Belouga playlist: https://belouga.org/series/mission-2030-the-global-goals
Watch: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-failing-infrastructure-and-climate-change-leave-many-south-africans-without-water and read https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/2021/04/lesson-plan-becoming-agents-for-change-through-the-sustainable-development-goals/ What SDG's are at play here? Can you make any connections or comparisons? Exchange thoughts with peers and discuss.
Skim articles and videos on Generation 2030: http://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/generation-2030/ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/agents-for-change on 2-3 SDG's of your choice. What meaningful projects, outcomes, or publications have already been created to address these's SDG's?
Share a quick 30-min video. What is the SDG (or related issues) that are most meaningful and important to you. Explain Why.
Create a mind-map or rough doodle. What do you already know about your topic? What do you need to know?
Create a short informational slide, document, or Canva illustrating your chosen issue and what projects/ organizations are currently being done to address this issue. What isn't being done? Outline the problem in detail.
Watch this Belouga episode: https://belouga-player.netlify.app/player/18d6a28e-78c1-4551-877a-43a719edae62/?part=1 What issue are you going to tackle?
Determine problem statement. What problem are your addressing and why? Who does it impact?
Ideate Solutions. Share your solutions with peers. Get feedback and revise your idea.
Sanity check your idea. Make sure this project is something you can achieve.
Determine objectives
Set a goal
Share updates on your action plan. Seek feedback and revise or iterate on your work.
www.goodlifegoals.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGcrYkHwE80 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G0ndS3uRdo&t=1s https://www.sustainabilitysuperheroes.org/uploads/1/9/6/4/19645963/1_page_goals_comics_-_full_set_pdf.pdf https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/
Stage 2 - Research
Do your research. You are going to select a specific issue (1-2 SDGs) that is important and meaningful to you. Do your homework. What is being done to address these issues? What isn't? What do you know? What do you need to know?
Stage 3 - Be a Goalkeeper
Goalkeepers stand up and take action for the SDGs. They are ordinary people that care about making their schools, homes, communities, and countries better for everyone to live in now, and they care about protecting them for the future. They use the Goals as a way of linking their action to a Global plan to make the world fairer and more just. Your job is to come up with a project proposal to address a specific issue (related to 1 or more of the SDGs). Make your project proposal the best it can be! The need for the project should be adequately justified. It must work towards at least one of the SDGs. Explain clearly why your idea is innovative and different. A project description and conclusion must be included. Describe how the project will be sustainable and explain how impact can be measured. It's time to put a concrete plan together. You will outline your problem statement in detail, ideate possible solutions and test them on your peers, determine the objectives/goal of your work, and sanity-check your idea before doing any work! Your work could take many forms: documentary, participation in an organization, publication, campaign, etc. What's important is that your work actually imparts change to the intended audience. Resource https://belouga-player.netlify.app/player/18d6a28e-78c1-4551-877a-43a719edae62/?part=1
Stage 4 - Take Action
You can access this SDG project plan by signing up for a Spinndle account. On Spinndle you can keep track of each student’s learning process, start to finish. Spinndle helps students stay on track, initiate tasks and forward plan.