Lesson structure

                                           

Suggested time

45 minutes

Focus

Right to a healthy life – C, c

Principle 21 (Rio Declaration)The creativity, ideals and courage of the youth of the world should be
mobilized to forge a global partnership
in order to achieve sustainabledevelopment and ensure a better future for all.

Purpose
  • To understand the concept of sustainable development
  • To identify environmental solutions that would enable the present
  • generation to preserve nature
  • as a common inheritance for future generations.

Preparation
  • Homework (given at the end of the prior lesson)
  • Set up flip charts and markers
  • Photocopy the material for all students.

Procedure – sequence of activities and pedagogical approaches

Activity 1 – 10 min.

Students are asked to brainstorm on the word SUSTAINABLE.

Activity 2 - ? min.

 On the basis of the students’ ideas and photocopied definitions, which will be distributed to the

students, the concept of sustainable development will be clarified.

Activity 3 - ? min.

Students are given the cards containing the possible attitudes towards the environment and they are

asked to fill in the rubrics.

Activity 4 - ? min.

Students are divided into four groups and asked to find common attitudes towards the environment,

with which they all agree.

-         Find out any other possible solutions that can help preserve a healthy environment for the

future generations.

-         In case there are attitudes that they respect only ‘sometimes’ or even ‘never’, they propose

solutions to improve this.

 

 “The Future of Our Planet Lies in Our Hands”

 

                                                                                                                    “The greatest challenge in this century is taking an idea that seems abstract –sustainable development- and turning it into a reality of the humankind.” (Kofi Annan, ex General Secretary of ONU, March 2001)

 

 

Write down the word SUSTAINABLE on the flip chart.

a) Work out any possible associations with the word SUSTAINABLE.

b) Read the photocopied material and try to explain the concept of sustainable development.

c) Is it enough to learn about sustainable development? Why (not)?

 

   What is sustainable development?

There are over 300 definitions of the concept but the one most frequently quoted is the one belonging to Gro Harlem Bruntland, ex prime-minister of Norway, at present General Director of World Health Organization: ”the development which responds to present requirements, without compromising the requirements of the future generations’ development.”

The Summit at Rio in 1992 admitted that the environment’s protection and human development are strongly connected and, as a consequence, ”the sustainable development” involves more than the care for the environment, this resulting from the correlation between the following three factors: education, scientific research, political involvement.          

 

Read attentively different responsible behaviors towards the environment and fill in the corresponding rubrics.

 

 

 

Never

Sometimes

Often

1. I place the garbage in specially designated areas. In this way, I show respect to those around me and to the living environment.

 

 

 

2. I help arrange green spaces in the school yard. More plants mean more oxygen.

 

 

 

3. I usually go to school on foot or I take the bus.

 

 

 

4. I make a selection of the garbage before throwing it away. I explain to the others the importance of doing this thing.

 

 

 

5. I use both sides of a piece of paper.

 

 

 

6. I take showers, otherwise I risk squandering the water. There are people on the planet that suffer from thirst.

 

 

 

7. When I go shopping, I don’t use plastic bags. These can damage the environment because they aren’t biodegradable.

 

 

 

8. I take part in ecological activities organized by my school.

 

 

 

9. I turn off the light when I leave the room. I don’t leave electronics turned on when I do not use them.

 

 

 

10. I make donations to the school’s library, classes or schoolmates, consisting of all the books and magazines I don’t read anymore and are in a good condition. Others need them.

 

 

 

 

Form groups of four, analyze the cards and identify the common behaviours you often respect.

a) Find out any other possible solutions that can help you be more responsible regarding the preservation of a cleaner environment for the future generations.

1. ………………………………………………….

2……………………………………………………

3. …………………………………………………..

4. …………………………………………………….

b) In case there are attitudes that you respect only ‘sometimes’ or even ‘never’, propose solutions to improve this.

1. …………………………………………………

2. ………………………………………………….

3. …………………………………………………..

4. …………………………………………………….