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    “Environmental sustainability” has become a common issue that humanity must face in the 21st century. In order to achieve a sustainable lifestyle, many countries have promoted the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Businesses of all sizes are publishing sustainable business strategies centered on the circular economy, and individuals and households are beginning to adopt low-carbon and zero-waste lifestyles. These are all manifestations of the awakening and practice of being environmentally friendly.     Please have your team brainstorm around local surrounding issues and use the design thinking process to create a green action plan. This plan should demonstrate that it can create a more sustainable environment and lifestyle for your hometown, allowing us to make a lasting promise of love and care to Mother Earth, who nurtures all living things.

Since our school has been part of the Digital Deepening International Program for the past eight years, our curriculum needs to take into account the differences between schools and regions both in Taiwan and abroad, and be flexible enough to adapt. For this reason, we chose “climate change” as the main topic for our international exchanges and discussions. This topic matches the idea behind Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, which is about taking action on climate change: promoting low-carbon, green, and sustainable development, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting the global environment.

To address the climate issues in different regions, each school will focus on different problems and solutions. Therefore, we use Design Thinking as the framework for our curriculum modules. The framework follows the five steps: Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test & Publish, which guide the design of five main course modules. These modules are connected and cover knowledge exploration, reflecting on attitudes and actions, as well as applying technology and skills from different fields to build problem-solving models. Through international exchanges (including in-person visits and video calls), students collaborate with schools from both Taiwan and abroad to share and learn about each other’s courses and cultures.

   Simen Elementary School is located in the coastal area of Anping, which makes the issue of sea level rise caused by global warming particularly impactful. Facing the global call and trend for sustainable development, beyond responding to climate change, we aim to lead students to think more deeply about the definition and actions of green initiatives. Continuing our school’s curriculum themes of “Sailing Kun Sea” and “Smart Floating Island,” this year’s in-depth course focuses on the framework of maritime transportation between floating islands, guiding students to think about how to build zero (low) carbon emission and pollution-free green transportation to travel between the islands. In line with SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 14: Life Below Water, we use a design thinking approach to guide students in creating a green action that protects the ocean and supports their hometown.