Sustainable Development: Mission Earth Intervention

Short Description

This session will introduce the Sustainable Development Goals to the class by involving the students to attain a definition of Sustainable Development. A PowerPoint will further introduce the SDGs. An activity will then follow to make students realize that the SDGs are all interrelated. Through the use of images, the students will discuss current development problems and will in the end, try to intervene so that students understand that we can all be the change.

Estimated Activity Duration: 40 minutes

Recommended Ages: 9 – 12

Aims of Workshop

To introduce the Sustainable Development Goals to students
To help students think constructively about their surroundings
To empower students to think about how to take action for sustainability

Competences and Knowledge required

Basic analytical skills of surrounding

Basic Problem-solving skills in group

Materials Needed

Download the Activity Material

Learning Outcomes

Social Studies (Year 11 General): Towards Sustainable Development
- I can understand what sustainable development is through examples from everyday life.
- I can explain the advantages of sustainable development to ensure a better quality of life.
- I can use the theory on sustainable development and apply it in practice to demonstrate how I can actively contribute to sustainable development.
- I can demonstrate how youths in contemporary society adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
Social Studies (Year 11 Option): Sustainable Development
- I can define sustainable development
- I can explain how the exploitation of natural resources can become more sustainable.
PSCD
- (Level 5) – Citizenship
  - I value natural resources and can discuss why they are limited.
- (Level 6) – Citizenship
  - I can make decisions about use of scarce resources.
  - I can identify and describe the meaning of sustainable development.
  - I can identify what actions can be taken at school, at home and in the local community to contribute to sustainable development.
- (Level 7) – Citizenship
  - I can demonstrate how different demands on the environment have an impact on sustainable development.
  - I can describe why it is important to value the contribution of every individual to sustainable
    development.
  - I can identify and demonstrate how myself and others in my school, home and local community can contribute to a more sustainable environment.
- (Level 8) – Citizenship
  - I am able to assess my own lifestyle and my contribution to sustainability.
  - I can illustrate why we have a duty to contribute to sustaining the environment locally and on a global level.
  - I can demonstrate the implications of unsustainable development on the local and global environment and on future generations.
- (Level 9) – Citizenship
  - I can form balanced and reasoned arguments about social and environmental issues for class debates;
  - I can find out about and discuss types and purposes of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (MDGs, SDGs).
  - I can mention the interrelationships that exist between the community, the economy and the environment.
Cross-curricular themes
- Literacy
- Learning to learn
- ESD

Outlines of the session, including detailed description of the activities carried out

Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (15 min.):

The educator introduces the SDGs, they first ask the students if they have ever heard of them then if they had, they will ask how much and what they know. Note – this activity is still aimed at beginners.

The educator asks the students what they understand by ‘Sustainable Development’. A definition is solidified. The definition(s) by students are written or screen shared. Then the official definition is given.

Sustainable Development “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Bruntland report – 1987 – Our Common Future) (put simply ‘economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources.’)

Facilitation tip: It’s a good idea to divide the term into 2 ‘sustainable’ and ‘development’ and asking the students what they understand by them and to give examples. Development can be explained as moving forward in life, changing, etc. Sustainable is considering not just now (as above). Examples can be mentioned for example ‘If we fish all the fish now, will there be fish in the future?’

Then using the 17goals.org powerpoint (17Goals_BasicSlideset_v1.pptx) or other resources (see links), introduce the SDGs to the students, one by one and as a whole (their principles, background etc).

Link the SDG (5 min.):

The aim of this activity is to help the students understand that the SDGs are truly linked together and cannot be seen only one by one. Educators should choose either version 1 or 2. These can be done as socially distance or online.

Version 1: Students are assigned an SDG each in advance (so students have time to look up that SDG) or at the time this activity is introduced after introducing all 17 goals. The educator gives an example eg. SDG3 and all students who think their SDG is related should speak up/raise hand (offline or online), write in the chat or any other way to indicate they think their SDG is related. The educator should ask a few students why they think theirs is related. A few rounds should be done.

Version 2: Students are not assigned an SDG each but work together to see which SDGs are linked together. The educator gives an example an SDG eg SDG3. Then the students together decide which SDGs are related.

The end goal is to make students understand that all goals are related to each other. The educator should prompt students to think about links not made eg. ‘What about SDG7, is that not related to SDG3?’

Facilitation note: If there are less than 17 students, give students more than 1. If there are more, each SDG can be given more than once. Students can even be paired up for ONLINE work researching that SDG. (Post-covid, they can work together in groups).

Earth Intervention (20 min.):

The educator will tell the students that now it is time to think about what they and humanity can do for sustainable development.

A few pictorial examples are given. These examples can be photos or comics eg. from Angry Earth ™ (in the ‘Angry Earth’ folder) or the alternatives listed in the resources below (see links).

Either as small groups (online, breakout rooms) or as a big group, they have to discuss for 10 minutes about:

What is the picture about?
Is it sustainable?
Why is it sustainable or unsustainable?

The educator then explains that we can do something if it is unsustainable. The educator will give some time to think about what can be done and solutions are then found together. These solutions should be written down so students can see (on the interactive whiteboard/white board/screen shared).

The session will end on the note that while each individual may feel small, they can still do small things for Sustainable Development and together, we can do big things. The graphic related to this can be shared (Earth little things.jpg). A promise/pledge to work on these solutions together can also be gathered.