SDGs & BC Curriculum

The easiest and most direct relation between the SDGs and the BC curriculum is with Grade 6 Social Studies. The theme is Global Issues and Governance so, since the Sustainable Development Goals are all based on global issues, the entirety of the SDGs are directly related. Even more directly, the Content includes:

• global poverty and inequality issues, including class structure and gender
• roles of individuals, governmental organizations, and NGOs, including groups representing indigenous peoples economic policies and resource management, including effects on indigenous peoples
• globalization and economic interdependence
• international cooperation and responses to global issues
• regional and international conflict

Furthermore, the Curricular Competencies include “Develop a plan of action to address a selected problem or issue,” which fits perfectly into the mission of the SDGs.

Career Education 7 contains more direct associations with the SDGs, many over which continue over multiple grades. The Career Education Content has a “Connections to Community” section for each grade and all can be related to the SDGs in one way or another. For grade 6 & 7, this section contains the following content:

• local and global needs and opportunities
• cultural and social awareness
• global citizenship
• volunteer opportunities

Additionally, one of the Big Ideas is “Practising respectful, ethical, inclusive behaviour prepares us for the expectations of the workplace,” which relates to SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities. One of the Curricular Competencies is also highly relatable: Examine the importance of service learning and the responsibility of individuals to contribute to the community and the world.

Science 7 includes climate change so teaching can include SDGs 13 Climate Action, 14 Life Below Water, and 15 Life on Land as main topics. Other SDGs that indirectly relate to climate change are SDGs 6 Clean Water and Sanitation, 7 Affordable and Clean Energy, 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and 12 Responsible Consumption and Production. The curriculum content that relates includes:

• the fossil record provides evidence for changes in biodiversity over geological time
• First Peoples knowledge of changes in biodiversity over time
• evidence of climate change over geological time and the recent impacts of humans:
• physical records
• local First Peoples knowledge of climate change
• electricity
  • generated in different ways with different environmental impacts

The related Big Idea is “Earth and its climate have changed over geological time.”

Since SDG 3 is Good Health and Well-Being, this goal can be tied to the Physical and Health Education curriculum. For grade 7, the connections can be made to the Curricular Competency categories of “Healthy and Active Living” and “Social and Community Health.” These include:

• Identify factors that influence healthy choices and explain their potential health effects
• Assess and communicate health information for various health issues
• Identify and apply strategies to pursue personal healthy-living goals (Grades 7-10)
• Explore strategies for promoting the health and well-being of the school and community (Grades 6-7)

These curricular competencies connect to Goal 16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions:

• Identify and describe strategies for avoiding and/or responding to potentially unsafe, abusive, or exploitive situations (Grades 5-7)
• Describe and assess strategies for responding to discrimination, stereotyping, and bullying (Grades 4-7)