We have started quite possibly my favorite unit of all time in English 3, our Project: Global Inform unit. I enjoy this unit because I like to see students become aware of global issues and feel like they are apart of the solution to the problem. I could teach easily change this unit to be an entire course or several courses, examining each goal individually! Project:Global Inform was created by fellow educator AJ Juliani. (See the original post by AJ Juliani here: http://ajjuliani.com/project-global-inform-doing-something-about-human-rights-violations/ and read his blog in general. Seriously it's amazing and I have been deeply inspired by him to be more innovative in my classroom.) In this unit, students are challenged to discover human rights issues around the world and analyze and evaluate the issues. This unit can easily be incorporated in any curriculum. In our English 3 class, we look at what is human rights and analyze the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Then, students analyze three specific human rights violations (terrorism and peace, education for girls, and North Korea.) We watch three TED Talks: Hyeonseo Lee's "My Escape from North Korea", Zak Ebrahim's "I am the Son of a Terrorist. Here's How I Chose Peace, and Ziauddin Yousafzai "My Daughter Malala" and discuss the issues in the TED Talk. Students then evaluate and choose a United Nations 2030 goal they are interested in and feel inspired to help with. (Goals can be found here: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld). Students then choose a novel that coincides with their chosen goal. Most novels address multiple issues; however, students focus on one main issue addressed in the novel. As students read, they podcast their reflections on the novel and the human rights violation in their novel. At the end, students create projects that help to spread awareness of the human rights violation as well as help the UN achieve the goal. Below are listed the links to their podcasts arranged by the goal chosen. Listen along as they analyze and help solve global issues! (Click on the student's name to be redirected to their podcast.)
Goal 1: No Poverty
Kirk
Tre
Anthony G.
Matt
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health and Well Being
Alexis
Goal 4: Quality Education
Ryan
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Cyle
Raven
Aliyah
Taylor B.
Destiny
Goal 6:Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Josh
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Elizabeth
Marina
Destiny
Lucy
Mariah
Briana
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13: Climate Action
Goal 14: Life Below Water
John
Gavin
Jacob
Trenton
Dillan
Goal 15: Life on Land
Kyle Fr.
Codie
Jake
Derrick
Goal 16: Peace and Justice; Strong Institutions
Seth
Garrett
Taylor L.
Shawn
Rachel
Kyle Fi.
Lucas
Anthony W.
Lawson
Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals