Through this lesson, students are meant to gain a comprehensive understanding of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, including its key goals and its local and global importance. Students will learn about the challenges cities are facing to combat prevalent issues in cities today, such as climate change and slums, as well as what urban planning is and how it is connected to several other areas. Students will explore real-life issues such as pollution, the climate crisis, slums, poor living conditions, and social issues in city planning, such as gentrification. Students will engage in many different activities during this lesson to encourage different methods of learning, including group and independent work, projects, videos, reading, and hands-on simulations. To begin, students will be introduced to the concept of urbanization. From there, students will begin by understanding one of the most prominent issues the UN has identified: slums. Students will learn about the conditions that lead to the formation of a slum and how to begin to address this challenge. Then they will expand to understanding SDG 11, learning why the UN has identified this as an important issue and how it is being advised to address. Students will have the chance to explore one of the UN’s ‘future proofing’ goals by doing a mini research project to divide and conquer the class’s understanding of the goals as well as expand on their research and presentation skills. Next, students will shift to exploring how to address these issues through urban planning. Students will learn about the history and current environment of the field and the various perspectives and challenges involved in creating a city. Finally, using the knowledge they have gained and their own ideas, students will demonstrate their understanding of sustainable cities to build or revise their own city to create a clean, safe, and equitable space for all.

Attribution and License

Attribution

This Open Educational Resource, Cultivating Global Competence through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, was developed by Ryan Hauck, Julianna Patterson, Nadia Schwedrsky, and Global Classroom, World Affairs Council – Seattle. 

Graphics:

• Cover image by Julianna Patterson from Canva.
• Sustainable Development Goals images copyright United Nations. All rights reserved. Used pursuant to fair use.

License

Except where otherwise noted, Cultivating Global Competence through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, by World Affairs Council of Seattle, is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License. All logos and trademarks are property of their respective owners. Sections used under fair use doctrine (17 U.S.C. § 107) are marked.

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