SDG 6 Clean Water

 

Goal 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable water management of water and sanitation for all.

Water is essential for all life on Earth, and therefore key to sustainable development. A very large proportion of those living in poverty lack access to clean water and basic sanitation.

Select a picture book here.

My students know that everything needs water, but they do take water and tap-turning for granted. When we discuss the page about water in A Life Like Mine and look at how much water they use in a day compared to a child in Africa, they are amazed. Even more so when we show it as amounts in containers. This book, although old now and the statistics may be out of date, is an excellent way to show students how other children live. Alternatively use pages 44 and 45 in Water A Deep Dive of Discovery  for more up to date statistics.

So where to start a discussion about the importance of clean water? Gizo- Gizo!  by EmilyWilliams is the perfect place for very young students to experience what happens when water becomes unclean or scarce. My students love Chubbo's Pool  by Betsy Lewin and this book takes the idea to the next step where it is not just the sharing of water, but making sure the water is clean too.

Here's the blurb:

Gizo-Gizo the spider is a lazy, selfish fellow. So when he starts a gold mine that pollutes the Zongo Lagoon and makes other animals sick, naturally he ignores everyone else's concerns. ''Someday, when I am rich, I will buy this place,'' he tells them. ''I can do whatever I want!'' But when the fish groan with upset stomachs and the frogs wince from sore throats caused by the filthy water, Tortoise and Crab decide that things have gone too far. They come up with a clever plan to teach their friend Spider a lesson and make him clean up his mess. Originally written and drawn by students from Cape Coast, Ghana, this community-created, contemporary folktale examines environmental sustainability and personal responsibility.

For older students who can cope with a longer text, read We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; The Water Princess  by  Susan Verde or Ryan and Jimmy and the Well in Africa that Brought Them Together by Herb Shoveller.

       

SDG Booklet tasks:

Before reading. Ask • Did you have a bath or shower yesterday? Did you have a drink at breakfast and lunch time? Where did the water come from? 

 

We read ....

 

This story made me wonder what ...

SDG 5 Gender Equality

       

Goal 5  Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 

While the emphasis with this goal is to ensure girls and women have as much opportunity to succeed as boys and men, at the age of the students I teach it is still important for boys to see and learn what is okay for them.
 

              

The boys I teach need to know that it is okay for them to play with dolls, that it is okay for the girls to play with trucks, that they can wear pink, go to ballet lessons and sing. The preschool teachers often come in search of read-alouds that address gender issues, so in the library we have made sure we have books that they can use. We sometimes also need to assure parents that there are not books for boys and books for girls!

So when choosing books from the list here, think about what it is you want to discuss. Many of the biographical books on the previous list (SDG 4) would be appropriate here as well. Perhaps read a book that promotes discussion of gender and stereotypes and then read a biography of a woman who was not confined by stereotypes, such as Margaret Knight, Madame Curie, Ada Lovelace, Katherine Johnson, Emmaline Pankhurst, Elizabeth Blackwell, Mary Fanning or Greta Thunberg and discuss what she needed to do to be successful at what she did.

I love I'm a Girl! by Yasmeen Ismail.

Here's the blurb:

The girl in this book likes to win, she likes to be spontaneous, fast and strong, and because she also likes to dress in t-shirt and shorts, she is forever getting mistaken for a boy. And when she meets a boy who likes wearing princess dresses and playing dolls, they both quickly discover that they share interests that are wide and varied.

I am a Girl! is a wonderful celebration of being who we are and not being pigeon-holed or restricted by gender stereotypes.

Every parent should read Want to Play Trucks?  by Ann Stott and Bob Graham because it is not the children who struggle with gender types but one of the mothers.

Here's the blurb:

Jack and Alex meet almost every morning in the sandbox at the playground. Jack likes trucks - big ones. Alex likes dolls - pink ones, with sparkles. And tutus. But Jack doesn't want to play dolls, and Alex doesn't want to play trucks. Luckily for Jack and Alex, the day is saved with a little bit of compromise and the easy acceptance that characterises true friendship... What about dolls who drive trucks? 

Then read about an exemplary female role model such as Greta or highlight a place where girls do not go to school such as is the case in Nasreen's Secret School by Jeanette Winter.  I have read this to Year 2 classes and stopped at the part where it says the girls were not allowed to go to school, and then separated the students into boys and girls. The boys were asked to discuss what they thought it would be like to have no girls in the class. The girls were asked to discuss what they thought it would be like to stay home from school every day. Very interesting discussion pursues. 

However if your school hasn't a large collection of picture book biographies, you have a K to 6 library or you are wondering which book to purchase, read Walking to Water by Susan Hughes and Nicole Miles because it covers gender and SDG 6 Clean Water.

