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The What:
Students will read and analyze the novel "Thirst" by Varsha Bajaj and collaborate with classes worldwide through Global Read Aloud. Students will identify the Sustainable Development Goals addressed in the novel and identify the SDG they are most passionate about.
The Why:
In today’s global economy, we need innovative thinkers who have a passionate drive to solve some incredibly complex problems. Forward thinking companies know the value of encouraging workers to pursue personally meaningful projects as they exercise their critical thinking skills and create exciting new products to improve life (and the bottom line.) At 3M, for instance, workers are given 15 percent of their time to pursue personal projects. One result of this program? Post-It Notes, one of the company’s best-selling items. At Google, engineers are giving 20 percent release time and encouragement to pursue fresh ideas that will benefit the company. One impressive result? Gmail. I chose this activity because it aligns with the CA ELA and ELD standards along with several Sustainable Development Goals. Students have the opportunity to apply their learning to a real-life problem and create an actionable plan to address it.
Global Citizen Project (2).pdfTopics for Global Citizen Project.docxThe How:
Read Thirst by Varsha Bajaj.
Before Reading:
-Show Mumbai on the map for readers
-Show the stark differences between Mumbai's wealth-high rises and shanty towns.
-Examine cover and complete Wonders and Noticings chart-Predict
-Complete anticipation guide
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pFZ7TEg6Z94UBOVjfB3G9yklav_ZzXHNqf0VKB14fCU/edit?usp=sharing
-Build background on Mumbai's water crisis
During Reading:
-Cultural Representation Reflection-one strategy is to help our students discover a broader understanding of an inclusive society is for them to see what they might not have noticed before. These multi-leveled reflections encourage readers to pause and reflect on the cultural representation of characters, setting and events in the books they read. Then they can compare, contrast, and develop a connection to their own culture while taking a deeper look at the representation of others.
-Complete Weekly Prompts in Student Notebook and Choiceboard Activity,
After Reading:
-Complete End of Unit Project for Thirst
Students will complete a Tic Tac Toe activity choice menu to demonstrate their understanding of the main themes in "Thirst".
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11c1XvUfta1c4nw4nKQB3saF8O7kd9KFL9pFGD3mcNCo/edit
Introduce the SDGS using the The World’s Largest Lesson videos.
Play SDG Kahoot to assess their prior knowledge of the SDGs.
Students share an SDG of interest on a Google Classroom thread and respond and ask questions to classmates' posts.
Connect Minnie's, the main character in Thirst, activism to how we can use the power of speaking, listening, reading, and writing to contribute to our community and the world. Introduce the Global Citizen Project.
Global Citizen Project:
You are a member of a team tasked with researching and pitching an idea for a global company or non-profit organization. You will be graded only on the process, not the finished product. If you choose a project you find meaningful, work diligently, and are a positive, contributing team member, you will do well on this assignment. Common Core listening, speaking, reading, and writing standards will be incorporated throughout the project.
a. The first part of your task is to create a 60-second Project Pitch ala “Shark Tank” aligned to an SDG. See links https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5nmwuu6RX0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08mCf9G9xBU&list=PLTefRTWvhWMsbo9Z_noVgFa7VB7DUeZWd&index=2&t=0s for examples and accompanying description/rubric.
b. The second part of your task is to research and create your project. This could be in the form of a blog, website, physical model, video, or live demonstration.
c. The third part of the task is to deliver a 2-3 minute speech as a team to share your Global Citizen Project, explaining what you did, and what you were able to learn from the project. Your presentation must have a minimum of 3 visuals to help illustrate your topic and add interest. Visual aids can include charts, photos, video clips, screenshots, maps, physical models, etc. See attached specifications. The speech should be modeled after a TED Talk. See links for examples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwSa25JSWwU&feature=youtu.be
https://www.ted.com/talks/tavi_gevinson_a_teen_just_trying_to_figure_it_out#t-203472
d. Finally, you will evaluate and be evaluated by your team members according to a set of specific criteria measuring each team member's professionalism and contribution to the project.
Extension: Implement your project online or in the community and present the outcome.
Planning Considerations:
o Provide a class set of novels as well as non-fiction paired texts at various reading levels.
o Schedule frequent checkpoints within the project for accountability and to teach students how to break up a long-range project into manageable chunks.
