Four Classroom Resources to Teach SDG 5: Gender Equality

What if everywhere on Earth, people had the same opportunities, regardless of our gender? What if we all had equal access to education and health care? What if everyone felt safe and respected? What if we were considered for the same jobs, then treated fairly and paid the same for our work? What if we had equal representation in government and equal treatment under the law?

Despite incredible gains for women and girls, a global gender gap still exists.

Last month we celebrated Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. But what can we do beyond celebrating? Bring the topic into the classroom! Here are some resources to teach gender equality.

1. Free mini course: Transform Our World: Gender Equality

Get introduced to this SDG topic with this course from our sister company, Participate Inc. This course includes more than 30 lessons, videos and activities. You can go at your own pace, then, connect with and follow experts and create your own resource collection. In the final part of the course, you will be asked to do a lesson or activity with your students, reflect on the experience, and upload evidence. A trained peer reviewer will leave you feedback and award your digital badge!

2. Printable classroom cards about women in history

Download these printable classroom cards to learn about 24 women in history and around the world who are creating positive change. Once you print and cut the cards out, you can play a game of Guess Who?, Who am I?, fishbowl or one you and your students make up!

Look at how Ingrid Ruiz at Carver Heights Elementary used them with her ESL students to create written and oral reports!

3. The gender wage gap around the world

This infographic explores the difference between men and women’s wages around the world and what is being done to create equal pay. These facts and figures, plus ideas for classroom connections, mean you can create a meaningful classroom discussion or activity for your students to explore this issue.

4. Resources on gender equity from Teaching Tolerance

Using Teaching Tolerance’s Social Justice Standards, Jarah Botello outlines several ways to confront our own biases when teaching about gender equity. She also provides K-5 and 6-12 lesson plans you can adapt for your own classroom to teach about these topics, using poetry, picture books or sports, among others.

Additional resources

This goal intersects with several other SDG goals. Many issues in gender equality are issues that are a part of other goals such as hunger, poverty, education and health care. To learn more about the SDGs and integrate them into your classroom, explore these additional resources:

Connecting classrooms to global health topics with SDG 3

How one school is taking action to achieve clean water for all

5 ways you and your students can contribute to ending hunger