Global Oneness Project

The Global Oneness Project has traveled to every continent, documenting diverse people and cultures, putting real people and remote places on the map for students. Their films and photo essays explore how these places are changing due to globalization, modernization, climate change, and other cultural and environmental factors.

Through featuring individuals and communities impacted by global issues, the  Project's stories—short documentary films, photo essays, and articles— inherently include universal themes highlighting our common humanity, including the following: identity, diversity, hope, resilience, imagination, adversity, empathy, love, and responsibility.

The following are some examples of the themes explored in each story and lesson: ancient cultures, bearing witness, connection to home, cultural artifacts, cultural displacement, preservation of a culture, consequences of development, community, empathy toward nature, effects of environmental change, environmental justice, facing adversity, family values, future generations, geographic literacy, identity, immigration and jobs, poverty and inequality, resilience, social and emotional learning, and youth empowerment.

Each multimedia story highlights a current cultural, environmental, or social issue from a humanistic perspective. The companion lesson plans explore these issues, providing detailed background information for the educator as well as classroom discussion questions and reflective writing prompts. 

For example, in the lesson plan, “After the Quake: Preserving the Artifacts of Kathmandu,” students explore the larger impact on earthquakes. In this story, the following key question is explored: How might earthquakes destroy valuable cultural artifacts? What are some local and global efforts to be taken to protect and restore relics for future generations? Photography below by Taylor Weidman.

Any materials or equipment needed in the classroom for the project will be listed.

Since the majority of the stories are short films and photo essays, preparation includes providing equipment for showing the film in class and online access to the film or photo essay. A world map is suggested in many lessons to illustrate with students where the story takes place.

Thought-provoking questions are included to introduce the story to the class. The intention is to provide students with relevant entry points, pointing to the story while making local to global connections.

In a companion lesson plan—“Investigating the Impacts of Palm Oil”—based on a photo essay “Palm Oil in Myanmar,” prompts are included to introduce unsustainable palm oil production with students. Students are asked, “What do you know about palm oil?” A secondary source from The Guardian is also included to provide an overarching understanding of palm oil from its origins in the rainforest, to plantations, to the marketplace, and finally, to the consumer’s home. Photography below by Taylor Weidman.

The following is an example from the lesson plan “A Refugee’s Story”:

Students view a film, Welcome to Canada, about a refugee, Mohammed Alsaleh, who left Syria to escape torture and imprisonment. Mohammed was granted asylum in Canada and works with a Vancouver-based NGO to help other Syrians relocate. Students are asked to consider the following questions: What are the characters' hopes? What are some of the challenges the main character, Mohammed, faces? What challenges do the Syrian families face? Why might Mohammad's assistance be particularly impactful to other refugees?”

Opportunities are included for students to express their opinions clearly, consider different arguments, and provide comparisons and contrasts. Real-life examples or situations, as well as role-play assignments and mini-debates are offered which can help students engage with the topic. Suggested examples are provided and depending upon the class, the teacher can alter the lesson as needed.

For example, in the lesson plan “Ancient and Modern Worlds”—a companion to the film “A Thousand Suns”—students are challenged to participate in a mini-debate centered on the following question: Does the modern world negatively or positively influence the Game culture?

Questions are intended to create opportunities for students to demonstrate critical thinking skills. U.S. national standards are embedded, including the Common Core Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and C3 Social Studies Framework. Students are asked to integrate their knowledge and ideas from various points of view and apply newly learned ideas.

Secondary sources are included in this section, including interactive maps, quotes from the storytellers, thought leaders, as well as well-researched articles with journalistic perspectives and data.

For example, the following is a question from the lesson plan “A Refugee’s Story”:

The British author, Rudyard Kipling, said, "If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." What do you think about this quote? Do you agree or disagree with Kipling? Why or why not? What might be the history lesson of Mohammed's story? Do you think the impact of this short film, Welcome to Canada, makes a potential effective history lesson depicting human behavior? If so, how? Write a short essay, 2-3 paragraphs, describing your response.