Adaptable Lesson Plans for K-12 Educators

Developed by the World Affairs Council of Seattle’s Global Classroom, these teaching and learning modules offer a comprehensive series of lessons designed to engage students in exploring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With 17 goals aimed at addressing global challenges such as quality education and climate change, this initiative, launched in 2015, encourages nations worldwide to collaborate for a sustainable future. The SDGs, also known as “Global Goals,” foster interdisciplinary learning and prompt actionable progress through local and global cooperation. These lessons enable students to connect local issues with global contexts, empowering them to contemplate meaningful actions for sustainability.

Emphasizing 17 specific goals, the curriculum integrates environmental studies and culturally responsive teaching into its activities, suitable for individual use or as part of a comprehensive series on the SDGs. Aligned with the Global Competence Certificate Portfolio Project, the first six lessons support heritage language learners in Spanish, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Russian, with plans to expand translations to additional languages. Flexibly designed for both in-person and virtual learning environments across Washington State and beyond, the lessons include student-specific instructions translated to assist teachers and heritage language students alike. Overall, these modules equip students with essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions crucial for their academic, professional, and civic futures. The final five lesson plans are in progress and will be available in June 2025.