Four children sitting on the grass with bare feet

ESD Diploma

ESD Diploma - "Clever Makes the Future

Thinking and acting in a way that is fit for the future: This is the goal of the nationwide initiative "Education for Sustainable Development" - also in Waldeck-Frankenberg. The district actively supports schools in the district in implementing the sustainability strategy and provides them with concrete measures for this purpose.

The Schools and Education department has developed specific concepts for this purpose, through which it supports sustainable education together with other cooperation partners: For elementary schools, it offers the ESD diploma - "Clever macht Zukunft" (Clever Makes the Future), whose content and organizational coordination it assumes completely. The students can take a basic course with four or an advanced course with six topic modules - whether climate, environment, agriculture, nature, animal welfare, nutrition, energy production, sports, children's rights, integration and much more. Their content is based on the curriculum of the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, the principles of the Hessian Education and Training Plan and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

All topics are prepared and followed up in the classroom, and the practical lessons mainly take place at out-of-school learning locations. The implementation period is freely selectable for participating school classes. At the end, the children receive a participation diploma. The educational offers are supported by the specialist services of agriculture, sports and youth work and social affairs within the district administration as well as the Network for Tolerance, the Border Worlds Geopark or the specialist office for migration and integration of the district as well as by NABU, the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park and the Kellerwald-Edersee and Diemelsee Nature Parks, Hessenstein Castle and many other clubs and associations from Waldeck-Frankenberg. The state of Hesse is also on board - especially in the conception and implementation of educational days, ESD specialist days and free climate training courses.


ESD modules

Below is an overview of which modules can be selected with which topics in the area of ESD Diploma. Each one relates to one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Module 0: Introduction to the basics of ESD

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 4 High quality education
    • 10 Fewer inequalities
    • 13 Climate protection measures

    The "ESD Diploma - Clever Makes the Future" starts with an introductory module for each participating class. The teaching unit is carried out by the specialist service Schools and Education and lasts approximately three to four school hours.

    The students deal with the meaning and necessity of ESD in a playful way. From this it emerges that education for sustainable development should, in addition to local aspects, necessarily reflect global dimensions, which are often characterized by complex different perspectives, traditions and idiosyncrasies. In order to do justice to the complexity of global phenomena, it is necessary to examine one's own role in a holistic world. This requires the competence of changing perspectives and is a central feature of ESD.

    In preparation for these requirements, the children are given the opportunity to change their perspective for the first time in the introductory module using various world map projections, which allows them to reflect on their view of the world together.

    At the end of the module, the children develop an initial understanding of their role as well as their personal possibilities for action in shaping a sustainable world.

  • Module 1: Agriculture and animal husbandry

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 2 No hunger
    • 12 Sustainable consumption and production
    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 15 Life on land


    Cooperation partner:

    This module is designed to give students their first insights into the complex economic sector of agriculture. Through practice-oriented and project-based lessons on the farms, the children are given experience in dealing with animals and plants. Active participation through touching, smelling and tasting leads to the topics in a playful way. In order to prepare intensively for the excursions, the agricultural department also offers a themed teaching unit.

  • Module 2: Climate, climate change and climate protection

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 15 Life on land


    Cooperation partner:

    The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change for our planet and society, as well as to encourage children and school to actively protect the climate.

    The weather museum in Frankenberg-Schreufa, among other places, offers ideal learning conditions for children to deal with this highly complex topic. Through an indoor and outdoor area, the topics of climate and weather in general, climate change and examples from climate protection are dealt with in a child-friendly manner. A visit to the weather museum should take about two to three hours.

    HessenForst enables schoolchildren to experience the importance of the forest for our climate in a playful way and with all their senses through direct experience. Through independent research and exploration in the forest, they can immerse themselves in the areas of climate and climate change

  • Module 3: Forest, trees and wildlife

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 15 Life on land


    Cooperation partner:

    Hardly any other topic is as predestined for schools in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district as the topic of forests, trees and wildlife. The Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, the nature parks in the district or "Burg Hessenstein" as a recognized educational institution provide the perfect (learning) backdrop for everything to do with (primeval) forests, trees and wildlife.

    With its offer "Wilderness up close", the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park enables primary school classes from the fourth grade onwards to experience wilderness with all their senses and to learn about its effects on biodiversity.

    The Kellerwald-Edersee and Diemelsee nature parks offer a variety of excursions and guided tours especially for elementary schools.

    At Hessenstein Castle, the children learn about the most important native tree species and can independently make various objects from wood in the castle's own outdoor workshop.

