Great stories sustain us, they strengthen and support us mentally and remind us what is important in life. The classics of literature teach us the lessons learnt in the past: lessons of peace, kindness, equality, looking after each other and caring for the planet that we live in. Every time a child, teenager or adult opens one of these great books the lessons are sustained… the lessons are kept so we can continue building towards a sustainable society. For now and for the future!

This month we are bringing sustainable literature into the classroom! We have made classroom materials using some of the greatest classic and contemporary titles, that will also introduce the goals of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development to your pupils. We begin with a CATchy English video for the story Lost at Dead Man’s Camp. We explore the importance of staying active and spending time outdoors in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle. When we get out into nature we also remember the importance of protecting the natural environments. Make sure your pupils do the free reading activity in which the characters discover the nature of California! Next we dive into the world of Dickens with the classic tale of Oliver Twist. We remember Oliver’s famous words “Please Sir, can I have some more?”, which reminds us to strive towards Goal 2 of Agenda 2030, zero hunger. After our CATchy English class has wetted your pupil’s appetite for learning, don’t forget to do the Oliver Twist listening activity!

Equality is something we are always striving towards in our classrooms and out in the real world too. No story reminds us of this fact more than Jane Eyre and in our CATchy English video we look at the word ‘character’ and its many different meanings. An individual should be judged solely on their character and not their gender, race or religion. Introduce the tremendous character of Jane Eyre with this month’s listening activity too! Finally we take a look at our impact on the world through the story of Gulliver’s Travels. We try on Gulliver’s shoes and discuss the effect we are having on our cities and how we can protect them in the future. We are all giants in this worlds, because we can all make a difference. Introduce your pupils to the character of Gulliver with our reading activity.

Among the video tips and activities, don’t forget the blog articles in the Black Cat Reader’s Corner. This month you will find an article talking about literature and the environment. If you are looking for more lesson ideas don’t forget to check out our natural environments lesson plan.