Our Great Challenges Today: Class 6
Provided by: Ages of Globalization|Published on: September 18, 2025
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Biology, Civics, History
Authors: Ages of Globalization, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- The first six classes in the Ages of Globalization program provide a foundation for understanding human history, the drivers of global change, the effects of globalization on the planet, and the goals of sustainability, peace, and empathy.
- In this sixth class, students will understand the extent of inequalities in our modern societies, how these inequalities have been shaped throughout history, and how climate change exacerbates these inequalities.
- Students will connect inequalities, planetary bounds, and the responsibility to solve the world's problems with their own local geographical and cultural identities.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- In the opening video, Dr. Sachs reiterates the purpose of this study: to make life on this planet better. This is a beautiful reminder of what we are working towards.
- Many of the activities are open-ended and allow students to choose the direction of their learning, which empowers students to engage with the lesson's content.
Prerequisites
- The free version of the Ages of Globalization book linked in this lesson only includes up to Chapter 6. Students will not be able to read Chapters 8 and 9, which are reference chapters for this lesson.
- The link for the reference map is broken; however, this does not appear to be an integral part of the lesson's activities.
- The data help desk link for the “What’s it like in my locale/home?” activity and the link to On War in the readings section are broken.
- The Capstone Project activity references a list of SDGs students came up with in the introductory lesson.
- To learn more about the entire course, visit the course website.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Dr. Sachs references the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially highlighting Goal 1, No Poverty, Goal 10, Reduced Inequalities, Goal 16, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals. If students are unfamiliar with the SDGs, teachers can use this guide to find resources that fit their students' needs.
- While watching the first video, teachers can highlight the mention of overshooting and the idea that humans are using more and more of the planet's resources. Teachers can introduce students to this resource, which describes the history of Earth Overshoot Day.
- Teachers can expand on the point of planetary bounds in the Chapter 4 video with this interactive resource.
This resource uses history to inform how to achieve sustainable development in the face of today’s challenges. With a focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), social justice and climate change are discussed at length, among other topics. This resource is exceptionally well-sourced, and all key vocabulary is clearly defined. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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