Here is the blurb:

In this inspiring story of individual activism, a boy recognizes gender inequality when his sister must stop attending school --- and decides to do something about it. Victor is very close to his twin sister, Linesi. But now that they have turned eight years old, she no longer goes to school with him. Instead, Linesi, like the other older girls in their community, walks to the river to get water five times a day, to give their mother more time for farming. Victor knows this is the way it has always been. But he has begun learning about equality at school, and his teacher has asked the class to consider whether boys and girls are treated equally. Though he never thought about it before, Victor realizes they're not. And it's not fair to his sister. So Victor comes up with a plan to help. 

Don't forget it is International Women's Day on 8th March, and a  great time to put together a book display in your library that encourages students to think about female achievements.

There are three things to do in the booklet:

Before reading:

Ask: Can you think of a time when boys and girls are treated differently?

The book we read was...

I think boys and girls should ...

SDG 4 Quality Education

Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

There is so much we take for granted here in Australia when it comes to schooling and you read all the subgoals for this goal. We complain about dropping scores in global testing, in NAPLAN and lack of enough casual teachers, not the things listed here. Everyone in Australia has access to education that is safe, well-resourced and free so we should take advantage of it.

There are so many good books for this goal. Find some here.

If you just want to show very young children how different school can be from what they experience, read something like Rain School  by James Rumford or Elizabeti's School by Stephanie Stuve- Bodeen.

Here's the blurb:

It is the first day of school in Chad, Africa. Children are filling the road. "Will they give us a notebook?" Thomas asks. "Will they give us a pencil?" "Will I learn to read?" But when he and the other children arrive at the school yard, they find no classroom, no desks. Just a teacher. "We will build our school," she says. "This is our first lesson." James Rumford, who lived in Chad as a Peace Corps volunteer, fills these pages with the vibrant colours of Africa and the spare words of a poet to show how important learning is in a country where only a few children are able to go to school. 

Here's the blurb:

In this Tanzanian story it's the first day of school and Elizabeti can hardly wait. She puts on her new uniform and feels her shiny shoes. School must surely be a very special place!
Shortly after arriving at school, however, Elizabeti begins to miss her family. What if Mama needs help cleaning the rice? What if her baby sister wants to play? What if her little brother wants to go for a walk? But soon Elizabeti is making friends and learning her lessons. Best of all, she shares her experiences with her family that evening - and can apply what she has learned right away.

However, if you want students to know that school is not easily accessed for everyone, think about reading something more biographical, such as a book about Malala Yousafzai, Tererai Trent or Razia Jan.

 

There are three things to do:

Before reading ask:

How would you describe your school to someone who doesn't go to it? What is good about it?

Record the book you read

We read...

Finish this 

I wonder what education is like for ...

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being

Goal 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Currently, the world is facing a global health crisis unlike any other — COVID-19 is spreading human suffering, destabilising the global economy and upending the lives of billions of people around the globe. 

Select a picture book from here.

While there are many picture books that have wellbeing as a theme, and many more that encourage young children to think about germs, hand washing and disease, maybe this is the place to ensure that young children are informed about the wonders of modern medicine, vaccines, hospitals and doctors so that they are not afraid of them. When school resumes I am sure that I will be asked by parents for a book about vaccination in preparation for their child being vaccinated. For many of my students they have not had a vaccination since they started school and their memory of it will have dimmed.

For that reason perhaps I would start with Peppa Gets a Vaccination. It is not a child pictured, but Peppa, someone the children like and admire. The story is simple, not too many details and positive as Peppa is rewarded for doing as she is asked.

Then perhaps follow up with Philip Bunting's Me, Microbes and I so that  students  realise that microbes are part of normal everyday life.

Here's the blurb:

You are covered in microbes - tiny living things so small that you can't see them without a microscope. 
Me, Microbes & I is full of fascinating and entertaining information about microbes, and provides young readers with a simple and fun guide to how things like bacteria and viruses work in the body. It is packed with handy tips on how to stay healthy, from enjoying fermented foods to taking care of your immune system, and also provides information on how to stop the spread of nasty viruses - including how to cough like a vampire, and the best way to wash your hands. 

In my booklet, there are just three things to do:

* Before reading: Ask: Do you like going to the doctor? What makes you give that answer?

* Write the title of the book you read. We read ...

* Complete this sentence: Three things I can do to make sure I stay healthy are  ...

SDG 2 Zero Hunger

 

Goal 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable farming.

A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish the more than 690 million people who are hungry today – and the additional 2 billion people the world will have by 2050. Increasing agricultural productivity and sustainable food production are crucial to help alleviate the perils of hunger.

The list of picture books to choose from is here.

