Working on the sustainable development goals in primary education
The project
In 2020 Elementary schools The Tandem and Basisschool de Tandem and Het Droomschip filed an Erasmus+ project with the EU together with Ceip Marqués de Lozoya from Spain.
The sustainable development goals were getting more and more attention. As schools that prize themselves on sustainability, we reckoned we needed to incorporate this into the lessons somehow.
When we the idea was raised to enter an Erasmus proposal together with a school in Segovia, we quickly found a common theme.
Raising awareness around the SDGs with our students and inspire them, through a plethora of media, to actively think about the future … became our common goal.
Our goals
Teachers from all involved schools selected 5 goals on which to work during two school years. We organized workshops coupled to a certain medium (STEM, dance/music, drama, media, visuals).
GOAL 1: End poverty
End poverty by 2030 everywhere.
GOAL 13: Climate action
Take action to combat climate change.
GOAL 3: Health and well-being
Ensure health and well-being for all.
GOAL 10: Reduce inequality
Reducing inequalities and ensuring no one is left behind
GOAL 4: Quality education
Ensure acces to quality education for all.
We worked in four periods, with each period covering one or two of the chosen goals. During each period we had an exchange of teachers from Belgium and Spain. During the exchange, teachers gathered inspiration on how to organize activities covering the chosen sustainable development goal. After each exchange a workshop-day was organised on all 3 schools.
We hope to inspire other schools with this site to also organize activities concerning the sustainable development goals.
The Sustainable Development goals (SDG’s)
17 sustainable development goals Europe wants to achieve for all its member states by 2030.
Target audience
To introduce the project to parents (during Corona), we made a spoken presentation that was spread via our online channels.
After the workshop on the pedagogical study day, the teachers were instructed to introduce the SDGs in general in the classroom. These activities were made together at Djapo’s workshop
This was done differently according to age.
Toddlers
The toddlers used the figures Gloob and Theo. These figures are designed by Djapo and ensure that toddlers are introduced to the sustainable development goals in a playful way. The kindergarten teachers used some picture books that were purchased and started a class discussion.
Search book Gloob and Theo in the woods (oldest preschoolers)
10 €
Picture book Gloob and Theo flower (jongste kleuters)
10 €
First grade
In the first stage, the SDGs were first introduced in a teaching conversation. Afterwards the lesson ‘King of the world’ was given. This lesson was created by Djapo.
Second grade
In the second stage, the SDGs and what they are exactly were discussed in a teaching conversation. The students worked around this for a few lessons with different activities in a sliding system.
- The United Nations board game.
- A memory
- A running game
Third grade
In the third grade, a teaching conversation was also started. After this, the students started processing the information by following a workshop by Djapo (given by their teacher). This workshop was designed by Djapo.
On a pedagogical study day, we had Djapo give an introductory workshop to the teachers. The topics of this workshop were:
- What are the SDG’s?
- Why is it important that we as a school get started with this?
- How can we use this in our lessons and our daily classroom practice?
