Social Studies & Religion Overview

Social Studies & Religion

Unit Title: sustainable development 

Summary & Background Information:

This unit focuses on three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) created by the United Nations. These SDGs are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change. The unit will begin with an overview of the SDGs and the United Nation's mandate. Subsequent lessons will focus on Water and Sanitation (Goal 6); Good Health and Well-being (goal 3); and Zero Hunger (Goal 2). Students will examine Canada's role abroad and at home in achieving the SDGs by 2030. Students will be introduced to and asked to connect the Catholic social teachings of Life and Dignity of the Human Person, Rights and Responsibilities, Solidarity, and Care for God's Creation to their actions and attitudes toward adopting a more sustainable lifestyle that respects all humanity and the earth that supports us all. At the end of this unit students will demonstrate their understanding of the SDGs through a larger class-selected project aimed at raising awareness about one of the goals and a call to action.

Curriculum Links:

Social Studies/Geography

Grade 6

B1.2 analyse responses of Canadian governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individual citizens to an economic, environmental, political, and/or social issue of international significance.

B1.3 explain why some environmental issues are of international importance and require the participation of other regions of the world, along with that of Canada, if they are to be effectively addressed.

B2.1 formulate questions to guide investigations into global issues of political, social, economic, and/or environmental importance and their impact on the global community, and responses to the issues.

B2.2 gather and organize information on global issues of political, social, economic, and/or environmental importance, including their impact and responses to them, using a variety of resources and various technologies.

B3.3 describe several groups or organizations through which Canada and Canadians are involved in global issues.

Grade 7 - Geography

B1.3 assess the efforts of some groups, agencies, and/or organizations in helping to preserve natural resources.

B2.1 formulate questions to guide investigations into issues related to the impact of the extraction/harvesting and/or use of natural resources around the world from a geographic perspective.

B2.2 gather and organize data and information from a variety of sources on the impact of resource extraction/harvesting and/or use, ensuring that their sources reflect more than one perspective.

B3.4 describe the perspectives of different groups regarding the use of the natural environment to meet human needs.

B3.5 identify various groups and organizations that work to improve quality of life. 

Grade 8 - Geography

B1.1 analyse some interrelationships among factors that can contribute to quality of life.

B1.2 analyse how various factors have affected the economies of specific developed and developing countries around the world.

B1.3 assess the effectiveness of various programs and policies aimed at improving the quality of life in various countries. 

B2.1 formulate questions to guide investigations into issues related to global development and quality of life from a geographic perspective.

B2.2 gather and organize data and information from a variety of sources and using various technologies to investigate issues related to global development and quality of life from a geographic perspective.

B3.1 identify and describe the significance of several indicators that are commonly used to measure quality of life on a global scale.

Religious Education:

Grade 6:

LS2.3: Identify situations of injustice in society, our country and the world which oppose the virtue of human dignity and fundamental human rights and use examples to describe social justice which reflect the principle that “everyone should look upon his neighbour (without any exception) as another self.”

ML1.2: Explain through example, how God’s gift of human reason promotes human dignity. 

Grade 7:

LS2.2: Describe the forms of solidarity which can effectively address socio-economic problems and explain through example how these forms of solidarity can promote social change and respect for the common good. 

LS2.3: Describe the ways that the “principle of solidarity” is manifested by the distribution of goods (i.e. food, clean water, shelter, and basic necessities) and the remuneration for work (i.e. just wage, working conditions, etc.) in the local and global communities. 

ML2.2: Describe through the use of example, how making moral choices promotes a life of virtue.

Grade 8: 

LS1.4: Articulate the three essential elements of the Common Good and link them to ecological justice and the universal common good of protecting the earth’s resources for future generations. 

LS2.3: Define the Church’s social teaching with respect to personal responsibility and participation in public life and give examples of how each promotes the good of individuals and the common good of society. 

ML2.3: Identify some of the moral situations that have arisen in society as a result of globalization, advances in technology and science and examine them in light of the Church’s moral teachings. 

Catholic Graduate Expectations:

1. DISCERNING BELIEVER formed in the Catholic Faith Community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery of God's presence through work, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and moral living.

3. REFLECTIVE, CREATIVE AND HOLISTIC THINKER who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience for the common good.

5. A COLLABORATIVE CONTRIBUTOR who finds meaning and dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good.

6. A CARING FAMILY MEMBER who attends to family, school, parish and the wider community.

7. A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN who gives witness to Catholic Social Teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life.

Guiding Questions:

1. What are the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? 

2. How is Canada responding to the SDGs both globally and at home?

3. What are some of the ways in which countries around the world are practicing environmental stewardship? What can we learn from these practices? 

4. What factors influence the quality of life in different countries?

5. Why is it important to be aware of and to address global inequalities of wealth and quality of life? 

6. As Catholic Christians, how can we make a positive contribution to society and the world?

7. How can we work for the common good of all people and be the change we want to see?

8. How do we ensure we are living and acting in a way that reflects human dignity?

Learning Goals:

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• explain the importance of the UN's SDGs.

• see the connection between the SDGs and Canada's response both at home and abroad.

• understand that we can learn from the environmental stewardship practices of other nations.

• understand the importance of being aware of and addressing global inequalities of wealth and quality of life.

• develop attitudes and values founded on the principles of Catholic social teaching and act to promote social responsibility, human solidarity and the common good.

• become models of Christian living for all those we encounter in our daily lives.

• understand the difference between justice and charity and the need for both.

Success Criteria:

I can…

• explain the importance of the UN's SDGs.

• see the connection between the SDGs and Canada's response both here at home and abroad.

• understand that we can learn from the environmental stewardship practices of other nations.

• better understand the Catholic social teachings and act to promote responsibility and solidarity for the common good.

• become a model for Christian living for my school and local community.

• demonstrate that I understand the difference between justice and charity.