Global dimension

Making links

Summary information

Age range:	7 - 14 year olds
Curriculum links:	Geography
Time needed:	50 minutes
Group size:	Whole class and small groups
Setting:	Classroom or similar
Key vocabulary:	Developed, developing, industrialised, North, South, Third World, disproportionately, vulnerable, IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change)
Sustainability learning outcome(s):	To understand the links between human activity and climate change. To understand some of the consequences of climate change. To understand that people in some countries are especially vulnerable to the affects of climate change.

Preparation:

Pupils need to have developed some understanding of the causes of global warming and climate change

Resources needed:

Resource Sheet 1 and access to the WWF website to explore other climate witness stories:
www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/problems/people_at_risk/index.cfm

Procedure:

1. Present the following statement to the class:
“Developing countries have so far contributed relatively little to the causes of global warming. Yet many of them will bear the brunt of climate change through loss of food production. The burden will undoubtedly fall disproportionately on the poorest and most vulnerable.”
Guenther Fischer, IPCC.

2. In groups, ask pupils to discuss this statement and consider the following questions:

Who are the ‘poorest and most vulnerable’?
Who is responsible for causing climate change? Why?
Is it true to say that ‘developing countries have so far contributed relatively little to the causes of global warming’? Why?
Who is responsible for tackling climate change? How?

3. Pupils then use Resource Sheet 1 and/or the www.panda.org website to investigate the likely effects of climate change on the following aspects of life: health, crops, livestock, homes, travel, quality of life, culture.

4. As a whole class, discuss “Why are some people more vulnerable to the effects of climate change? What can we do to help them?”

Extensions:

Invite pupils to write to one or more of the climate witnesses and explain what they are doing to tackle climate change.

Evaluation:

Ask pupils to complete the following:

If I lived in a developing country I would…
think…
feel…
fear…
explain…
do…

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