The United States & Beyond: Sustainable Development Issues in the U.S. and the Spanish Speaking World

Curriculum Level: 9-12

By Jennifer Nichols from Cox Mill High School

OVERVIEW OF LESSON: After selecting and researching one United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), students will create a final product that compares and contrasts the challenges and progress toward achieving that goal in the United States and a selected Spanish-speaking country. Students will identify the causes of the issue in each country, analyze solutions currently in place, evaluate their effectiveness and propose solutions of their own for how these countries could improve going forward. Students will cite specific, verifiable examples in their product. Students should prepare to communicate this product to a global audience.

SUGGESTED GRADE LEVELS: Grades 9-12

SUBJECT: Spanish II – Classes are 90 minutes M-F, semester long/block schedule

CORRESPONDING NATIONAL AND/OR STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS:

World Language Essential Standards

NM.COD.4.1: Compare tangible products related to the home and the classroom from the students’ and the target cultures.

NM.CMT.4: Compare the students’ culture and the target culture.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

What is ‘sustainability’?
What is the current problem in the U.S. AND the chosen country? What are the causes of this problem?
What SDG is being focused on and how do other SDG(s) relate to this problem?
How are the problems in the US and chosen country similar/different and WHY?

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to research a current issue in the United States to understand its effect on the local community.
Students will be to identify a current problem in their chosen country.
Students will be able to identify connections between multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will discover global connectivity and delve into how the chosen country and US are working to fix the problem.
Students will be able to share this information with their peer via a presentation.
Students will be able to make connections between real-world events, their impact on global issues, and similarities/differences between the U.S. and other countries.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE EDUCATOR or RESOURCES TO EXPLORE FURTHER:

SPECIFIC STUDENT STRATEGIES & ACTIVITIES:

For each section of the research process, the teacher circulates through the groups, checking their readiness for the next step. Student benchmarks set the expectations and accountability in student friendly language as “I can” statements. A handout of the rubric with all the “I can” statements can be created to give to students so that they can prepare for these benchmark conversations (see image below).

Days 1-2

Discussion Opener and Warm Up: Ask students if they have heard of the SDGs. Ask students if they have worked with SDGs in other classes. Ask students to define (in their own words), ‘sustainability’, or to provide an example of what they think it means.

Have students read an overview of SDGs and review the UN’s definition [In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”]

Review Terminology:

Sustainability = (ecology; renewability) – la sostenibilidad
Development = (progress of a project, etc) – el desarrollo; el progreso
Pollution = (contamination) – la polución
Environment = (the natural world) – el medio ambiente
Nature – la naturaleza

Students play the SDG game to familiarize themselves with the icons for each SDG and their meanings.

SDG game – https://gamethegoals.com/

Guided Practice: The teacher assigns small groups (scaffold by ability level; differentiate based on product interest and learning style). Students choose a Spanish–speaking country. In groups, students research current events (climate, food shortage, water pollution, etc.) and choose an SDG to focus on in both the U.S. and the selected Spanish-speaking country. The teacher directs students to the targets on the United Nations website as the way that these sustainable development goals are broken into measurable aims that people all over the world are working on together. If a teacher intends to use the learning extension, this would be a good time to show students that they can think globally and act locally.

Days 3-4

Students will research the event (or problem) and how it came to be a challenge in the U.S.

Students will research the selected SDG(s) and make connections between the SDG, its targets and problem, focusing on:

Current problem overview in the U.S.
SDG(s) related to the problem
Background of the problem in the U.S.
Actions taken to address the problem in the U.S.
Student suggestions on how to effect change

Student Benchmark: I can pose researchable questions on a local, regional and/or global issue. This means my questions are about important issues. This also means the questions I create can be addressed by researching a specific issue. I can also explain why my question is significant to the global community. This means I can describe why my question and issue are important to many different people.

Days 5-6

Students will research the event (or problem) and how it came to be a challenge in their chosen Spanish-speaking country.

Students will research the selected SDG and make connections between the SDG, its target and problem, focusing on:

Current problem overview in the Spanish-speaking country
SDG(s) related to the problem
Background of the problem in the Spanish-speaking country
Actions taken to address the problem in the Spanish-speaking country
Student suggestions on how to effect change

Student Benchmark: I can select and use multiple international and domestic sources to identify evidence that addresses a global question. This means I can choose sources from different countries to examine a global question.

Student Benchmark: I can explain the perspective of others. This means I can describe a perspective that is different than my own. I can identify and describe how perspective affects how someone will respond to something. This means I can explain how having different perspectives affects the way people view the world.

Days 7-8

Students will compare and contrast the challenges and progress toward achieving the selected SDG in the United States and a selected Spanish-speaking country.

Students will compile key points from their research to create their final product, which will include:

Their Spanish-speaking country
Current problem overview in U.S.
Current problem overview in Spanish-speaking country
SDG(s) related to problem
Background of problem
Actions taken to address problem in U.S. and Spanish-speaking country
Compare/contrast U.S. and Spanish-speaking country
Student suggestions on how to effect change

Student Benchmark: I can assess the options for action based on evidence. This means I can think about what I’ve learned to help me decide on a possible plan. I can also plan actions based on evidence and perceived potential for impact. This means I can support my plan with evidence. It also means I can support my plan by describing the potential for success.

Days 9-10

Presentations to a global audience (suggested platforms: google slides presentation, documentary, PSA, podcast, or other). Students showcase their presentations, framing their actions toward a global audience.

Student Benchmark: I can select and use resources to communicate effectively. This means I understand which technology or media will best help me communicate with a specific person. I can also select and use resources to collaborate effectively. This means I understand which technology or media will best help me collaborate with a specific person.

ASSESSMENTS:

LEARNING EXTENSIONS: Investigate and contribute to current community efforts (school club, etc.) OR create a local initiative to help school and/or local community (parks & rec, etc.) implement change to make progress towards SDGs in your community.

MATERIALS:

Chromebooks/Internet

School Research Sites (media center webpage)

SDG sites

REFERENCES:

American leadership on the SDGs. unfoundation.org. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/sustainable-development-goals/u-s-leadership-on-the-sdgs/

Student to the World Online Courses. Global Nomads Group. (2022, December 19). Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://gng.org/programs/courses/

United Nations. (n.d.). Take action for the sustainable development goals – United Nations sustainable development. United Nations. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/