United Arab Emirates: Eco Heroes in the national curriculum

Domain: Energy (framework 'equips students with knowledge, skills, and values across four domains')

Domain 1, Energy, of the MoE cross-curriculum environmental sustainability framework (developed with IRENA).

Code: Domain: Energy

• SDG 7

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 7 · Ages 6–10 Sun power

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Name 3 sources of energy (Sun, wind, fuel such as coal or gas).
• SDG 7 · Ages 11–13 Energy hunters: renewable and non-renewable

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Classify energy sources as renewable or non-renewable and explain the difference.
• SDG 7 · Ages 14–16 Planning the switch: the clean energy transition

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Design a 3-step transition plan for a school or town and evaluate its trade-offs.

Domain: The Earth's Biosphere

Domain 2, The Earth's Biosphere.

Code: Domain: The Earth's Biosphere

• SDG 14
• SDG 15

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 14 · Ages 11–13 Plastic interceptors: a litter survey

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Carry out a safe litter survey and classify what is found.
• SDG 15 · Ages 6–10 Minibeast safari

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain why every living thing matters in a habitat.
• SDG 15 · Ages 14–16 Pull one thread: food webs and extinction

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Model a food web and predict the effects of removing one species.

Domain: Resource Consumption and Climate Action

Domain 3, Resource Consumption and Climate Action.

Code: Domain: Resource Consumption and Climate Action

• SDG 6
• SDG 12
• SDG 13

• Ages 11–13

• SDG 12 · Ages 11–13 Fix it, don’t bin it

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain why repairing and reusing products saves resources and money.
• SDG 6 · Ages 11–13 The water diary: how much do we really use?

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Choose one habit to change and calculate the water it could save.
• SDG 13 · Ages 11–13 The greenhouse effect and our carbon footprint

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Choose 3 changes, ranked by how much difference and how easy they are.

Domain: Innovation for Sustainability

Domain 4, Innovation for Sustainability.

Code: Domain: Innovation for Sustainability

• SDG 9
• SDG 11

• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 9 · Ages 11–13 Little inventors: designing a fix

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Follow a design process: identify a problem, generate ideas, sketch, label and improve.
• SDG 9 · Ages 14–16 Mind the gap: the digital divide

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Design and evaluate a local infrastructure solution, including cost and maintenance.
• SDG 11 · Ages 14–16 Who is the city for? Auditing how people move

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Propose 3 evidence-based improvements and identify who the current system serves worst.

include "the climate agenda in the UAE's educational system"

Greening Learning pillar: build climate change, environmental awareness and sustainable development into lessons, using open-source learning materials for educators.

Code: GEP pillar: Greening Learning

• SDG 13

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 13 · Ages 6–10 Weather and climate: Earth’s warm blanket

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between weather (today) and climate (the usual weather over many years).
• SDG 13 · Ages 11–13 The greenhouse effect and our carbon footprint

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the greenhouse effect and how burning fossil fuels strengthens it.
• SDG 13 · Ages 14–16 From evidence to action: making a climate campaign

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Interpret climate data (CO₂ concentration and temperature) and explain the link.

"the MoE will transform 50% of all the UAE's schools and campuses to be green accredited"

Greening Schools pillar: half of all schools and campuses to become green-accredited.

Code: GEP pillar: Greening Schools

• SDG 6
• SDG 7
• SDG 12

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13

• SDG 7 · Ages 11–13 Energy hunters: renewable and non-renewable

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Identify energy being wasted in a building and suggest fixes.
• SDG 12 · Ages 6–10 Bin detectives

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Sort clean classroom rubbish into reuse, recycle, compost and landfill.
• SDG 6 · Ages 11–13 The water diary: how much do we really use?

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Choose one habit to change and calculate the water it could save.

Children's Voice: training child climate champions to take part in environmental decisions

Greening Communities pillar, including the Children's Voice initiative training child climate champions.

Code: GEP pillar: Greening Communities

• SDG 13
• SDG 17

• Ages 14–16

• SDG 13 · Ages 14–16 From evidence to action: making a climate campaign

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Design a campaign with a clear message, audience and one specific ask.
• SDG 17 · Ages 14–16 How the world fixed the ozone layer

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Design a local partnership to solve a real problem, explaining what each partner gains.

معالجة موضوعات باتت تحتل الصدارة عالميا كالبيئة والمناخ وأهمية الحفاظ عليها؛ موضوع "البيئة المحلية"

The revised subject (Grades 1–9) addresses globally prominent topics 'such as the environment and climate and the importance of preserving them', including a topic on the local environment.

• SDG 11
• SDG 13
• SDG 15

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13

• SDG 13 · Ages 6–10 Weather and climate: Earth’s warm blanket

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between weather (today) and climate (the usual weather over many years).
• SDG 13 · Ages 11–13 The greenhouse effect and our carbon footprint

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the greenhouse effect and how burning fossil fuels strengthens it.
• SDG 11 · Ages 11–13 Green spots in grey places

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain how green spaces help cities (cooler air, cleaner air, wildlife, well-being).
• SDG 15 · Ages 6–10 Minibeast safari

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Find, observe and record at least 5 living things in the school grounds.

