Sustainable Development Goals United Nations (sharing page)

“Education is the most powerful weapon which 

you can use to change the world”. Nelson Mandela

Do not think and feel that you have to rescue the world on your own! Rather join us and many other teachers from around the world, in this large-scale cooperative endeavour.  (IAU Teaching the Goals)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world’s shared plan to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet by 2030.  Adopted by 193 countries in 2015, the SDGs emerged from the most inclusive and comprehensive negotiations in UN history and have inspired people from across sectors, geographies, and cultures. Achieving the goals by 2030 will require heroic and imaginative effort, determination to learn about what works, and agility to adapt to new information and changing trends. UN Foundation

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has worked all through January 2021 compiling resources for her students, their parents and the teachers in her school which explore each of the Sustainability Development Goals. I have her permission to share this work here. Her focus is on children from Kindergarten to Grade 2 but many of these resources will work equally well with older grades right up to High School. 

This is a fabulous, rich and comprehensive resource which will save you hours of work.  Here are links to each of her posts (click on the goal) and links to her Pinterest Picture book collections for each goal.  I have added a cover images to spark your curiosity. Many of these book have been discussed here on my blog. You can jump around through the goals but I suggest you should begin with Goal One to read an overview of this project. 

Goal 1: No Poverty  Pinterest SDG 1

Goal 2: Zero Hunger  Pinterest SDG 2

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being  Pinterest SDG 3

Goal 4: Quality Education  Pinterest SDG 4

Goal 5: Gender Equality  Pinterest SDG 5

Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation  Pinterest SDG 6

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy  Pinterest SDG 7

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth  Pinterest SDG 8

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure  Pinterest SDG 9

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities  Pinterest SDG 10

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities  Pinterest SDG 11

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption & Production  

Pinterest SDG 12

Goal 13: Climate Action  Pinterest SDG 13

Goal 14: Life below Water  Pinterest SDG 14

Goal 15: Life on Land  Pinterest SDG 15

Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions  Pinterest SDG 16

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals  Pinterest SDG 17

Final Word - further professional resources for teachers.

Sustainable Development Goals 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.

I found these videos which might be useful to view with Primary groups:

Video Link - EarthAgain Goals 5-17 (one video for each goal)

If you do plan to explore the goals with a class I would begin with this comprehensive document which contains rich teaching ideas and scenarios you can use for each goal. TEACHING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.

It is interesting to think about the development of these goals.  I used to talk to my students about The Millennium Development Goals. There were eight of them which were framed in 2000 with the target of 2015. Obviously more time has passed and I don't think we reached all, or any, of those goals. It is time to refocus. 

I do hope you can talk to your students about the Sustainable Development Goals. As the posts above demonstrate you can do this with your youngest children in Kindergarten right through to the end of High School. AND I hope you can see that Picture Books are a perfect way to explore each goal. 

Here is a resource filled with powerful statistics to use with older students. If you work in a NSW Government School you might like to check this resource for Grades 5-12. 

Eddie Frogbert by Sue deGennaro

"This,'  he said to himself, 'is something I would like to try."

About a week ago I was talking to one of the teachers in my school about the book The Pros and Cons of being a frog also by Sue DeGennaro and the very next day I spied Eddie Frogbert also by Sue.  There seems to be a theme here around frogs.  In the earlier book the little boy adopts a frog costume but he also learns important things about himself and about the complexities of friendships.

In Eddie Frogbert the main character is a frog.  Surely frogs can easily jump and dive but Eddie is a frog with a problem.  He is terrified of diving.  He watches the others until one day he decides to take his fear in hand and climb to the top of the diving tower.  Sadly this is all too much and he forced to shuffle back down the ladder.

This could be the end for Eddie but it is not because he is a problem solver.  I adore problem solvers. He devises a plan - small steps towards his goal.

"Eddie was sure there was a little leap inside him."

Then comes the big day.  He arrives at the competition.  He almost runs away but he musters his courage, tries a little 'self talk' and dives!

"as light as a feather, Eddie Frogbert ... leapt into the air."

Make sure you also notice the little snail moving slowly across the graph-paper end papers.  He starts on the left, moves nearly to the middle on the next page and by the end of the book he has nearly reached the end of the page - slow and steady 'wins the race'.

There are universal messages here about patience, perseverance, and practice along with goal setting and overcoming fear.   I would follow Eddie Frogbert with Puffling by Margaret Wild and Leonardo's Dream by Hans DeBeer.  You might also take a look at an old but important book - Leo the late Bloomer by Robert Kraus.

A big leap for a little frog