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    Global Challenges and Societal Needs

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    At a Glance:

    Grades:10, 11, 12, 9
    Subject:STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
    Topic:Environment, Pollution, Society, Energy, Food Supply
    Lesson Length:45 mins - 1 hour

    Standards / Framework:

    What will students learn in this activity?

    Students will create a comic in which they address a global challenge and illustrate a solution for societal needs.

    What should students know before this activity?

    Students should have a basic understanding of the challenges facing global society, including energy, food, and pollution.

    How can teachers introduce this lesson?

    • Ask students:
      • “What are some of the challenges facing global society?”
      • “Why is it important to discuss issues like the environment, energy, and food supply?”
      • “How can we explore solutions to global challenges?”

    What will students do?

    • Have students discuss major global challenges such as responsible energy production, reliable food supply, pollution, etc. and discuss current solutions to some problems currently facing global society.
    • Students may also discuss the pros and cons of technology in addressing global challenges.
    • Have students create a comic which illustrates a global challenge and some potential solutions.

    How can teachers wrap up the lesson?

    • Have students share their comics with the class or in small groups.
    • Have students explain why they chose the challenge represented in their comic.
    • Have students discuss why it’s important to explore a variety of solutions to challenges facing society.
    • Remind students that some current solutions to global challenges came from unlikely sources such as students, interns, or serendipitous discoveries while conducting other research.
    • Emphasize that creative problem-solving is an important skill for everything from everyday decisions to major global challenges.

    How can teachers differentiate this activity?

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
    • Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
    • Provide students a list of global challenges from which to choose.

    Related Resources:

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