    Through intensive experiences with nature, in the form of an action-oriented combination of experiencing nature and ecological education, the students are encouraged to reflect on the individual and societal interaction of humans and nature on a regional and global level. In the sense of education for sustainable development, various competencies and perspectives such as participation, change of perspective, empathy or global networking are trained.

  • Module 4: Bee, bird and insect protection

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 15 Life on land


    Cooperation partner:

    In this module, therefore, the first step is to create an awareness of the importance of insects for our lives and the ecosystem. In addition, the children are given initial opportunities for action to actively combat mass mortality.

    The nature parks offer various guided tours on the subject area, where students can learn about the special features of bees and insects through direct experience in the school environment.

    Furthermore, the children could gain important experience through experts from NABU or regional beekeepers to become aware of the relevance of bees, birds and insects for humans and the ecosystem.

    The Agricultural Service offers a thematic teaching unit on the subject and organizes excursions.

  • Module 5: Waste and plastic avoidance as well as upcycling - For a clean nature and oceans

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 12 Sustainable consumption and production
    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 14 Life under water


    Cooperation partner:

    In this module, the students are to deal with the broad subject area through practical work, if possible. For example, schools often have "old treasures" that are supposedly no longer needed.

    In this module, the students are to deal with the broad subject area through practical work, if possible. For example, schools often have "old treasures" that are supposedly no longer needed.

    The educational staff of Hessenstein Castle offers upcycling workshops for schools, in which supposedly old private or school materials (e.g. old school wall cards or old T-shirts) are turned into new, useful objects within three to four hours. Parallel to the practical work, the local and global consequences of waste and plastic as well as individual possibilities for action are discussed with the children.

  • Module 6: Earth history, geology, mining and local history

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 15 Life on land


    Cooperation partner:

    The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg lies within the area of the National Geopark GrenzWelten; a seal of quality on the scenic and geological features in the region. In the center lies the Korbacher Spalte, the oldest fossil-bearing fissure filling in Europe with the finds of the famous "Korbacher Dackel". In addition to this highlight, there are numerous fossil sites, museums and visitor mines throughout the area where the history of the earth can be explained in an exciting way at an age-appropriate level. A time travel through the formation and development of the earth using regional examples.

    During this module, the little scientists learn basics about the rocks in the district, which exciting creatures once swam through the primeval sea that covered the district, and that our Korbach dachshund is even much older than the dinosaurs.

    In order to ensure a high transfer to everyday life, the children should be given a lot of space for independent research and problem solving in the sense of education for sustainable development. A basic understanding of our planet and its development is essential for an understanding of current processes such as climate change, environmental protection as well as mass extinctions. Due to the numerous geological features in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district, the individual thematic focuses can usually be selected according to need and regionally at different extracurricular learning locations.

  • Module 7: Nutrition and Food - The Impact on the Ecological Footprint

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 2 No hunger
    • 3 Health and well-being
    • 12 Sustainable consumption and production
    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 14 Life under water
    • 15 Life on land


    Cooperation partner:

    Under the aspects of "regionality" and "seasonality", the children are to be taught the basics about corresponding foods and their influence on climate as well as nature. For example, instead of the hip Chia seeds, which travel all the way from South America, we have the equally healthy and delicious flax seeds here in Germany.

    Many extracurricular educational partners are available to implement this module.

    At Hessenstein Castle, the students explore the origins of our food and the concepts of "seasonality" and "regionality". On the hobo stove they can process fresh vegetables and cook their own soup.

    The nature park guides of the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park offer exciting guided tours on herbs and mushrooms. Diemelsee Nature Park facilitates exciting nature experience tours where children can explore selected topics depending on the season.

    The Bezirkslandfrauenverein Waldeck (Waldeck District Rural Women's Association) offers the "Ernährungsführerschein" (nutrition guide) for elementary school classes. An educational consultant who works for the "Netzwerk für Toleranz Waldeck-Frankenberg" (Network for Tolerance Waldeck-Frankenberg), among others, offers workshops for pupils on the topics of ecological vs. conventional agriculture, soil and food waste. As a result, global and local consequences of eating habits can be recognized and realistic options for action can be formed.

