Implementation of “It’s Time to Change” (SOl-GR-579)
Author: Xenia Papari
Abstract
The fifth Sustainable Development Goal by UN is bold, broad, and important. It challenges the world to: “Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls”.
The scenario “It’s Time to Change! (LS-PL-628)” by Agnieszka Pielorz informed my inspiration so this year I suggested that my students participate in the European project Girls Go Circular. A programme about the empowerment of girls 14-18 years old through circular economy. But I extended it to boys too. Also, I needed to make clear to my children that all the talking about goals and changes cannot be true unless we reify on one and only thing, our own mind! The way we think.
Units 6 “Fast Fashion” (its impact on the environment) and 7 “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen paralleled to the Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith (the way we think shapes the world around us) made the connection between the environment – mindset evident to my students.
The quote “Many things have to change course but it is WE HUMAN BEINGS above all who need to CHANGE” by Pope Francis, was the thunderbolt I was looking for!
The journey of my students’ self-discovery to the realization of a sustainable environment around them, began.
For Agnieszka and her students, it was Saint Francis of Assisi who inspired a reflection on one’s own behavior towards the environment. For us, it was Adam Smith through the characters’ voice in Pride and Prejudice that helped my students to acknowledge that it is our choices which lead to sustainable living.
Location: physical classroom, Computer lab, home.
21 students – 16 years old.
Introduction to the Treatise
A short quiz (5 min. ) HOW GREEN YOU ARE which highlighted two main points:
- their unawareness of the fabrics the clothes are made
- their main concern when purchasing their clothes is the price.
Bridging the cognitive gap
Girls Go Circular programme offered a unique lens to raise their environmental awareness. My students realized: a sustainable environment is the result of the way we think and act.
But what shapes our way of thinking?
The links of the Theory of sentiments by Adam Smith and Pride and Prejudice characters’ quotes that depicted their mindsets, gave the answer to my students.
The way I think – is the way I act.
All students collaborated on a mind map on the classroom’s board, presenting through quotes they selected that one’s way of thinking is the way of acting.
The way I think shapes the environment.
Α second concept map connected the environment with the theory of sentiments.
(mind maps)
Reflection followed which some of the students recorded in Flipgrid .
2. Outcomes for students
The story promoted their:
Digital literacy
Life skills
Critical thinking
Learning to learn & metacognition
The self-realization they reached:
“It’s us who should change not the world. Never before had I realized how we do that”.
“It takes guts to be the change you want”.
For the educator
The most important benefit is that I was given the ground to get a clearer insight of my students’ feelings, attitudes. The skills and knowledge they built together.
I was happy to see them intrigued to find the connection of three seemingly random topics.
1) Flipgrid
2) Flipgrid
3) Flipgrid
The Final Product: Spatial Museum. All tasks attached.
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario?
Link to the learning scenario implemented: “It’s Time to Change! (LS-PL-628)”
Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.
CC BY 4.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Helsinki City Museum.