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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) play a key role in education for several important reasons. They provide a comprehensive framework that fosters a global awareness among students of the challenges and issues affecting the world. When teaching the SDGs in a multi-disciplinary approach, students develop a sense of responsibility towards global issues such as poverty, inequality and climate change, and they understand the connections between education and real-world issues.

Through November and December, students of the 7^th grade, together with their geography teacher Renata Cvetkoski and mathematics teacher Anita Šimac, set out on a journey through all seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. The pupils attended a lecture introducing them to the importance of all these goals. They discussed the importance of each one and their impact on the global community. Equipped with this basic knowledge, they were divided into teams and given a specific goal to research.

Researching online resources is a perfect opportunity for them to develop critical thinking skills because it is extremely difficult for children to navigate the vast amount of information available on the internet and to evaluate sources effectively. This enabled me to teach them the methodology of responsible research while at the same time developing a critical mindset.

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These are the guidelines I use:

• Source evaluation is key. Be careful to critically evaluate the credibility of sources. Check the author’s qualifications, the publication date, the publisher and whether the information is supported by evidence.
• Cross-check information across multiple sources. This helps verify the accuracy and reliability of the information they find. If multiple reputable sources provide the same information, it’s likely more reliable.
• Assess the authority of a website by paying attention to the domain (.gov, .edu, .org), the purpose of the site and whether it is affiliated with reputable institutions or organisations.
• Try to distinguish between factual information and opinions. Critical thinking involves being able to separate objective facts from subjective interpretations, which is essential for forming well-informed opinions.
• Use effective keyword searching techniques by refining queries.
• Ask for help when analysing the reliability of images, videos and other media. There is a possibility of manipulation when images are concerned.
• Synthesizing the information they gather is a skill that takes time to develop. Critical thinking involves not only understanding individual pieces of information but also connecting them, identifying patterns and drawing conclusions.

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After gathering all the relevant information and key statistical data, the pupils proceeded to create educational posters for each goal. These posters were visually engaging with graphics, charts and the statistical insights that intrigued them the most. Utilising this wealth of information, they formulated questions designed to assess their peers’ understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

All the posters were transferred to a Wakelet collection and an eighth-grade student designed a playing board.

They collaboratively decided the game rules and instructions and then presented the game with great success to the local community during the ‘Golden Evening of Mathematics’ in the town library.

This cross-curricular project enabled students to develop collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking and problem solving while fostering a deeper understanding of environmental awareness and a long-term interest in global issues of sustainable development.

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By introducing sustainability concepts at a young age, students develop a strong awareness of environmental issues and are instilled with a sense of responsibility for the planet. This early exposure can lead to environmentally conscious behaviour in adulthood.

Lower secondary school is a crucial time for building foundational knowledge and skills. Integrating sustainability into the curriculum provides students with a framework for understanding complex global challenges and encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills. I truly believe that sustainability education contributes to the development of responsible and informed citizen by building a mindset that involves considering the social, economic, and environmental implications of decisions, promoting a holistic approach to problem-solving and decision-making.

When it comes to connecting knowledge and improving the skills of the 21^st century, no matter what subject you teach, I encourage you to take an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving in project teaching. By researching the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals pupils are given the opportunity to build their knowledge on a variety of fields from economics, sociology, ecology, geography, technology and mathematics. In this way students develop the ability to connect knowledge from different subjects to understand the complexity of global challenges that face each and every one of us.

About the authors

Anita Šimac is a mathematics teacher and Renata Cvetkoski is a geography teacher.

Tags: civic responsability, creative thinking, critical thinking, environmental awareness, global citizenship, problem-solving, research in classroom, sustainable development goals