Sustainable Development Goals Afterword

Nelson Mandela was convinced that 

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. 

This short 3 minute video The World's Largest Lesson: Global Goals comprehensively gives students a plan for the future. The World's Largest Lesson is an organisation that promotes the use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all. From citizenship and justice to climate change and the environment they inspire children to make a difference.

The Sustainable Development Goal for Education has as one of its subgoals Target 4.7. This has become an aim for me with the students I teach. I am extremely fortunate to teach in a large independent co-educational school that has students from preschool to Year 12. The school has three well-resourced libraries with qualified teacher librarians whose role includes resourcing students, teachers and parents and allows for library displays, wide-reading contracts, newsletters, reading for pleasure and assistance with curriculum support. The school has staff whose role includes educating for well-being; sustainability; social justice; and multicultural perspectives so honing in on the Sustainable Development Goals is hardly adding to workloads, but rather focussing current goals.

SDG Target 4.7

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

While I have been doing this series of blogs I have come across many resources and websites that have helped me to work out what to share with the students I teach. Below I have listed some of them.

• Teaching the Sustainable Development Goals

• Recommended Books for Teaching the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

• The Sustainable Development Goals by Yacine Ait Kaci (Read whole book on screen)

• 10 Ready-to-use Lesson Plans on the Sustainable Development Goals 

• How to Talk to Your Kids About the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by Devi Thomas and  Jon Fee

• SPaRK - United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Project NSW Government Education (aimed at older students but has access to a variety of video resources)

• Sustainable Development Goals Student Resources

• any book by  Fernando M. Remiers will help you learn more about what is important for students to know. 

• Frieda Makes a Difference a Guide 

the UN Information Centre in Windhoek, Namibia, created a story book aimed at 3-11 year olds and it is online. It has a simple but meaningful text that young students will relate to. You could use it to start a discussion about the goals.

I hope you have found this series of posts helpful for planning some reading with your students and if you are a teacher librarian like me, you find some new titles that you might consider adding to your library. To finish, this Katherine Paterson quote sums up my feelings about books and why I choose to read to students the books I do.

SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development.

The SDGs can only be realised with strong global partnerships and cooperation.

A successful development agenda requires inclusive partnerships — at the global, regional, national and local levels — built upon principles and values, and upon a shared vision and shared goals placing people and the planet at the centre.

This concept of a shared vision and placing people and the planet at the centre of decision making is the reason we need to start the thinking about, and concern for at a very young age. Children do have empathy, they are good problem solvers and are capable of critical thinking so we need to start reading picture books that encourage these. Don't alarm them but arm them.

Select books to read here.

Any book that encourages teamwork or working towards a common goal, while also allowing for informed dissent and questioning is a good place to start. I would probably also leave this goal to last so it can be examined in the light of the others and how all the goals need to be addressed in order to achieve the best results, especially when there is a 2030 timeframe.

If you follow up on children's rights then Alain Serres and Aurelia Fronty's I Have the Right to Save the Planet is a perfect place to start.

Here is the blurb:

All children have the right to learn about the world, to celebrate the water, air and sunshine, and to be curious about the animals and plants that live on our planet. All children also have the right to learn about endangered species, to be concerned about plastic in the ocean, and to understand what a changing climate means for our Earth.

Scientists tell us that every living thing is connected. When we cut down forests, we destroy animal habitats. When we throw plastic in the garbage, it never really goes away. When we spray pesticides on our fruit and vegetables, we poison the earth, animals and ourselves.

What can children do to help? All children can draw posters of endangered animals to raise awareness. All children can send a letter to the leader of their country, signed by every member of their family. All children can protest along with their parents. Children have the right to do all these things as proclaimed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. All children have the right to try to help our Earth, in whatever ways they can.

This is an expensive book to buy, but it is read on epic! You could link it to David Attenborough's film clip How to Save Our Planet  if you haven't already shown it earlier in your Book Club sessions.

This book suggests things students can do -  children can draw posters of endangered animals to raise awareness. All children can send a letter to the leader of their country, signed by every member of their family. All children can protest along with their parents. Children have the right to do all these things as proclaimed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

So perhaps the next book to read should look at things children can do. Books such as these will give them ideas

• I Am One  by Peter H. Reynolds

• Dear Earth by Isabel Otter and Clara Anganuzzi

• The More We Get Together by Celeste Cortwright and Betania Zacarias

• Dear Earth...From Your Friends in Class 5 by Erin Dealey and Luisa Uribe

• Speak Up! by Miranda Paul and Ebony Green

Alternately, if your  students are older, this could be the place to use one of those books that reduces the numbers of people to a manageable number so that students get a better idea of the proportions involved. You could use 

If the World Were 100 People by Jackie McCann or It Takes a Village by David Smith

David Smith's book is online in several places and there are also many versions of teaching notes. This idea is also an animated filmclip.