Suggested Resources/Materials:
SDG Resources:
SDG Kahoot
https://create.kahoot.it/details/47c75332-9095-4575-b998-31552310694a
World's Largest Lesson
https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/resources/?_sft_language=english
World's Largest Lesson Video Series
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=worlds+largest+lesson
SDGs Child Friendly
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xz0omwMHLWstLUEDc2x1trG8EmipI7Y-/view?usp=sharing
Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Change
Young Changemakers Series
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BBBFMCB?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk
Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Character
Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Challenges
The Teen Guide to Global Action
Content Resources:
Introduction to Thirst
GRA 22 Thirst Teacher Guide
GRA 22 Student Notebook
GRA 22 Thirst
Newsela California Drought
https://newsela.com/view/clex1xe8j00063b69xtwwzads/?levelId=clex36mxa7efx08ogflbqf43y
A Long Walk to Water Text Set
https://newsela.com/subject/other/2000459778
Climate Change: Drought
https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/climate-change-impacts-and-solutions/
Content/Standards Alignment:
CA ELA Standards:
CCSSRL.7.6
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
CCSSRL.8.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSSRL.8.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSSRL.8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/elacontentstnds.pdf
CA ELD Standards:
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/eldstndspublication14.pdf
UN SDG Alignment:
Students may choose any standard that they can justify with evidence from "Thirst" and supplemental resources.
SDGs addressed in "Thirst"
1 No Poverty
2 Zero Hunger
3 Good Health and Well-Being
4 Quality Education
5 Gender Equality
6 Clean Water and Sanitation
7 Affordable and Clean Energy
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
10 Reduced Inequalities
16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
17 Partnerships for the Goals
Recommendations:
Teach novel study and "Change the World" project simultaneously rather than wait until the end of the novel to embark on the project.
Teach a series of lessons on the SDGs and how to conduct research prior to beginning the project.
Individual Reflection:
What went well?
Using literature to augment our non-fiction unit on drought helped my students conceptualize the personal impact a lack of clean water has on a community. By reading and analyzing Thirst, they were able to make connections between the drought here in CA and the effects of drought throughout the world. The novel also helped students to understand the water shortage in the context of broader social inequities.
What would you have done differently?
The novel study took us almost to the end of the school year. 8th grade is incredibly busy the last few weeks before graduation. With the knowledge I now have regarding the SDGs and global learning, I can now be more intentional in planning the novel study with links to the SDGs throughout. Additionally, at least a month is needed to fully implement a project. I wanted to give students a taste by exploring the SDGs and designing a pitch around their idea to address an SDG.
What feedback did you get from your students?
When I introduced the SDGs to my students and asked if they thought young people could make a difference, one student responded, "Are you kidding me? This is Gen Z you're talking about." My students were unaware of the SDGs prior to this project and felt that their generation of peers was apathetic in wanting to enact social change. After the project, they were adamant that students as well as the broader community need to be aware of the SDGs. They felt that the "pitch project" was valuable because it gave them more confidence to present before peers as well as raise their awareness of global issues and concerns. They felt strongly that incorporating this type of project-based learning throughout the year was a more valuable use of time than traditional textbook-driven activities because it "prepares them for their future." They shared that fully implementing an action project to address an SDG would help them refine their research and speaking skills, prepare them for college, and give them the necessary speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills for the workplace. One suggestion was to create an extracurricular Global Club, to increase opportunities to take learning out into the community and create community awareness around the SDGs.
How do you know that this was successful?
Students were highly engaged in researching their SDG and creating a 60-second pitch. At first, they were nervous and overwhelmed. However, letting them choose their SDG and who they worked with increased their comfort level. There were many disruptions to the schedule the last week of school. Even so, students were able to adapt and think on their feet. We presented the pitches ala "Shark Tank" style, even playing the soundtrack! The student audience was the "sharks". They generated thoughtful questions that challenged their peers' thinking and helped them refine their original idea.
How do you plan to use this strategy in the future?
I will incorporate this project alongside our novel study next year so they can make parallels to the SDGs throughout, rather than waiting until the end of the school year. Ideally, I'd like to make this a year-long project where students fully implement their project and formally present their findings to an audience. I plan to pilot the "Global Citizen" project with my 8th grade ELA class this year, then eventually expand the project to my 7th grade ELA and my newcomer class. I'd also like to incorporate partnerships with a class abroad to enrich our study of the SDGs so students can see the SDGs in a local as well as global context.
What else should be considered when incorporating this strategy into instruction?
The first few months of school should be devoted to frontloading the SDGs to build the background and context for the project. Another consideration could be having the class focus on one SDG and implement a class project. I asked my 8th-grade class what they thought about this option. They expressed that they would rather be able to choose an SDG to work on in a small group as having a choice based on interest would increase student investment and buy-in. I think both options could work, given the particular class makeup. Finding time to integrate this approach is a challenge. I teach students several grades behind in reading and there is a strong pressure to teach "basic skills" and raise state test scores. Unfortunately, innovative, project-based approaches are frequently isolated to leadership or "advanced" classes. I need more ideas and examples of how to integrate project-based learning while incorporating the foundational skills students are missing. Another consideration is to ensure that students have accessible research materials in various languages and reading levels. Along with spending ample time introducing the SDGS, lessons on how to conduct research and searches using keywords are important. It's very easy for students to get lost in Google and they're not always sure of how to ask focused questions when conducting research.
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