Blog: Aligning Slow Reveal Graphs to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

by Jenna Laib

17 goals. 7,846 actions.

The UN has developed 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which together form a “universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.” They’re ambitious, and necessary.

To be honesty, I had not heard about the SDGs until educator C. Harun Böke suggested that I align slow reveal graphs to specific goals. It took only 30 seconds on the website to feel connected to the mission. Sure, there are some slow reveal graphs that are just fun, but many of them encourage students to engage with issues of social and environmental justice.

Here are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals from the UN.

You can read more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals on their site. This includes targets for each goal, publications, and actions.

And, like Böke suggested, I’ve started aligning Slow Reveal Graphs to them — which includes going through the back catalogue. For example, for High Traffic on Everest, you’ll see that, alongside the tags for potential math content, linked SDGs.

I am still early in my learning about SDGs, and how we can develop resources to help students — as future global citizens! — address these goals. I have a lot to unpack about each goal. But I look forward to being more mindful about the non-mathematical goal of each graph. These conversations aren’t just ‘nice to have’ additions to the mathematical work, they’re critical.

I am also tagging graphs so that you can browse through graphs for each SDG.

1 – No poverty
2 – Zero hunger (coming soon)
3 – Good health and well-being
4 – Quality education
5 – Gender equality
6 – Clean water and sanitation
7 – Affordable and clean energy
8 – Decent work and economic growth
9 – Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
10 – Reduced inequalities
11 – Sustainable cities and communities
12 – Responsible consumption and production
13 – Climate action
14 – Life below water
15 – Life on land
16 – Peace, justice, and strong institutions
17 – Partnerships for the goals