And then follow these with Hillary Rodham Clinton's It Takes a Village  to bring the whole idea down to their own village.

From the booklet:

• We read...

 

 

 

 

Congratulations you have read 17 books and you now are very aware of the United Nations 17 Goals for Sustainable Development. You are well informed to think about the future of the world!

 

Before I read all of these books, I thought...

 

but now I think...

 

 

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Goal 16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and  inclusive institutions at all levels.

The number of people fleeing war, persecution and conflict exceeded 70 million in 2018, the highest level recorded by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in almost 70 years. 

Choose a book from here.

Where to start here? Peace, Justice or Institutions? Do students realise there is more to 'peace' than 'silence and no fighting'? Do they know what 'justice' is and when it is needed? Do they realise a school is an 'institution'? Do they understand what makes someone a refugee? All very big questions when you are under eight years old?

Maybe a good place to start with very young children is to look at the rights of a child and there are several picture books that you can use for this. In fact this could be a good place to start all the reading on the Sustainable Development Goals as there is no rule that says you have to start at Goal 1.

Our library has 

• I Have the Right to be a Child by Alain Serres and Aurelia Fronty

• We Are All Born Free by Amnesty International 

• For Every Child  by UNICEF

If you don't have these there is a short film clip that is good called 

I Have the Right to be a Child

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOsq5MVXZzk

I would then read a book about a refugee child who is dealing with a situation which means that some of his/her rights have been denied. Fortunately, now there are so many really good picture books to choose from for this age group. You could use any of these to ask what right is the child being denied and /or how is this child being shown kindness or given hope?

• My Name is Not Refuge by Kate Milner

• Hello! a Counting Book of Kindnesses by Hollis Kurman and Stephane Barroux

• The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman and Karin Littlewood

• A Child's Garden by Michael Foreman

And if you feel that your students are troubled by this, finish on a high note with 

Good People Everwhere by Lynea Gillen and Kristina Swarner.

Here's the blurb:

A colorful picture book that will warm the hearts of children and adults alike, each of its pages contain endearing examples and vibrant illustrations to inspire children to grow into grateful, caring, and giving people. It provides a wonderful way to calm children before sleep, ease their fears, and help them develop an appreciation for good work. Also included are activity pages to help children practice skills for creating gratitude, compassion, and beauty in daily life. 

From the booklet:

Ask • Do you think you are free? What makes you think that?

 

• We read...

• This story made me think that being free and safe means...

 

SDG 15 Life on Land

Goal 15 Protect, and restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reduce land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Nature is critical to our survival: nature provides us with our oxygen, regulates our weather patterns, pollinates our crops, produces our food, feed and fibre. But it is under increasing stress. Human activity has altered almost 75 per cent of the earth’s surface, squeezing wildlife and nature into an ever-smaller corner of the planet.

The goal as stated above has so many aspects and is far too much to take in all at once for me, let alone a child under eight, so here I need to be very selective and break it into subheadings, such as deforestation, loss of habitat, extinction and  farming, all of which young children do know about and understand the meaning of.

Here is a list of books to select from.

The Tree by Neal Layton would be a good place to start because it looks at what will happen when a tree is cut down and it provides for debate about whether it was a good act or bad.

Here is the blurb:

A delightful picture book with a wonderful twist which encourages young children to think about the way animals and humans live side by side.  

The tree. Home to a family of birds in their nest, squirrels in their drey and rabbits in their burrow. But what happens to the animals when a man and woman decide to cut it down and use it for their dream house? Can the tree be home to both the animals and the humans? A simple yet fun and distinctive picture book, with a strong environmental message about the importance of respecting animal habitats.

Follow this up with a more factual book either more specifically about deforestation such as Marc Martin's Forest or reforestation such as Sally Nicholls and Carolina Rabei's book Who Makes a Forest?

Here's the blurb:

When a forest is cut down, the consequences are more than anyone could have anticipated. The forest is destroyed due to human greed, but grows again  through human care, giving hope and empowerment.

