Using powerful spoken word and tableaux, learners educate others and put out a call to action in support of the 17 sustainable development goals.
Grades 7 and 8 learners were invited to take part in an inquiry focused on the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). They first had to understand what SDGs were as a whole and what their purpose is. The SDGs are the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. These goals address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. The 17 goals were adopted by all UN member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which set out a 15-year plan to achieve the goals.
Learners were encouraged to be curious and to do further research on the goals that they were most interested in. After choosing their goals, they gathered information, data, stories, or first-hand accounts related to their specific goals. This helped them understand and reflect on their own developing perspectives in these areas. It was important to remember that the goals have been ongoing for a few years now, so they had the ability to look back to where things were and how they have progressed. They discovered many connections and examples of discrimination, inequities, and human rights issues linked to the SDGs that have an impact on our world.
Once learners completed their research and reflection on their SDG, it was time to move into the second phase. They were tasked with creating a solo three-piece movement and tableau presentation that focused on one of the specific SDGs that they had researched. Each learner was to narrate three original stanzas that explored their feelings on the chosen goal. The only movement the learners were allowed had to come from their hands. They had the choice to present their piece either live or through pre-recorded video. This allowed those who may have extreme stage fright or anxiety about presenting live to share their learning in a different way.
As learners began writing their lines, they organized their thoughts into different categories based on subtopics of the goal. They were also encouraged to write about their feelings and personal interpretations, and to add a call to action regarding the goal. This call-to-action aspect had the learners working to find equitable solutions to support the issues surrounding their chosen goal.
Once the learners had drafted the information and feelings regarding their goal, it was time to add a bit of artistic flair. The learners then became storytellers, with the teacher inviting them to incorporate a variety of ways to pass along their thoughts and ideas to their audience in a creative manner. They were asked to use metaphor and simile in their presentations, which in turn elevated their writing. They were also reminded that the focus was on their hands, so they needed to avoid using pronouns like I, me, mine, and so on. Instead, they were to use my hands and they. These criteria helped guide their next steps. For many of the learners, this was the first time they had been asked to create, memorize, and present an original work. Learners had to take risks, think outside the box, and persevere through the potential challenges of planning for live performances.
Once their lines were written, learners received feedback from peers and revised their work. They then worked on memorization and on figuring out how to move their hands to represent the words they were speaking. Their hands demonstrated a wide variety of movements and actions that highlighted and enhanced their words. They were provided with a mentor text or example that the teacher had created that served as an opportunity to model different elements and then practise together.
My hands are hopeful. Lightning has struck their mind, and they awaken from a long slumber. The pandemic showed they are not alone. They are like atoms: individual, yes, but interconnected and working together to a shared goal. We are heading out of a tunnel. The journey has been long and dark as the midnight sky, but the sun is rising to greet the dawn. Brilliant and bright.
As the teacher made sure to use visual imagery, metaphor, and simile, the learners incorporated many actions with their hands to help tell the story. They noticed that some portions of the example were bolded, as those were the parts where the teacher used her hands to create a visual. They were encouraged to hold their final tableaux for five seconds and include non-lyrical music that created an emotional appeal in the audience. As they worked toward finalizing their final performance, they looked to their peers and teacher for feedback once again and made adjustments to their performance as needed.
Before the presentations, there was a discussion on performance etiquette and the need to treat their fellow performers with respect as they presented their My Hands performances. This was an opportunity to connect with their peers in a responsible, respectful, and inclusive manner.
Samples of Learner Work
My hands find themselves trailing behind, like a runner in a race, but we can’t lose hope. The world has given us challenges like towering mountains, but we have overcome them using education. If we have no one to teach, the flame of knowledge will flicker out. In 2013, 59 million kids of primary school age were out of school like lost stars in the night sky. Sadly, in recent years, one in every five children dropped out like petals falling off a flower. Two in five children will never experience the joy of setting foot in a classroom, like birds that will never soar in the sky. Fifteen countries show that fewer than 50% of third graders are at grade level, like a flock of birds lost in the night sky.
My hands are like a ship lost at sea. Even before the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our journey towards achieving education targets had veered off course. If we don’t chart a new path, by 2030, only one in six countries will have unlocked the treasure of universal access to quality education. An estimated 84 million children will be out of school, while 300 million will not have access to quality education. A quarter of schools will find themselves stranded in a desert without clean water, electricity, or sanitation.
My hands dance to the rhythm of the UN’s goals like a symphony conductor. By 2030, let’s make a world where children feel comfortable going to school. Imagine a symphony of learning, where the melody of education resonates in every corner. By 2030, let’s ensure that the doors of wisdom swing wide open for all children, like a magical portal to a realm of endless possibilities. Let’s gather educated teachers, like shining stars guiding the way, illuminating young minds with their wisdom and passion. It’s unreasonable to think these goals will be met by 2030. We have made no progress, and we are nowhere near where we should be. But we might be able to turn this around if we work together. So, let’s do that.
United Nations (UN). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The SDGs in Action. UN, 2023.
