Developing Sustainability Mindsets for Youth through Smithsonian Science for Global Goals

The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), attempting to empower the next generation of decision makers capable of taking informed action about the complex socio-scientific issues facing human society, blends together previous practices in Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE), Social Studies Education (SSE), and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). In collaboration with the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the private sector, the SSEC has made a collaborative commitment to developing a set of free Community Research Guides for students’ ages 8-17 called “Smithsonian Science for Global Goals.” Following the goal to teach students the science behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project wants to drive students to take action to use this science to do social good in their communities. This interactive hands-on session will take participants through the project and discuss it's theory of action and global impact.