The Wildly Complex Anatomy of a Sneaker

Positives

• This animated video uses effective visuals to explain concepts such as manufacturing and fossil fuel extraction.
• The video ends with the proposal of a few key solutions to increase the sustainability of sneaker production, such as supporting producers using clean energy and using eco-friendly materials in manufacturing.

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers and students must create a free account to answer the questions in the Think section or comment in the Discuss section.
• The links to the Global Fashion Agenda in the Dig Deeper section do not work.

Differentiation

• Sneakers and clothing are often high-interest topics for students. Teachers can make the most of students' interests by assigning additional exploration and research activities as a follow-up to this video. Students could research where and how their favorite brands of sneakers are manufactured.
• The Dig Deeper section links to several helpful resources on sneaker and clothing manufacturing. Teachers could select articles from the Dig Deeper section for students to read and discuss in small groups. 
• Teachers may want to focus on solutions rather than consumer guilt when approaching this topic. Students can generate action steps, such as writing to sneaker brands to voice their concerns or pledging to keep their sneakers in good condition so they last longer.
• Economics classes could use this video to connect globalization, consumerism, development, and carbon emissions.
  
• Other resources on this topic include this video on making clothing more sustainable and ethical and this TED-Ed lesson on the life cycle of a t-shirt.