Lesson Plan: Tuvalu – The First Digital Nation
Learning objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Understand the challenges faced by Tuvalu due to climate change.
- Analyze the implications of losing a physical territory.
- Evaluate the concept of a Digital Nation and its impact on sovereignty and cultural identity.
- Collaborate to propose solutions and raise awareness.
Lesson Structure (40 minutes)
1. Warm-up (5 minutes) – Individual work
- Question on board: “What happens if a country disappears due to climate change?”
- Students take 2 minutes to write individual reflections.
- Quick pair-share: in pairs, they discuss their ideas for 2 minutes.
- Teacher elicits key ideas and connects them to Tuvalu’s case.
2. Research phase (10 minutes) – Individual work
- Students explore the website Tuvalu Digital Nation to find answers to these guiding questions:
- What are the main threats Tuvalu is facing?
- How is Tuvalu planning to survive as a nation?
- What are the advantages and risks of becoming a Digital Nation?
- They take notes in their notebooks or digital devices.
3. Group discussion (10 minutes) – Cooperative work
- Formation of groups (3-4 students per group).
- Each group shares findings and discusses:
- Is a Digital Nation a real solution or just symbolic?
- How does this relate to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) 13 & 14?
- Could other countries adopt similar strategies?
4. Final restitution (10 minutes) – Class sharing & product creation
- Each group presents their key takeaways in 1 minute.
- Class discussion: Teacher moderates a short debate on the feasibility of a Digital Nation as a global solution.
- Final product: Students co-create a short social media post (Twitter/X, Instagram) to raise awareness about Tuvalu’s situation.
- Format: 100-150 words, concise and engaging.
- Best posts are shared on a class padlet or school social media.
5. Wrap-up (5 minutes) – Reflection
- Exit ticket question:
- If you were a Tuvalu citizen, would you support the Digital Nation initiative? Why or why not?
- Students write a short answer (3-5 sentences) before leaving.
Materials Needed
- Internet-connected devices (for website exploration).
- Whiteboard/slides with key questions.
- Paper/notebooks/digital tools for notes.
Assessment & Evaluation
- Participation in discussion (engagement and contributions).
- Quality of insights from research and reflections.
- Creativity & clarity in the social media post.
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