My sixth graders and I are so excited to start our year long Global Goals inquiry. As our unit launch, we participated in The Goals Project lead by Dr. Jennifer Williams and youth ambassador Ayush Chopra. Without their leadership and passion for world and environmental change, the project would not have been possible.
Background
The purpose of the project was to bring awareness to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The project ran through the month of September, 2019. The project brought awareness to the 17 global goals, included 70 countries, and reached over 1,500 classrooms. Classes were grouped into cohorts of 17 classes and each had a team leader. Our team, #GameChangerGroup24, was lead by Elizabeth Ogunsola. Each class in the group was assigned a goal to research and create a unique project to share with the other classes. (Official website here.)
Background
The purpose of the project was to bring awareness to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The project ran through the month of September, 2019. The project brought awareness to the 17 global goals, included 70 countries, and reached over 1,500 classrooms. Classes were grouped into cohorts of 17 classes and each had a team leader. Our team, #GameChangerGroup24, was lead by Elizabeth Ogunsola. Each class in the group was assigned a goal to research and create a unique project to share with the other classes. (Official website here.)
Research
We began our inquiry watching videos about the global goals, followed by a close read of our goal, goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. We finished our research analyzing a sketchnote and a comic. (Official Global Goals website here.)
During our research phase, we jotted down notes while watching the videos, annotated our close reading text using the GATE icons, and created posters of our learning as well as various discussion sessions.
We began our inquiry watching videos about the global goals, followed by a close read of our goal, goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. We finished our research analyzing a sketchnote and a comic. (Official Global Goals website here.)
During our research phase, we jotted down notes while watching the videos, annotated our close reading text using the GATE icons, and created posters of our learning as well as various discussion sessions.
Video resources here, here, and here.
Written resources here, here, and here.
Create
For our unique project, we had a design challenge. Students were presented with a pizza box that held their goal, the prompt, a flying disk, and markers. The challenge was to design a flying disk that teaches our partner classes about goal 8. Students worked in teams of two. Their engagement, excitement, creativity, and critical thinking was phenomenal. They were beyond proud of their original creations.
Written resources here, here, and here.
Create
For our unique project, we had a design challenge. Students were presented with a pizza box that held their goal, the prompt, a flying disk, and markers. The challenge was to design a flying disk that teaches our partner classes about goal 8. Students worked in teams of two. Their engagement, excitement, creativity, and critical thinking was phenomenal. They were beyond proud of their original creations.
Share
Once we had our flying disks created, we wrote personal notes, shared a few special momentos, and mailed them out. Along with the disks, we included our group sticker designed by @nineviaene, a Goals Project coaster, and our class hashtag sticker, #JustBeYou. Our class was so excited to send out the mail. Just as exciting was receiving messages from Jen and other classes that received their special packages.
Once we had our flying disks created, we wrote personal notes, shared a few special momentos, and mailed them out. Along with the disks, we included our group sticker designed by @nineviaene, a Goals Project coaster, and our class hashtag sticker, #JustBeYou. Our class was so excited to send out the mail. Just as exciting was receiving messages from Jen and other classes that received their special packages.
Reflection
As part of our year long inquiry, students are asked to reflect on their experiences. We created a digi journal where we will add posts to throughout the year. Here is a sample template. Take a peek at some of their reflections.
MF: "At first, I didn’t quite understand what Goal 8 meant, but as time went on and Mrs. McAlister gave me and my peers more resources and articles, I finally understood why Goal 8 was important and what it meant. I learned that Goal 8’s goal was for everyone to have a safe and beneficial job, well paid wages, and end forced labor. I learned these facts thanks to a worksheet Mrs. McAlister gave my class called ‘Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth’ by Margreet De Heer. I also learned that by 2030 we need everyone in the world including men, women, and people with disabilities to get beneficial employment. Another fact that I learned is that 731 million people are below the U.S poverty line, which is partly because some jobs don’t pay their employees fairly. My experience with the Global Goals project was really fun! I learned many things thanks to the experience. My partner and I worked really hard on our frisbee, but it ended up looking like a smirking face with a giant nose. Even though I faced some minor difficulties, I still very much enjoyed the activity."
CJA: "While we were discovering Global Goal 8 I learned a lot. One thing that I learned is that in other countries they force child labor. Forced child labor is when you make children work at a very young age. This is a problem because children are working instead of getting their education. We also did a design challenge where we had to design a frisbee based off of Global Goal 8. My partner and I both got a sketch paper to practice on and then we combined the ideas to make the final product. Another problem that I discovered was that there is a lot of poverty around the world. In America it has dropped to a 5% Poverty rate but in other countries it is still very high. The problem here is that people are not getting paid the right amount of money to be able to provide for themselves. Through our journey learning about Global Goal 8 I learned a huge amount about things that are beneficial to the society now and in the future."
This is only the beginning of our journey. I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for us. We’re living in a time where our youth are ready to take action. It’s time for us, as educators, to lead the way and give students opportunities to be global citizens, empower them with agency, and open the doors for leadership opportunities. Join us as we take the challenge to make our world a better place.
#JustBeYou . . . Marilyn McAlister
As part of our year long inquiry, students are asked to reflect on their experiences. We created a digi journal where we will add posts to throughout the year. Here is a sample template. Take a peek at some of their reflections.
MF: "At first, I didn’t quite understand what Goal 8 meant, but as time went on and Mrs. McAlister gave me and my peers more resources and articles, I finally understood why Goal 8 was important and what it meant. I learned that Goal 8’s goal was for everyone to have a safe and beneficial job, well paid wages, and end forced labor. I learned these facts thanks to a worksheet Mrs. McAlister gave my class called ‘Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth’ by Margreet De Heer. I also learned that by 2030 we need everyone in the world including men, women, and people with disabilities to get beneficial employment. Another fact that I learned is that 731 million people are below the U.S poverty line, which is partly because some jobs don’t pay their employees fairly. My experience with the Global Goals project was really fun! I learned many things thanks to the experience. My partner and I worked really hard on our frisbee, but it ended up looking like a smirking face with a giant nose. Even though I faced some minor difficulties, I still very much enjoyed the activity."
CJA: "While we were discovering Global Goal 8 I learned a lot. One thing that I learned is that in other countries they force child labor. Forced child labor is when you make children work at a very young age. This is a problem because children are working instead of getting their education. We also did a design challenge where we had to design a frisbee based off of Global Goal 8. My partner and I both got a sketch paper to practice on and then we combined the ideas to make the final product. Another problem that I discovered was that there is a lot of poverty around the world. In America it has dropped to a 5% Poverty rate but in other countries it is still very high. The problem here is that people are not getting paid the right amount of money to be able to provide for themselves. Through our journey learning about Global Goal 8 I learned a huge amount about things that are beneficial to the society now and in the future."
This is only the beginning of our journey. I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for us. We’re living in a time where our youth are ready to take action. It’s time for us, as educators, to lead the way and give students opportunities to be global citizens, empower them with agency, and open the doors for leadership opportunities. Join us as we take the challenge to make our world a better place.
#JustBeYou . . . Marilyn McAlister
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