  • Module 8: Energy transition and power supply

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 7 Affordable and clean energy
    • 12 Sustainable consumption and production
    • 13 Climate protection measures


    Cooperation partner:

    The initiative "Citizens' Dialogue on the Electricity Grid", funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, offers a workshop in the form of an energy puzzle for elementary school students on the topics of "energy transition and power supply". In preparation for the puzzle, the students develop a basic understanding of climate change, the energy transition and electricity supply through the materials provided. In a child-friendly way, they learn in group work about the structure and functioning of renewable energy generation and distribution. Building on the content of the lesson preparation, the children work through various puzzles that require fine motor, cooperative and planning skills in particular. An experiment on the generation and distribution of electricity from renewable energies also provides an interesting practical way of imparting knowledge.

    As an alternative to the practical unit in school, excursions to regional renewable energy plants can be organized by the initiative "Bürgerdialog Stromnetz" (Citizens' Dialogue on the Electricity Grid), in which the knowledge is imparted to the students through direct experience.

    For follow-up, the children receive their personal regional energy transition atlas, in which the implementation of the energy transition in their own region can be explored, for example, by counting wind turbines, photovoltaic systems or e-bikes on the way to school. Furthermore, various questions are included to deepen what has been learned

  • Module 9: Water - The origin of life

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 6 Clean water and sanitary facilities
    • 7 Climate protection measures
    • 14 Life under water


    Cooperation partner:

    In educational work, bodies of water offer the ideal opportunity for people and nature to meet. Their example can be used to convey conflicts between the need to protect the natural environment and the needs of people. Children in particular should be able to experience water bodies with all their senses, and knowledge should be conveyed in a varied and playful way in order to illustrate the regional and global relevance of the topic in an age-appropriate way.

    The Kellerwald-Edersee and Diemelsee Nature Parks offer stream investigations or stream explorations for elementary school classes. On varied and interesting excursions, the children, equipped with sieves, beaker magnifiers and identification cards, can explore the habitat of a stream. They observe the diversity of living creatures in and around the water and also deal with the influence of mankind on water pollution.

  • Module 10: Fair Trade - Join in and stay FAIR

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 1 No poverty
    • 2 No hunger
    • 3 Health and well-being
    • 4 High quality education
    • 5 Gender equality
    • 8 Decent work and economic growth
    • 10 Fewer inequalities
    • 12 Sustainable consumption and production
    • 13 Climate protection measures
    • 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
    • 17 Partnerships to achieve the goals


    Cooperation partner:

    • World Shop Korbach
    • One World Group Bad Arolsen
    • Foundling e.V. Bad Arolsen
    • World Shop Bad Wildungen
    • Advice center for ecological education e.V.

     The Framework for Global Development Education emphasizes, among other things, the importance of global learning for primary school students. Accordingly, contents of Global Development Education should be included in general education as early as possible. The positive consequences of early learning in real-life contexts can be found in the development of openness towards social and cultural diversity, the strengthening of social competencies such as the ability to cooperate and empathy, and the development of a greater understanding of one's own living environment.

    A very suitable everyday introduction to "fair trade" is offered by working on the topic of "chocolate and cocoa". It offers the opportunity to convey the basic idea of fair trade in an interesting and child-friendly way and to deal with complex topics such as production and trade structures, humane working conditions, living wages or reliable trade partnerships in a way that is easy to understand despite their complexity.

    Within the framework of this module, the children are given the opportunity to independently produce chocolate and to learn about child labor in cocoa cultivation in West Africa, among other things, through a station-based learning program on various Fair Trade topics at the Korbach World Shop.

    In cooperation with the Fair Kaufladen "Findling e.V.", the Eine Welt Gruppe Bad Arolsen offers a child-friendly introduction to the topic of sustainable use of clothing and toys.

    The topic "Global justice using cocoa as an example" can be carried out independently by teachers. A training course on the appropriate use of the material box will be conducted by an instructor from the "Beratungsstelle für ökologische Bildung e.V.". The material box can be borrowed free of charge from the Schools and Education Department.

  • Module 11: Sport, Exercise, Health and Social Issues

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 3 Health and well-being
    • 5 Gender equality
    • 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions


    Cooperation partner:

    Within the framework of the ESD diploma, this module aims to encourage people to engage in sporting activities that promote health, social skills and the experience of nature. In particular, the advantages of the rural area and especially the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg offer many opportunities to be active outdoors.

    The district's sports and youth work department, which offers the "STARK BEWEGT" program, is available as a cooperation partner. "STARK BEWEGT" promotes social skills in children from the start of school, such as the ability to work in a team and deal with conflict, tolerance, reliability, willingness to perform, a sense of responsibility and perseverance, through regular training. The result can be positive effects on social, health and environmental behavior, which ultimately leads to easier coping with the demands of school, family, everyday life and later at work. By learning essential basic democratic principles, fundamental foundations are also laid for a sustainable life.