Four pillars: Character and Morality, the Individual and the Community, Civic Studies and Cultural Studies

Moral Education rests on four pillars: Character and Morality; the Individual and the Community; Civic Studies; Cultural Studies. KHDA states it is taught as part of the Moral, Social and Cultural (MSC) Studies subject.

• SDG 5
• SDG 10
• SDG 16

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13

• SDG 16 · Ages 6–10 Peacemakers

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Suggest a fair solution that works for both sides.
• SDG 16 · Ages 11–13 Fair rules for everyone

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain why communities need rules and what makes a rule fair.
• SDG 10 · Ages 11–13 Fairness detectives: accessibility audit

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between equality (same for all) and equity (what each person needs).
• SDG 5 · Ages 6–10 Any toy, any job

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Spot a stereotype in a picture or story and say why it is unfair.

2.3.2 Earth's Atmosphere (Weather and Climate): concepts relating to climate change and global warming, including processes, impacts and management strategies

Teachers of Grades 3–8 science must master climate change and global warming (processes, impacts, management), extreme weather and human impacts on the atmosphere.

Code: TLS Science 2.3.2

• SDG 13

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 13 · Ages 6–10 Weather and climate: Earth’s warm blanket

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between weather (today) and climate (the usual weather over many years).
• SDG 13 · Ages 11–13 The greenhouse effect and our carbon footprint

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain the greenhouse effect and how burning fossil fuels strengthens it.
• SDG 13 · Ages 14–16 From evidence to action: making a climate campaign

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Interpret climate data (CO₂ concentration and temperature) and explain the link.

2.3.3 Earth's Hydrosphere: the processes, interactions and importance of Earth's water cycle, including interactions with humans and human impacts

The water cycle and human impacts on it.

Code: TLS Science 2.3.3

• SDG 6

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 11–13

• SDG 6 · Ages 6–10 Every drop counts

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Show that only a tiny part of the Earth’s water is fresh water we can use.
• SDG 6 · Ages 11–13 The water diary: how much do we really use?

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Compare that use with the reality for people who must carry their water.

3.4 Ecological Systems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics — threats leading to extinction…; problems related to decreased biodiversity; solutions to environmental issues

Ecosystems, food webs and energy pyramids, extinction threats, loss of biodiversity and solutions to environmental issues.

Code: TLS Science 3.4.1

• SDG 14
• SDG 15

• Ages 6–10
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 15 · Ages 6–10 Minibeast safari

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain why every living thing matters in a habitat.
• SDG 15 · Ages 14–16 Pull one thread: food webs and extinction

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Model a food web and predict the effects of removing one species.
• SDG 14 · Ages 14–16 Fish for the future: overfishing and the commons

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain how overfishing can cause fish stocks to collapse, using a simulation.

4.3.2 renewable and non-renewable energy sources; power sources to generate electricity and potential impacts

Renewable and non-renewable energy sources and the impacts of electricity generation.

Code: TLS Science 4.3.2

• SDG 7

• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 7 · Ages 11–13 Energy hunters: renewable and non-renewable

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Classify energy sources as renewable or non-renewable and explain the difference.
• SDG 7 · Ages 14–16 Planning the switch: the clean energy transition

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain why the energy transition is a whole-system change, not a single switch.

3.3 Impact of humans on environment — Depleting resources; Pollution; Settlement patterns; Climate change: Explain how human activities affect the climate; Technology

Consequences of depleting finite resources, land, sea and air pollution, and how human activities affect the climate.

Code: TLS Social Studies 3.3

• SDG 12
• SDG 13
• SDG 14

• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 12 · Ages 14–16 Cradle to grave: the life cycle of a product

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Map the life cycle of a product from raw materials to disposal and identify its biggest impact point.
• SDG 14 · Ages 11–13 Plastic interceptors: a litter survey

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Carry out a safe litter survey and classify what is found.
• SDG 13 · Ages 14–16 From evidence to action: making a climate campaign

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Interpret climate data (CO₂ concentration and temperature) and explain the link.

Responsibilities of being a global citizen: Explain how being an irresponsible global citizen in the global community can disadvantage others (pollution, trade balance, international relations, poverty…)

Rights and responsibilities of global citizens, including pollution and poverty.

Code: TLS Social Studies, Civics 2.2

• SDG 1
• SDG 10
• SDG 17

• Ages 11–13
• Ages 14–16

• SDG 1 · Ages 11–13 Poverty is more than money

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain why poverty is ‘multidimensional’, using at least 3 dimensions (income, health, education, living conditions).
• SDG 10 · Ages 14–16 Different starts: understanding inequality

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Use data to describe one inequality in at least 3 places.
• SDG 17 · Ages 11–13 The goals hold hands

  Pupils will be able to:

  • Explain at least 3 links between different SDGs.