Teaching notes:

https://lamontbooks.com.au/media/19152/June-2012-A-Forest.pdf

Here's the blurb:

Who makes a forest? A wizard, a giant, an emperor? Come on a walk with Grandpa to discover how a forest is made, and see how a thousand tiny things can come together to change the face of the earth… Poetically written by award-winning Sally Nicholls and beautifully illustrated by Carolina Rabei, this gorgeous book features a non-fiction section about the different types of forests around the world, their importance to our ecosystem and the impact of deforestation on our planet. 

Of course this has only covered one aspect of this goal. You may choose to look at animal extinction or habitat loss. Many of the books on the Pinterest list also look at farming and the degradation of soil that comes with that and the hardship caused by climate.

From the booklet:

Ask • How can we make sure that we look after our land? 

 

• We read...

• This story made me think that we should...

 

SDG 14 Life Below Water

 

Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

The ocean drives global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. 

Oceans are our planet’s life support as they provide water, food and help regulate the weather. Oceans also provide jobs for more than 3 billion people who depend on marine biodiversity for their livelihood. If we do not stop polluting our oceans, there will be severe problems that affect every person and living creature on the planet.

Choose a book from here.

This goal continues on well from the previous goal about climate because a lot of the climate action plans involve the oceans as well. The students at school know about rubbish in the oceans especially Kindergarten who do a unit of inquiry that looks at life in the sea. When they read about animals that live there or watch film clips about them they are often confronted by the threats things like, plastic, nets and oil are for these creatures. I thought if I started with the new book Saving Seal by Diana Jackson Hill and Craig Smith, the book would be new to everyone and therefore easy to talk about and relate back to other books the students already know that address the problem of plastic in the sea.

Here's the blurb:

Seal has made his home in the waters of a coastal village, but he often finds himself trapped and ensnared in the plastic rubbish filling the Bay. Fortunately, he is rescued by Lizzie and Grandpa Dave. 
Lizzie and Grandpa Dave are motivated to do something about cleaning up their Bay and saving the marine life who are being threatened more and more by the rubbish found in the Bay and on their beaches. They encourage the towns people to join them in their fight against plastic pollution devastating their beaches and harming marine life.

Where to next? You could choose another book about plastic in the ocean and compare and contrast the two books. Alba The One Hundred Year Old Fish by Lara Hawthorne would be a good one.

Here's the blurb:

Alba the fish has spent her entire life collecting precious objects that drift down to the ocean floor. From delicate shells to brightly coloured coral, each year on her birthday she gathers one more precious item. But over the years, Alba notices her collection is losing its sparkle and that the world is changing. What are these bits of plastic and metal? As the coral reef fades, Alba decides to leave her home behind. Can an old fish teach the world how to bring colour back to the ocean?  The One-Hundred-Year-Old Fish gently highlights the issue of pollution. 

If you have older students, perhaps look at someone who works below the water by reading a biography about them. You could read about Jacques Cousteau, Sylvia Earle, Eugenie Clark or Curtis Ebbesmeyer. Here are some of the biographies, but there are others too.

       

 Dr Curtis Ebbesmeyer is the scientist who monitors the watery fate of human-made cargo that has spilled into the ocean. Remember all those stories about rubber ducks that have been spilled overboard off freighters and where they ended up.

From the booklet:

Ask • Can you think of ways we could spread the message about how important marine life is and why we need to protect it?

 

• We read...

 

• This story made me want to ...

 

 

SDG 13 Climate Action

 

Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

The rising temperature of the Earth is called “global warming.” If the Earth’s temperature keeps getting hotter, we will feel the effects of it. For example, global warming will melt the Arctic’s sea ice and cause the sea level to rise. If the sea level continues to rise, many islands and countries will struggle to stay above water and people and animals will lose their homes. To avoid this from happening, all of us must do something to help the Earth.

     

Choose a book from here.

A good place to start with young students is to share a book about the shrinking polar icecaps and how the polar bears' habitat is shrinking. They love polar bears (probably because they are majestic and they don't live near them or see them) and there are so many wonderful picture books on this topic. 

However, the students I teach know about the shrinking habitat of polar bears from teachers, parents, documentaries and stunning picture books like Lindsay Moore's Sea Bear, so I would start with Hello, Mr World by Michael Foreman. The students understand what it means to be sick so I think this story where Earth has been personified is an excellent way of introducing what is making our world suffer and talking about it.

