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Thoughtfully Sustainable

A Summer Reading Challenge with a Sustainable Twist

Published 2 months ago • 1 min read

The Conscious Classroom

Simple, sustainable STEM ideas that reduce waste, spark curiosity, and inspire young minds.

Hi Reader,

When my daughter was little, one of our favorite summer traditions was heading to the library to sign up for the annual summer reading challenge.

You know the one…

Read a certain number of books.
Track them on a paper log.
Turn it in at the end of summer.
Earn a prize.

Honestly, it was never really about the prize. It was about the excitement of choosing books, making library trips part of our weekly rhythm, and watching her feel proud every time she finished another story.

This summer, I thought it would be fun to put a thoughtful twist on that same idea.

What if your child read 17 books this summer — each one connected to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals?

From protecting oceans and wildlife to reducing waste, celebrating diversity, ending hunger, and caring for our communities, the SDGs open the door to some truly meaningful conversations through books.

To make it fun and easy to track, I created a free Sustainable Development Goals coloring poster. Each time your reader finishes a book connected to one of the goals, they can color in that section of the poster! The poster is available to download in both English and Spanish.

Start here to download the free poster:
Free Sustainable Development Goals Coloring Poster​

Need book ideas? I’ve also put together picture book reading lists for all 17 Sustainable Development Goals so you can head to the library with inspiration in hand.

Browse the reading lists here:
Sustainable Development Goal Book Lists​

A few library books, a coloring page, and some meaningful conversations…that sounds like a pretty wonderful summer challenge to me.

And if you decide to join in, I’d LOVE to see what your family is reading this summer! Send me a picture of:

  • the books your kids are enjoying,
  • your library haul,
  • or a completed coloring poster at the end of summer.

I may even share a few reader photos in an upcoming newsletter (with permission, of course!).

​
Happy reading!

— Jessica

Founder of Thoughtfully Sustainable & Raising Global Kidizens​
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Thoughtfully Sustainable

by Jessica Purcell

Are you a parent or teacher that’s looking to integrate science and sustainability concepts into your learners’ lives? I’m here to help! My name is Jessica and I’m a science teacher and mom that creates hands-on sustainability and STEM lessons for grades K-8 to cultivate critical thinking skills and foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

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