Each month I have been introducing you to each of the Sustainable Development Goals, and this final article demonstrates the interconnectedness of all 17 of them and how you can use them to support your sustainable pedagogy. My provocation for this article is the war in Ukraine.
Young children are surrounded by societal problems in their world, through many visual images on social media and conversations on television, radio and by adults in their environment. The dreadful story of the Ukraine is around, and children are part of many community projects to raise money or donations. Rather than ignoring these sensitive and, at times hard discussions, we must ensure we equip children to cope, and we do this by using appropriate language, in a safe space with people they feel attached to and know them. It must be prompted by their questions and as educators, we must listen to their thinking, their worries and handle these conversations sensitively and professionally.
It is our responsibility to support children to understand and be empathetic of others, regardless of gender, culture and nationality (SDGs 5 and 10).
This also demonstrates the interconnectedness of three pillars:
- Socio-cultural – as this is about inclusion, diversity, rights and equity.
- Economic – as it supports children’s understanding of how an economy works and they see real money.
- Environmental/climate crisis – as it shows the human destruction of both the human and non-human world.
YOU CAN
- Introduce children to key terminology, such as ‘war’, ‘refugee’, ‘conflict’, ‘humanitarian aid’ and ‘peace’.
- Do children understand the word ‘war’? Share this simple, short film from War Child to start a discussion: https://binged.it/3vtZsbT.
- Discuss the displacement of families by war and read together or listen to My name is not Refugeeby Kate Milner. Pause with the children and ask them what would they take? How would they feel? (SDG 3). You could bring in a small suitcase with items you would take and encourage the children to consider which are essential.
- Encourage children to draw or bring in a photograph of their family and share on the community board. Reflect upon physical items they love/care for, and then what is invisible? What is a hug? A kiss? (SDG 3).
- Use a map or globe to show the children where Ukraine is.
- Map with the children the journey refugees are making to escape the war. What transport options would they have? Discuss what has happened in Ukraine, and show them before and after pictures to demonstrate the destruction of infrastructure as a result of the fighting (SDGs 7, 8, 9 and 11). Reflect on the ‘before’ images and consider the non-human life that would now be destroyed as a result of the devastation – on land and within waterways (SDGs 14 and 15). Consider the impact the war is having on the planet(SDG 13). Reflect upon life without heating – revisiting alternative energy.
Learning links
Birth To 5 Matters (2021), which highlights children’s rights (UNCRC, 1989).
Development Matters (2021). Look at aerial views of the school setting, encouraging children to comment on what they notice, recognising buildings, open space, roads and other simple features.
Extension activities
- Reflect with the children why they think people are escaping. Reflect on images of rubbled cities with no food or water available (SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 6).
- Share The Journey by Francesca Sanna and discuss the story.
Learning links
Development Matters (2021). Use dialogic story time (talking about the ideas arising from the story while reading aloud) to discuss books that deal with challenges, explaining how the different characters feel about these.
- Extension activities
- Revisit with the children the ideas of food banks.
- Design posters for the community asking for donations.
- Make blue and yellow pom-poms to show support and solidarity.
Learning links
Development Matters (2021). Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos.
Diane Boyd is a senior lecturer, early years, at Liverpool John Moores University, d.j.boyd@ljmu.ac.uk
