Lesson Plan: Teaching about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.

Step 1: Topic introduction and discussion

Use the video, ‘What is sustainable development?’ by the United Nations (UN) to describe to your students, what sustainable development is and to define the different sustainable development goals (SDGs) as outlined by the UN.

Go to the video, ‘What is sustainable development?

Step 2: Develop the topic further

1. Use the reading, ‘Sustainable Foundations- A Guide for Teaching the Sustainable Development Goals’ by the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation (MCIC), for a detailed study of the individual SDGs and to highlight to your students the socio-economic importance of each one.
2. Use the first 6 pages of the text as a user guide to this document and to note the points to highlight while teaching the SDGs.
3. Then, select one or more SDGs for consideration and navigate to the relevant pages to teach about them in detail.
4. Use the ‘Reflection and Action Questions’ within each section to assess student understanding and/or to encourage classroom discussion.

Go to the Resource

Step 3: Emphasize the link between climate change and the achievement of the SDGs

• Use the reading, ‘IPCC Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5⁰ Summary for Teachers’ (pages 20-21) by Office for Climate Education (OCE), France, to explain to your students the link between global warming and attaining the SDGs. This reading is also available in French, German and Spanish.
• Use the text to discuss with your students the relationship between population, economic growth and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• Explain to your students climate change exacerbates poverty and in turn, a higher rate of population growth and the associated inequalities contribute greatly to global warming through increased GHG emissions.
• Use the text to emphasize to your students that climate change can be detrimental for sustainable development, especially in developing countries and vulnerable regions.
• Therefore, discuss how SDGs must be addressed in conjunction with the efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
• Finally, use the list of tasks on page 21, to encourage your students to discuss their country’s efforts towards addressing the SDGs in the context of climate change.

Go to the Resource (pages 20-21)

Suggested questions/assignments for learning evaluation :

1. What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
2. What are your nation’s efforts towards meeting the SDGs?
3. How is climate change intricately linked with sustainable development and the achievement of the SDGs?

The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:

1. learn about sustainable development and the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
2. explain the significance of SDGs in topics of economics and social sciences
3. discuss their nation’s measures to address the SDGs
4. understand the link between climate change and the achievement of the SDGs

If you or your students would like to explore the topic further, these additional resources will be useful.