Active Citizenship and Democratic Action · 3rd Year

Active learning ideas

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Active learning immerses students in the real-world connections of the SDGs, moving beyond abstract goals to tangible global challenges. By engaging directly with local and international examples, students see how these goals shape policies and daily actions alike.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Global Citizenship
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Community and Society

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: SDG Links

Assign small groups two SDGs and related Irish examples; they create posters showing interconnections. Groups rotate through the gallery, adding sticky-note comments with local actions. Conclude with whole-class sharing of strongest links.

Explain the purpose and interconnectedness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, assign each pair a different color marker to trace connections between two SDGs on the poster boards, making patterns visible for the whole class.

What to look for

Present students with a scenario, for example, a new community garden project. Ask them to identify which SDGs this project could support and write one sentence explaining the connection for each SDG identified.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

School SDG Audit

Teams select three SDGs and survey the school site for evidence, like energy use for Goal 7 or waste for Goal 12. They compile data photos and propose one improvement. Present audits to staff for feedback.

Analyze how local actions can contribute to achieving global SDGs.

Facilitation Tip

For the School SDG Audit, provide a checklist with clear examples of what evidence to look for, such as water-saving taps or recycling bins, to keep groups focused on concrete data.

What to look for

Facilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'Imagine you are a local politician. Which SDG would you prioritize for your constituency and why? What are two concrete actions you could take to address it?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Jigsaw
• 40 min · Pairs

SDG Stakeholder Role-Play

In pairs, students role-play stakeholders (farmer, policymaker, youth activist) debating progress on one SDG, using UN data. Switch roles midway, then vote on best local action. Debrief interconnections.

Evaluate the progress and challenges in meeting the SDGs worldwide.

Facilitation Tip

In the SDG Stakeholder Role-Play, assign roles with conflicting interests to force students to justify their positions using SDG language and evidence from the goals.

What to look for

On an exit ticket, ask students to list one SDG that they believe is most challenging to achieve globally and one reason why. Then, ask them to identify one small action they or their family could take to contribute to any SDG.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Jigsaw
• 35 min · Individual

Personal SDG Pledge Board

Individuals research one SDG, note a personal or community action, and post on a class pledge board with icons. Groups cluster similar pledges and plan a collective school event.

Explain the purpose and interconnectedness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Facilitation Tip

When creating the Personal SDG Pledge Board, require students to include one local and one global action, ensuring their pledges are grounded in the interconnected nature of the goals.

What to look for

Present students with a scenario, for example, a new community garden project. Ask them to identify which SDGs this project could support and write one sentence explaining the connection for each SDG identified.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should frame the SDGs as a living framework rather than a static list, using real-time data and local examples to illustrate progress and setbacks. Avoid overwhelming students with all 17 goals at once; instead, focus on clusters where connections are most evident. Research suggests that role-playing and audit activities build empathy and systems thinking, key skills for understanding global challenges.

Successful learning shows when students can articulate the links between SDGs, identify local relevance, and propose concrete actions tied to specific goals. They should confidently discuss how small steps contribute to larger targets.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk: SDG Links, some students may assume the goals apply only to low-income countries.

  During Gallery Walk: SDG Links, circulate with a map of Ireland and ask groups to identify which SDGs relate to local issues, such as clean water (Goal 6) or affordable housing (Goal 11), using Ireland’s SDG dashboard as evidence.

• During Gallery Walk: SDG Links, students might treat goals as separate silos.

  During Gallery Walk: SDG Links, provide colored strings for groups to physically connect two or more SDGs on their posters, then ask them to explain the chain of impact to the class.

• During School SDG Audit, students may believe the goals are already fully achieved.

  During School SDG Audit, share a simplified version of the UN’s 2023 progress report and ask groups to compare school data against national targets, highlighting gaps or achievements.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Jigsaw