Here's the blurb:

A topical picture book about the effects of climate change, ideal for very young children.  Michael Foreman brilliantly shows what climate change is doing to our world and inspires us all to make a difference. Mr World doesn't feel well. He's hot and sweaty and finding it hard to breathe. What will the doctors find when they examine their poor patient? 

This could then be followed up by something more didactic or instructive such as A Climate in Chaos by Neal Layton

Old Enough to Save the Planet  by Anna Taylor, Loll Kirby and Adelina Lirius

or Like the Ocean We Rise  by Nicola Edwards and Sarah Wilkins

From the booklet: (Remember these questions and tasks are designed as post reading for the student who is doing this at home with a parent or in class with a teacher and will only read one book from the list, so the responses need to be very open-ended.)

Ask • Have you heard about how there are now less polar bears? Why is this?

 

• We read...

 

• This story made me wonder what I could do to...

 

SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Goal 12  Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

We rely on many natural resources in order to survive. As our economy and society progress, the natural resources that we depend on begin to run out. If the world population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, we would need three planets worth of resources to keep the same lifestyle we have today.

Each year, an estimated one third of all food produced – equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes worth around $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices.

Choose a book from here:

 

The children I teach have so many toys so it is easy to start with a discussion of how many are actually needed to make their life sustainable, shopping and whether they need more toys. In the past when I have shared The Surprise Present  by Shane McG with them the discussion has been very lively, so I think reading King Leonard's Teddy  by Phoebe Swan is probably a good place to start with very young children.

Here's the blurb:

King Leonard is so rich that he can buy whatever he wants. Anything old or broken is thrown onto the growing pile of trash outside his castle. But one day something breaks that can't be easily replaced. And what's worse, King Leonard can't find anyone who knows how to fix it.

Then perhaps a book about recycling. There are many books for young children about recycling clothes, but for the students I teach, many of whom have a musical instrument of their own, I think Ada's Violin  by Susan Hood and Sally Wern Comport is a better choice.

Here's the blurb:

The extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.  
Ada Rios grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chavez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada-and her town-forever changed. 

You will find many film clips online about this amazing orchestra too, so this book can spread to make a great teaching unit. Just search: Recycled Orchestra.

This SDG is already being lived in our playground and classrooms through various rubbish initiatives the school's Sustainability Officer has put into practice, and the teachers spend class time on the environment, plastic use and recycling so for me this is an opportunity to make connections with the world outside school, but alternatively it would be easy to read titles from the list and connect them with the student's own lives.

From the booklet:

Ask • Do you know where your food comes from? How about where the waste goes once you are done eating? Do you think we waste things? What makes you say that?

 

• We read...

 

• This story made me want to...

 

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

Goal 11 - Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Did you know that more than half of the world’s population lives in cities? Even though cities only make up 3% of the earth’s land, more than 3.5 billion people live in cities today, and that number is only growing.

As more people make cities their homes, it is very important to focus on making cities safe, inclusive, and sustainable. Are there footpaths in your city? Are there enough jobs and homes for everyone? Is it safe for your family to walk at night? Is the air in your city clean? Are the parks taken care of?

Select a book from here.

This book, Out of the Way! Out of the Way! by Umi Krishnaswami appears on many reading lists so if your library has it, it is a very good place to start.

Here's the blurb:

A young boy spots a baby tree growing in the middle of a dusty path in his village. He carefully places rocks around it as the local mango seller rushes past shouting, "Out of the way! Out of the way!" As the tree grows bigger, people and animals traverse the path until it becomes a lane, flowing like a river around the tree -- getting out of its way. Over time, the lane becomes a road, and a young man crossing the road with his children remembers the baby tree from long ago. By the time he is an old man, the tree has become a giant. The city traffic continues to rattle past, noisier and busier than ever, but sometimes the great tree works its magic, and people just stop, and listen. 

Two other books that allow for discussion of life in a city are these two by Sydney Smith.

Small in the City      and              Footpath Flowers

       
                   

And lastly, perhaps look at a book that is about greening the city or growing things. These two both work well.

The Curious Garden  by Peter Brown   and   Errol's Garden    by Gillian Hibbs

                           

  Tasks  for the booklet: 

Before reading, say: How we live affects the city. Ask: What do we do that hurts the city? What do we do that helps the city?

 

• We read...

 

• This story made me want to ...