Introduction
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
Task
Explore the SDG's with your small group. You don't have to explore them in order. Feel free to discuss the SDG's in order of your own interest.
When you click on the UN webpages, you only need to read what is immediately visible on that webpage. You don't have to click any of the other links or videos on that webpage.
This webquest will probably take up two class periods.
Process
Goal 1: No Poverty
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 1: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/poverty/
Click here to read an infographic about goal 1: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/E_Infographic_01.pdf
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What was the most surprising fact or statistic that you learned on the webpage?
2. What actions has the UN taken to address this goal?
3. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 2: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/
Click here to read to read a comic about issues related to hunger and food production: https://www.yumpu.com/xx/document/read/55754859/night-stars-zero-hunger-comic
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are some of the major causes of hunger and starvation?
2. What are some examples of inequality in the comic?
3. In the comic, what are some challenges that impact food production?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 3: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/
Click here to read an infographic about goal 3: http://cdn.worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/2016/06/A-To-Do-List-for-the-Planet_Page_04_Image_0001.jpg
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are six outcomes for achieving good health and well-being?
2. What are some of the challenges facing the health and well-being of children?
3. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 4: Quality Education
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 4: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/
Click here to read some additional information about education: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1anWqGZLYWlAvnfNOjeW1RGEit_yLDfdS/view?usp=sharing
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. How does socioeconomic status and location affect access to education for children? What other trends can you see in the second document?
2. In what areas of the world is illiteracy a big problem?
3. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 5: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/
Click here to watch this YouTube clip:
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. How is gender equality related to sustainability?
2. What are some challenges that women face at higher levels than men?
3. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 6: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/
Click here to watch this YouTube clip:
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. Why are clean water and sanitation important enough to include in the 17 SDG's?
2. What are some challenges that people face when trying to access clean water?
3. What invention did Cynthia Koenig create to help people access water?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 7: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/energy/
Click here to read a short PDF document about goal 7: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/7_Why-It-Matters-2020.pdf
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. Why is clean and affordable energy so important?
2. What is one of the most surprising facts you learned from the webpages?
3. Do you think the world is on track to achieve this goal?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 8: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/economic-growth/
Click here to watch a YouTube video about goal 8:
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. How is goal 8 connected to other SDG's?
2. What are some of the targets that should be reached in order to achieve goal 8?
3. What are some of the challenges that we face while trying to achieve goal 8?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 9: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/infrastructure-industrialization/
Click here to read an infographic about goal 9: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/E_Infographic_09.pdf
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are the benefits of promoting sustainable industry and infrastructure?
2. What challenges are we facing when trying to achieve goal 9?
3. What are the benefits of providing greater access to fast and reliable internet?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 10: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/inequality/
Watch the following YouTube clip about goal 10:
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. How is inequality connected to the issue of access to education?
2. What are other ways that inequality can harm society?
3. What is one of the most surprising facts or statistics that you learned from the webpage or the video?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 11: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cities/
Click here to view an illustration of a hypothetical sustainable city: https://rodhunt.com/megacity-2050-bloomberg-businessweek-illustration
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are some of the negative effects of rapid urbanization?
2. After looking at the illustration in the second link, what sustainable features and details can you see in the city?
3. Do you think your city is sustainable? If yes, why? If not, why not and what could your city do to be more sustainable?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 12: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-consumption-production/
Click here to read an infographic about goal 12: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/E_infographics_12.pdf
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are the benefits of pursuing sustainable consumption and production?
2. What are some of the factors that contribute to current problems of unsustainable production and consumption?
3. Do you think your personal consumption habits are sustainable? Why or why not?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 13: Climate Action
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 13: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climate-change/
Click here to read an infographic about goal 13: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/E_infographics_13.pdf
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. Do you think the world is on track to achieve this goal and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius?
2. What are the consequences of failing to prevent rises in global temperature?
3. Do you think your country is prepared to deal with the consequences of increasing global temperature? Why or why not?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 14: Life Below Water
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 14: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/
Click here to take the "Which ocean animal are you?" quiz. Click "learn more about...." after you get your result: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/personality-quizzes/article/which-ocean-animal-matches-your-personality
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are some challenges facing creatures below water?
2. How can protecting animals below water benefit humans?
3. What was your result on the "Which ocean animal are you" quiz? Share a fact you learned about your animal from the "learn more about" page.
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 15: Life on Land
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 15: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/biodiversity/
Click here to take the "Which type of forest is right for you" quiz: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/personality-quizzes/article/discover-which-type-of-forest-you-would-thrive-in
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are the negative consequences of species extinction?
2. How can we prevent the emergence of zoonotic diseases?
3. What was your result on the "Which type of forest is right for you" quiz? Do you agree or disagree with the result?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 16: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/
Click here to see an explanation of the main targets for goal 16: https://www.ibj.org/wp_main/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/sdg-16.jpg
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. How is goal 16 connected to other sustainable development goals?
2. Do you think your country has achieved the targets for goal 16? Why or why not?
3. One institutional problem the UN wants to address is when children's births are not registered. What are the potential consequences of not officially registering the birth of children?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Goal 17: Partnerships
Click here to read the UN's webpage about goal 17: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/globalpartnerships/
Watch this YouTube video about goal 17:
Answer the following questions with your group.
1. What are the qualities of a good partnership?
2. How can strong partnerships help us achieve all of the SDG's?
3. What are the challenges that stand in the way of maintaining strong partnerships?
4. What could governments and global citizens do to help achieve this goal?
Evaluation
If you finish exploring all of the 17 SDG's, try taking this online quiz: https://www.eduki.ch/en/quizz/sustainable-development-goals-quiz
Conclusion
If you finish all of the previous content, read this blog post that explains criticisms/negatives and positives of the SDG's: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/achieving-sustainable-development/0/steps/35496
Then, answer the following questions with your group.
What are the criticisms of the SDG's? Do you agree or disagree with any of the criticisms?
What are the positives of the SDG's? Do you agree or disagree with any of the positives?