There are two picture books that highlight this goal very clearly. They are both based on real events. The first is shorter. The second is longer and suitable too for an older audience. There are teaching notes for The Good Garden 

http://www.citizenkidcentral.com/pdfs/GoodGardenThe_2105_teaching.pdf

Here is the blurb:

For a long time, the people of Hargigo, a village in the tiny African country of Eritrea, were living without enough food for themselves and their animals. The families were hungry, and their goats and sheep were hungry too. Then along came a scientist, Dr. Gordon Sato, who helped change their lives for the better. And it all started with some special trees.

These are the trees, 
Mangrove trees, 
That were planted by the sea.

With alternating verse and prose passages, The Mangrove Tree invites readers to discover how Dr. Sato's mangrove tree-planting project transformed an impoverished village into a self-sufficient community. 

Here is the blurb:

Based on the real story of farm transformation underway in Honduras and many other countries, this book offers children ways they can be part of the movement to grow "good gardens" and foster food security.
Eleven-year-old María Luz and her family live on a small farm. This year their crop is poor, and they may not have enough to eat or to sell for other essentials, such as health care, school uniforms and books. 
When María's father must leave home to find work, she is left in charge of their garden. Then a new teacher comes to María's school and introduces her to sustainable farming practices that yield good crops. As María begins to use the same methods at home, she too sees improvements.

In my booklet, there are just three things to do:

* Before reading: Ask: When was the last time you felt hungry? What did it feel like? How long did you have to wait for food?

* Write the title of the book you read.

* Complete this sentence: This story made me think about ...

SDG 1 No Poverty

 

Goal 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

It is not my aim to scare my students or give them reason to be overly anxious. I will not be showing them endless filmclips, quoting large numbers or showing an abundance of graphs. I just want them to be aware that not all children enjoy a life such as theirs and that can be done by reading a picture book with a trusted adult who is there to answer questions and to clarify thinking. In this way they can empathise and consider ramifications. It could be as simple as them realising that there are people in the world who do not have enough money for food, housing or even beds and that this could be closer to where they live than they think.

Obviously, some goals were easier to find picture books for than others, so the list is not always long and of course some books will create more discussion than others, but all of the listed books will do that to some degree. The list of picture books in my school library to choose from is here. The Junior School Library at my school has a larger number of nonfiction titles, but I usually prefer to read stories.

I think Kate Milner's It's a No-Money Day is a book every school library should have and a good place to start because it is not heavy-handed and the child in the story remains positive.

Here's the blurb:

Mum works really hard, but today there is no money left and no food in the cupboards. Forced to visit the local foodbank, Mum feels ashamed that they have to rely on the kindness of others, but her young daughter can still see all the good in her day like reading and drawing, and even the foodbank. Maybe one day things will be different but for now together they brighten up even the darkest of days. A moving insight into the sad rise and necessity of foodbanks from the perspective of society's most vulnerable, and an essential book to help develop empathy in younger readers. 

After reading the book, I do not want the students to feel that they have a chore to do. This should be an enjoyable reading experience first and foremost. In my booklet, there are just three things to do:

* Before reading: Ask what is poverty? What does it look like? Feel like?

* Write the title of the book you read.

* Complete this sentence: This story made me feel ....

The adult or the child can do the recording. If a teacher is reading the picture book to the whole class, they may choose to have a class recording using something like sticky notes or padlet or fill in the booklet for the class.

31st December United nations Sustainable Development Goals

As this year draws to an end and our lives are still dominated by the Covid pandemic, it is easy to think about how restricted our lives have become, but while I have had time at home I have researched the Sustainable Development Goals as a way of putting together a book club/wide reading list for my young students to explore during 2022 and I have realised that my life is just fine. Acting on these goals is even more important than ever if the world is is to recover from the pandemic.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognise that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection. More importantly than ever, the goals provide a critical framework for COVID-19 recovery.

What are the goals?

What do I plan to do?

I plan to do what many other schools and teachers have already done and use picture books and reading as a means to create discussion of the goals. As my students are young, under eight years old, I plan to do this with the aid of adults, either the students' teacher or a parent. The parents can borrow from our school library and many of the teachers already ensure that sustainability is a perspective when planning units of inquiry. I have combed through the catalogue looking for suitable books for each of the goals and I will affix a sticker to the book with the icon of the apt goal. I have put together a booklet that will serve as a reading record and then it is 'Let's read and discuss 17 books'.  It could be a book a week, a book a fortnight or as the UN SDG Book Club suggests one a month.

The SDG Book Club aims to use books as a tool to encourage children ages 6-12 to interact with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a curated reading list of books from around the world.

I will share my booklists with you over the next 17 days, so that you too can use these books to start something similar with your students.