As part of the COEMCO winning teacher innovation project “Sustainable School in Action: Eco-Fairs and Global Awareness through English,” students from 4th Senior Year A participated in an interdisciplinary learning experience developed in their Biology class, led by Ms. Iowanna Maltés Castillo. The activity focused on the research, analysis and dissemination of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Sustainable Development Goals, also known as SDGs, are a set of 17 global goals created to help build a fairer, healthier and more sustainable world. They address current global challenges such as poverty, hunger, health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water, climate action, the protection of ecosystems and the development of sustainable communities.
During their Biology classes, students worked in groups to research different SDGs. As part of this process, they gathered information, selected key ideas, summarised relevant content, analysed the importance of each goal and presented their research orally to their classmates. This stage allowed students to strengthen research skills, critical thinking, oral communication, collaboration and reflection on global issues connected to sustainability.
These classroom learning experiences were later shared with the school community during the first Sustainability Fair organised within the framework of the “Sustainable School in Action” project. In this instance, students Catalina Tacussis Estévez, Antonia González Pavez and Catalina Molina Contreras were in charge of an informative stand focused on SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
For this presentation, the students used the information they had previously researched and created an informative triptych in English, which was shared and explained in English during the fair. The material helped visitors understand what the Sustainable Development Goals are, identify the 17 goals, learn about the 5Ps of sustainable development, People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership, and explore SDG 2: Zero Hunger, highlighting the importance of healthy food, reducing food waste, sustainable agriculture and stronger communities.
The stand also invited the school community to reflect on simple actions that can contribute to the SDGs, such as choosing reusable materials, avoiding food waste, taking care of water and energy, supporting local and sustainable initiatives, respecting people and nature, and sharing what we learn with others.
This activity is especially meaningful because the winning project is led by teachers Marcos Riveros Illanes, from the English Immersion Program, and Iowanna Maltés Castillo, Biology teacher and member of the Sustainability Committee at Colegio Concepción. In this way, the experience provides clear evidence of the connection between English language learning, scientific education, sustainability and student participation.
The informative stand on Zero Hunger represents one of the first concrete actions of this teacher innovation project, integrating school research, the use of English in real communicative contexts, education for sustainability and community engagement. It also reinforces Colegio Concepción’s commitment to providing an integral education connected to today’s global challenges and aimed at developing critical, aware and responsible students committed to sustainable development.
