Teaching Resources: Climate Change
PCF’s staff working on the Coastal Communities Adapting Together (CCAT) project have been researching and gathering a list of quality climate change resources which could be used in schools and also for others. Our topics of focus are climate change, adaptation, and the coast.
We are working on our own materials to support schools and community learners but at this time of increased online learning, we thought it would be helpful to share some of our favourite resources – we were keen not to duplicate some of the great work that is already out there.
We love to collaborate, so if you’ve got your own feedback on any of these resources please do let us know, please click the button below. If you’d like to recommend a resource please use the button below too.
We opted to split resources into three categories (click below to go the section):
Links with the new curriculum
for Wales
For extensive background information and guidance from the Welsh Government about the new curriculum for Wales and its Framework, please visit the official website:
https://gov.wales/preparing-new-curriculum
The four purposes of the new curriculum are to support our children and young people to be:
- ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives
- enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full
part in life and work - ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world
- healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
-
The new curriculum for Wales is designed to help practitioners to develop a more integrated approach to learning. The six Areas (of the Curriculum) bring together familiar disciplines and encourage strong and meaningful links across different disciplines:
Source: Welsh Government, Preparing for the New Curriculum, https://gov.wales/preparing-new-curriculum
The six Areas each contain Statements of What Matters, which we have summarised in a short summary document here.
Under each category title on this page, we have also suggested linking of the resources to specific curriculum Areas using the colour-coding from the graphic above. We would also encourage learning practitioners to use these resources in the most suitable way for their learners, which may include linking the resources into additional Areas.
A Spotlight on Coastal Communities in the UK
At the bottom of this page we have also listed resources highlighting some communities across the UK who are already dealing with the effects of climate change, we hope these may help you to get your students to think about these important global issues at a local level. Click here to read more
To find out more about the CCAT project please visit the website: https://www.ccatproject.eu/
You can also follow us on Twitter for the latest updates:
CCAT Project: @ccatproject
PCF: @pcf_education & @pcfcic.
CCAT is funded by:
Understanding Climate Change
Size of Wales has published some excellent learning materials for various key stages, including ‘The Busy Teacher’s Guide to Climate Change”:
https://sizeofwales.org.uk/education/education-resources/
Each overload of CO2 is a stacking block in a giant game of “climate Tetris”, but we won’t get an opportunity to start over with a new planet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWHqUFJRTs
NASA scientists explain the difference between weather and climate (suitable for KS2-4):
https://youtu.be/vH298zSCQzY
Bill Nye, the Science Guy, explains what causes climate change, how it affects our planet, why we need to act promptly to mitigate its effects, and how each of us can contribute to a solution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtW2rrLHs08
Climate change explained in less than two minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n4A0BssFd0
A set of resources to enhance understanding about climate change (KS3-4):
https://www.metlink.org/climate/climate-change-teaching-resources/
Image credit: Pixabay
Exploring Adaptation
What does net zero mean and is it something that we can achieve? CAFOD’s short explainer film, designed for children, shows that by working together we can help build a future where the UK no longer contributes to climate change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqZD-mnC5Gk&feature=youtu.be
These 20-minute eco-musicals are tailor-made for classes to share their environmental projects in primary school assemblies. Downloads include a topic-based play script, sing along video, photos, vocal and backing tracks and piano music. Suitable for Foundation Phase to KS2: https://www.dcmusicals.com/assemblies
How can we adapt, considering that the precise extent and form of climate change aren’t known? This animated video is tailored to KS3+:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO46sPwm4xk
Protect, restore and use nature – a short film on nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, narrated by George Monbiot and Greta Thunberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q0xUXo2zEY
Example activities using this film (aimed at KS3-4):
• Discuss the pros/cons of trees and different habitats as carbon storage
• Get students to design a business case exploring costs of planting trees, deciding where to plant them, who is responsible for funding/doing this and why?
• Split into groups and role play with students acting as different community members, e.g. farmers unions, student activists, business owners, scientists etc – run a debate exploring nature-based solutions
• Investigating the wider functions of trees as part of the carbon/water cycles and food webs – get students to draw diagrams and present to the class
Image credit: Pixabay
Another resource on how nature-based solutions can help stop climate breakdown:
https://youtu.be/J9mjbzqqA_M
Climate-related extremes will soon increase in many European regions – this video summarises what we can expect and what adaptation can look like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS0ZIUtsQHg
Will your hometown be flooded by 2100? Explore your area’s future on this coastal flooding prediction map:
https://coastal.climatecentral.org/map
This video shows examples of how cities can change their infrastructure to adapt to climate change effects:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oshaiU7oHOo
Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, this film shows how we can be 100% off fossil fuels in a few decades (suitable for KS3+):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPEA6INs-H0
This 20-minute IPCC-produced video on climate change adaptation is best suited to A-level students and up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMx2xP3dcM
Taking Climate Action
Below is a link to a collection of videos of live theatre performances, presentations and teachers’ notes. The learning objectives connect to GCSE, Scottish RME and RE outcomes for 14-year-olds, including enabling learners to:
• Explain connections between religion and belief and environmental ethics.
• Give reasons for their views about climate change and its impacts on humanity.
• Consider arguments for climate justice.
• Develop their analysis of the challenges faced by this generation on Earth about the future of the planet.
https://ridinglights.org/baked-alaska/baked-alaska-for-schools/
These resources will help you think about how you can move from climate change anxiety to action – aimed at KS2+:
https://www.thoughtboxeducation.com/student-resources
Assess your climate risks and reduce your environmental impact – suitable for KS3+:
https://www.52climateactions.com/assess-your-climate-risks/full
You can take a ‘Pledge For Your Planet’ with the Climate Coalition– here’s how:
https://youtu.be/TUy9qNe92v8
A set of resources from WWF will help students understand climate change action and protect the planet:
https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/school-campaigns/shaping-our-future
You can even design your own climate strike with this art kit:
https://art.350.org/kits/climate-strike-arts-kit/
Image credit: David Shepherd
A Spotlight on Coastal Communities in the UK
1. SHIFTING SHORES (KS3+)
A video from the National Trust exploring the shifting shores on the beaches of Gower:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwfs9GZE1b0
Following on from this, here is a link to the National Trust project home page: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/living-with-change-our-shifting-shores
Example classroom activities:
• Pick two case studies, watch the videos about these areas and compare/contrast the challenges these places face
• Investigate and outline the differences between coastal and river flooding, and compare/contrast the effects this could have on people living by rivers and the sea
• Write a local adaptation plan summarising three key actions local people and the National Trust could take to help manage these coastlines
2. THE CASE OF FAIRBOURNE (KS3+)
Fairbourne is a Welsh village that has been in the news recently due to the fact it is particularly vulnerable to flooding. It has been suggested that these villagers could become Britain’s first climate refugees.
The following video provides an insight into the situation as told by the residents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee5NVtBQz8o
Example classroom activities (we would recommend a jargon buster to start with):
• Explore the meaning of ‘decommissioning’ as an adaptation action. Pretend you are a resident in Fairbourne – choose whether to be for or against decommissioning, then write a short letter to your local council explaining your point of view and why.
• Discuss the issue of sea level rise as a climate change indicator – why do you think these measurements are so varied across different areas? Does it matter?
• Investigate types of physical flooding defences. Which of these do you think is the best one for Fairbourne and potentially other Welsh coastal communities? Why?
• How do you think communication could be improved between local councils and residents? Is there anything that could have been done differently?
As mentioned above we would like to collect your feedback about these resources. Please click the link below to submit your thoughts via a short survey.
Please note: all of these resources here have features we like, but they are produced by others and PCF can’t be held responsible for their content.