Overview

In this final mini-unit of the World Studies course, students explore the concept of citizenship, their role as individuals in creating solutions, and the exercise of agency in promoting positive change. The unit focuses on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for addressing global challenges. Students will reflect on how they can actively contribute to achieving these goals and where they fit in as individuals. The unit adopts a project-based approach, allowing students to engage in real-world problem-solving and apply their knowledge and skills to develop solutions. A case study will be used to provide a practical context for their project-based assessment. Furthermore, students will explore the question of "Where do we go from here?" and critically examine the issues that concern them the most and identify ways they can make a difference. Sustainable development will be a key theme, emphasizing the importance of balancing social, economic, and environmental considerations. Through research and interpretation of diverse viewpoints, including those of marginalized groups such as African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ communities, and religious minorities, students will gain a broader understanding of how policies and programs impact resource use and sustainability. Current issues will be researched and discussed, fostering civil discourse and encouraging students to engage as active community members at various levels of government to advocate for policy changes and individual/group rights. The unit aims to develop students' problem-solving skills and inspire them to find innovative solutions to global challenges.

The focus of each unit could include one or more of the following:

The highlighted evidence outcomes are the priority for all students, serving as the essential concepts and skills. It is recommended that the remaining evidence outcomes listed be addressed as time allows, representing the full breadth of the curriculum.

Students Can (Evidence Outcomes):

• History: 1.1.a. Formulate compelling and supporting questions after evaluating primary sources for point of view and historical context.

• History: 1.1.b. Gather and analyze historical information to address questions from a range of primary and secondary sources containing a variety of perspectives. For example: Perspectives of historically underrepresented groups.

• History: 1.1.d. Construct and defend a historical argument that evaluates interpretations by analyzing, critiquing, and synthesizing evidence from a wide range of relevant historical sources.

• History: 1.3.d. Examine and evaluate issues of unity and diversity in world history from the Renaissance to the present. For example: world conferences and international agreements (United Nations), and human rights issues.

• Geography: 2.1.a. Analyze variations in spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics at multiple scales while gathering geographic data from a variety of valid sources. For example: Maps, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), graphs, and charts.

• Geography 2.2.a.  Identify, evaluate, and communicate strategies to respond to constraints placed on human systems by the physical environment.

• Geography 2.2.d.  Explain how altering the environment has brought prosperity to some places and created environmental dilemmas for others.

• Geography: 2.2.e. Research and interpret viewpoints from diverse groups. Including but not limited to: African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ, and religious minorities’ perspectives on issues that shape policies and programs for resource use and sustainability. For example: Immigration, resource distribution, universal human rights, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• Geography: 2.2.f. Evaluate the influence of long-term climate variability on human migration and settlement patterns, resource use, and land uses at local-to-global scales.

• Geography: 2.3.a.  Explain how the uneven distribution of resources in the world can lead to conflict, competition, or cooperation among nations, regions, and cultural groups.

• Civics: 4.1.a. Research and discuss current issues to participate in civil discourse.

• Civics: 4.1.e. Engage as active community members with local, state, tribal, or federal levels of government on policy issues or for individual or group rights.