The objective of this lesson is for students to learn about and understand the concept of climate change, the reasons why it is happening and what can be done to prevent it. By completing this lesson, students will:
Understand the concept of climate change
Understand why climate change occurs
Understand community and individual roles in preventing climate change
Understand their personal environmental responsibility, and the consequences for everyday choices on the environment
Description
Students will research and discover the concepts of climate change and global warming and their importance. Through internet searches and the use of libraries, students will attempt to define and explain climate change and global warming. In groups, students will research their community’s contribution to climate change. With this knowledge in hand, students will brainstorm a local organization or business that they feel either a) contributes to climate change and the greenhouse effect or b) helps to prevent climate change and the greenhouse effect. Student groups will research, visit, and/or call these organizations to find evidence for their arguments. Student groups will create presentations or brochures about the organization that they have researched, highlighting either what that organization can do to reduce its contribution to climate change, or what it already does to prevent climate change. As a de-brief, students as a class will rate their community regarding its efforts to prevent climate change, and develop ideas as to how this issue can be tackled in their community. Students will be encouraged to participate in short community action plans.
Materials
Computers with Internet access
MS Word or MS Paint
Email access to send publications and participate in forums (not needed for every student, but at least one teacher, student, or administrator address is needed for each school group)
Digital camera and Dictaphone where appropriate
Suggested Procedure
Opening
Facilitator describes objectives of the lesson and asks students about their knowledge regarding the following questions:
What is climate change?
What is the greenhouse effect?
What causes the greenhouse effect?
Is there proof that it is happening?
Does anyone think it is not happening? Who?
In groups, students are asked to use the internet and other resources (e.g. library) to discover the full answers to these questions. Sharing of the answers and a short group discussion entitled "Is climate change important" will follow. Research and Presentation Design
In groups, students develop their knowledge regarding climate change in their communities by researching the following questions:
How far does your food travel? Which countries does most of the food in your local shops come from?
Do your surroundings have more green areas or more urban areas?
How many cars do you think go past your house every day?
Is your community informed about climate change? Do they take action?
What fossil fuel saving options exists in your town/city – recycling, solar?
What networks exist to tackle climate change e.g. conferences, action groups, international organizations etc.
This research can be done through internet searches, calling local businesses, or use of library resources.
In groups, students will think of a company or organization in their local community that they feel either contributes to climate change or helps to prevent it (examples: a car dealership may contribute to climate change, but a hybrid car dealership may help to prevent it. Other more obvious choices for preventative organizations are recycling plants, parks departments, landscapers, etc).
Students will brainstorm the type of information they need to uncover to find out if the organization they have thought of actually does contribute to or prevent climate change. (e.g., do the members of this organization recycle? Do the cars they sell emit more or less than the average amount of carbon dioxide?)
Students will research the company/organization that they have chosen on the internet, and decide on three questions they would like to ask a representative of the company directly.
Either over the phone, over email, or by visiting the organization in person, students receive direct answers from the company they have chosen to their questions.
Once the research is complete the students will create a short presentation pack entitled "climate change in our community" for their partner country, utilizing one of the following methods:
A PowerPoint presentation, with drawings/images.
Brochure using word or publisher, with drawings/images
Suggested Follow Up
Students will deliver their presentations to the class as a whole
Following presentations, Teachers initiate a group discussion in which the class as a whole will place their community on a scale of one to ten (ten = worst) regarding its efforts to stop climate change.
Students will suggest activities that they can do in their community to help prevent climate change. Ideas include: planting trees, telling others, not using cars, switching off electrical/gas appliances after use, buying local food
Students are encouraged to choose a community action, create an action plan and carry it out (best things would probably be sharing knowledge or tree planting).
All groups should complete and submit their presentations by Friday, December 15, to allow for schools in the US to celebrate the December holidays.
Teachers should email the presentations to their partners, the RI-SOL representative in the US (Naama) AND the RI-SOL representative in their partner country so they can be posted on the website. Presentations should be sent no later than Friday, December 15, 2006. “Climate Change” forum will be held Monday, December 18 – Friday, Dec. 29
This is an opportunity for your students to ask questions about their partner schools’ findings and presentations. Please have your students go online to your partner country’s website (see addresses below) and view their partner’s presentation before they enter the forum.
You can find the forum through the online country website: www.connect-afghanistan.org www.connect-tajikistan.org www.connect-bangladesh.org www.connect-middleeast.org
December 2006 Lesson Plan
Climate ChangeGrades 6-12
2-3 Class Periods
Objectives
The objective of this lesson is for students to learn about and understand the concept of climate change, the reasons why it is happening and what can be done to prevent it. By completing this lesson, students will:Description
Students will research and discover the concepts of climate change and global warming and their importance. Through internet searches and the use of libraries, students will attempt to define and explain climate change and global warming. In groups, students will research their community’s contribution to climate change. With this knowledge in hand, students will brainstorm a local organization or business that they feel either a) contributes to climate change and the greenhouse effect or b) helps to prevent climate change and the greenhouse effect. Student groups will research, visit, and/or call these organizations to find evidence for their arguments. Student groups will create presentations or brochures about the organization that they have researched, highlighting either what that organization can do to reduce its contribution to climate change, or what it already does to prevent climate change. As a de-brief, students as a class will rate their community regarding its efforts to prevent climate change, and develop ideas as to how this issue can be tackled in their community. Students will be encouraged to participate in short community action plans.Materials
Suggested Procedure
Opening
Facilitator describes objectives of the lesson and asks students about their knowledge regarding the following questions:
- What is climate change?
- What is the greenhouse effect?
- What causes the greenhouse effect?
- Is there proof that it is happening?
- Does anyone think it is not happening? Who?
In groups, students are asked to use the internet and other resources (e.g. library) to discover the full answers to these questions. Sharing of the answers and a short group discussion entitled "Is climate change important" will follow.Research and Presentation Design
- How far does your food travel? Which countries does most of the food in your local shops come from?
- Do your surroundings have more green areas or more urban areas?
- How many cars do you think go past your house every day?
- Is your community informed about climate change? Do they take action?
- What fossil fuel saving options exists in your town/city – recycling, solar?
- What networks exist to tackle climate change e.g. conferences, action groups, international organizations etc.
This research can be done through internet searches, calling local businesses, or use of library resources.Suggested Follow Up
All groups should complete and submit their presentations by Friday, December 15, to allow for schools in the US to celebrate the December holidays.
Teachers should email the presentations to their partners, the RI-SOL representative in the US (Naama) AND the RI-SOL representative in their partner country so they can be posted on the website. Presentations should be sent no later than Friday, December 15, 2006.
“Climate Change” forum will be held Monday, December 18 – Friday, Dec. 29
This is an opportunity for your students to ask questions about their partner schools’ findings and presentations. Please have your students go online to your partner country’s website (see addresses below) and view their partner’s presentation before they enter the forum.
You can find the forum through the online country website:
www.connect-afghanistan.org
www.connect-tajikistan.org
www.connect-bangladesh.org
www.connect-middleeast.org