Lower School and Upper School Students Bridge Global Goals in Hands-On Sustainability Learning

In a powerful display of cross-divisional collaboration and real-world learning, Upper School students in AP Environmental Science presented interactive lessons to Lower School students this week, uniting education with the Global Goals that guide Lower School learning and service. 

The Global Goals seek to engage students in solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges ranging from climate action to responsible consumption. St. Margaret’s has embraced this call to action by integrating Global Goals-focused themes across its Lower School curriculum. 

Each Lower School grade explores one core goal throughout the academic year. These themes become the foundation for the AP Environmental Science students' final project, in which they design and teach engaging, age-appropriate lessons to Lower School students in grades 1-3.

Leading up to this week’s presentations, APES students worked in teams to research their assigned Global Goal, identify connections to their curriculum, and develop a dynamic, student-centered lesson tailored to their partner class. The process included observing Lower School classrooms, interviewing students and planning alongside Lower School teachers to ensure developmental appropriateness.

The resulting projects were as creative as they were educational. Examples included: a hands-on science investigation examining how sea level rise is affected by the location of melting ice on land versus in the ocean, in addition to an energetic recycling relay race to reinforce concepts of waste management and sustainability, followed by an interactive simulations of managing a sustainable farm, and constructing sustainable cities using LEGO blocks to explore urban planning and environmental impact.