Climate Change: Seeing is Believing 7 - 11 Years
Summary information
Age range: | 7-11 year olds |
Curriculum links: | English, ICT |
Time needed: | 40 minutes |
Group size: | Pairs |
Setting: | Indoors |
Key vocabulary: | Fossil fuels, greenhouse gases, CO2, carbon dioxide, emissions, greenhouse effect, global warming, climate change, precautionary principle. |
Sustainability learning outcome(s): | Pupils will:
|
Preparation:
Pupils need to have some understanding of the link between fossil fuels, global warming and climate change.
Resources needed:
Computers and PowerPoint presentation software.
Procedure:
1.Present pupils with the following statement: “Global warming isn’t really happening. Climate changes are natural and will be so gradual that we won’t really notice any difference in our lifetime. Any change that does happen is likely to improve the climate and make life more pleasant.”
2.Hold a class discussion based around the following questions:
“Could this statement be correct?”
“What sorts of evidence would scientists need to collect in order to prove that climate change is really happening?” (Think about the causes of global warming and climate change).
“Would it be in the interests of any particular group to deny that climate change is really happening?”
3.Invite pupils to use the following resources to create a Powerpoint Presentation that addresses some of the claims in the statement about global warming and climate change:
Photographic evidence:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/sci_nat_your_changing_world/html/1.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/sci_nat_how_the_world_is_changing/html/1.stm
Action:
www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/what_you_can_do/index.cfm
4.As a class, watch the presentations and discuss how they might be improved.
Extensions:
Invite pupils to create a presentation about global warming and climate change for another group, e.g. younger pupils or parents.
Evaluation:
Pupils draw cartoon speech bubbles to show an imaginary conversation between yourself and someone who doesn’t believe that climate change is a threat.