Climate Change: Communication
How can actions contribute to a more positive future?
Learning about climate change and its impacts can raise many emotions. The suggested activities focus on strategies that support learners as agents of change. This session also provides an opportunity to make the connection between climate change and nature, supporting learners to understand that protecting nature and biodiversity in their school grounds can also contribute to mitigating against future climate change.
This is recommended as session six in the KS3 Climate Change unit of learning, supporting an understanding of how actions contribute to a more positive future.
Preparation
Green Skills
- Environmental Stewardship and Horticulture
Step by step
Quick Starter Activity
How you can help the environment
This self-reflective activity (select the first activity in the resource package) encourages learners to think about the activities they take part in, the skills and traits they have learned and developed as a result, and environmental issues they care about. Using these, they can explore ideas for how they can help the environment in future jobs.
Main Activity Suggestions
Suggestion 1 (Outdoor)
Nature Park: Write a vision statement. This activity supports learners to create a vision for the future by drawing together findings and viewpoints, envisaging the change they would like to see and what impact that would have on people and the planet.
Suggestion 2 (Outdoor / indoor)
The Poetry Society: Writing The World. Learners will discuss the impact of climate change on the planet and society, as well as young people’s responses to the issue. They will read and discuss a poem about the impact of nature on wellbeing, and subsequently write a poem for a loved one, giving them the ‘gift’ of nature. This activity serves to initiate discussion and sharing of ideas around the science, rather than focusing on assessment of the writing.
*These poetry resources can support English curriculum learning outcomes. If you are focusing on other subjects, these resource can be used for discussion and reflection, rather than focusing on assessment of writing.
Suggestion 3 (Indoor)
Met office: Emotion line graphs. An activity to explore feelings about climate change through an emotion line graph and an opportunity to explore positive stories about the work being done to address climate change.
Top Tips
If time allows, learners can work together in groups to create an image or presentation of their shared future, identifying three actions they could take to achieve their vision.
Curriculum links
- Physical processes: Understanding how sequences of events and activities in the physical and human worlds leads to change in places, landscapes and societies.
- To understand the roles played by public institutions in society, and the ways in which citizens work together to improve their communities.