  • Module 12: UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - Children's Rights

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 1 No poverty
    • 2 No hunger
    • 3 Health and well-being
    • 4 High quality education
    • 5 Gender equality
    • 8 Decent work and economic growth
    • 10 Fewer inequalities
    • 11 Sustainable cities and settlements
    • 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions


    Cooperation partner:

    Within the framework of a holistic education for sustainable development, regional and global networking is required as a joint responsibility for the future. The topic of children's rights is an important building block for representing a global networking of living conditions.

    Through a change of perspective, the students can deal with challenges that are close to their everyday lives. Working on the topic in a global context enables the children to recognize and appreciate cultural diversity. In the search for sustainable solutions, it is important to acquire personal options for action in a regional and global context.

    This module is carried out by the Schools and Education Department. Among other things, the students learn about their own personal children's rights and can apply them in their everyday lives and compare them with the current situations of children in this world. In particular, the right to participation is a central child right. In the course of the module, the children should get to know different possibilities of forms of participation (children's parliament, student council, class council, etc.) in Germany and especially in school, which can eventually lead to concepts for a stronger participation of students.

  • Module 13: Migration and Integration, Racism

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 1 No poverty
    • 3 Health and well-being
    • 4 High quality education
    • 5 Gender equality
    • 10 Fewer inequalities
    • 11 Sustainable cities and communities
    • 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions


    Cooperation partner:

    The proportion of people with a migration background continues to increase in our social life. Whether at school or in sports clubs, a wide variety of languages and cultures are coming together more and more frequently, especially in public institutions. Unfortunately, hostility, prejudice and generalizations still occur in many places, which in turn lead to the failure of integration. Frequent causes for this are the lack of knowledge about migration backgrounds and different cultures.

    To counteract this, the children learn the meaning of the term "migration" and its influence on the development of Germany. In addition, they deal with different cultures and their particularities in order to finally work out their personal influence on shaping and acting for a successful integration. The module is carried out by the Schools and Education Department in cooperation with the Social Affairs Department - Migration and Integration Unit.

    Appreciative and tolerant coexistence forms the basis for good social coexistence. Unfortunately, a wide variety of groups of people are repeatedly attacked by xenophobia and racism. This is often caused by the spread of false information and a lack of education in society. Therefore, targeted educational work should be carried out at a young age.

    The "Network for Tolerance" offers a workshop for the development of options for action for a tolerant coexistence from the fourth grade. The goal is to discuss prejudice-conscious coexistence through interactive exercises and methods. The students work out the origin of prejudices and their influence on our actions as well as concrete options for action for an open and tolerant life. The collected ideas are finally visualized by designing flags and additionally enable the students to actively participate in the initiative "Flags for an open-minded and tolerant Waldeck-Frankenberg".

    An educational consultant who works for the "Netzwerk für Toleranz Waldeck-Frankenberg" (Network for Tolerance Waldeck-Frankenberg), among others, offers workshops for students on the topics of prejudice and privilege as well as discrimination. In addition, simulation games entitled "Buen Vivir: The Good Life," "The Swimming Chicken: Poultry leftover exports to Ghana" or "Cell phone and clothing production" can be carried out.

    The two offers "Migration and Integration" and "Racism" are independent of each other and can be requested separately.

  • Module 14: Diversity

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's):

    • 3 Health and well-being
    • 4 High quality education
    • 5 Gender equality
    • 10 Fewer inequalities


    Cooperation partner:

     Diversity refers to the variety of people in a society. Diversity is to be seen here in terms of gender, age, ideology and religion, nationality, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation and ethnic origin.

    Diversity aims to create equal opportunities for groups and individuals who are disadvantaged because of their characteristics. It is important to perceive diversity as a resource and to value the uniqueness of each person.

    It is therefore important to address the issue of diversity, which we also experience and help to shape on a daily basis in our schools. The colorful diversity of characters, learning and performance potentials, preferences, lifestyles and ethnicities also offers great opportunities and challenges for schools.

    Awareness of the diversity of all learners involved in the teaching process, viewing diversity as a resource for individual and mutually productive learning in order to prevent prejudice, is an essential goal of the daily work at the Counseling and Support Center (BFZ). In this context, skills in dealing with diversity are to be imparted, which make it possible to learn and live diversity in its various dimensions.

    In a playful and creative way, the students can approach the topic of diversity in two units together with the BFZ staff of the schools.