Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes

Tune In: Concentric circles

10 minutes

Find Out: What is Earth Hour?

25 minutes

Take Action: Getting involved in Earth Hour

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions and success criteria

Students will:

understand the benefits of partaking in Earth Hour
build an understanding of the impacts of climate change
use their project planning skills to organise their Earth Hour events.

Students can:

assess their environmental impact
brainstorm, plan and implement an event for Earth Hour.

Tune In: Concentric circles

Step 1

Draw three concentric circles on the whiteboard for students to see. Label each circle with “inner, community and world”. You may like to use the following example:

Guide students to observe the concentric circles and ask students

How can you help the environment at home with family and friends?
How can you protect the environment in your community?
How do our choices affect the world?

As students contribute to the discussion, jot down their responses in the relevant circle on the whiteboard.

Step 2

Explain to your students that understanding our environmental impact helps us make informed decisions, promotes healthier decisions, and allows us to foster global responsibility to ensure a more sustainable future for all.

Find Out: What is Earth Hour

Step 1

Show this video to students

Youtube - Earth Hour 2024 Official Video - (youtu.be/HeX1h24ntZY)

Step 2

Conduct a five-minute survey with students to deepen their understanding of the concept of Earth Hour on the Student Worksheet. Copy the table below on a whiteboard, and allow students to add to their responses using the key terms and phrases.

This table will assist your students in the Take Action element of this lesson, so it is recommended that you leave it on display for your students.

What is Earth Hour?	Earth Hour is an annual global event organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to raise awareness about climate change and environmental issues.
Why is Earth Hour important?	The event encourages people to consider their environmental impact whilst inspiring long-term actions and changes in behaviour to support a more sustainable future.
What does Earth Hour encourage people to do?	It encourages people to consider their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices.
Who can participate in Earth Hour?	Individuals, communities, schools and businesses.
How do you participate in Earth Hour?	Earth Hour is when non-essential electric lights are turned off for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm local time, on a specific day, usually the last Saturday of March. For schools, Earth Hour is usually on the Friday before.

Learning support: Provide students with the table before the survey to allow students to use key terms and phrases in their responses.

Take Action: Getting involved in Earth Hour

Step 1

Your students’ task is to create a poster encouraging people in their community to participate in Earth Hour. Students can refer to the table for the information they require for their poster.

Posters should include:

title
date and time
how to participate
why it matters
images and drawings

Encourage students to use colourful markers and drawings to make their posters stand out! You may like to demonstrate to students how to write in a large and readable font.

Literacy extension: Students create a catchy slogan to include on their poster, such as ‘Switch Off, Shine On’ or ‘Lights Out for a Brighter Future’.

Step 2

Make a list with your students of suitable spaces in the school to display the posters to spread awareness and encourage participation in Earth Hour. You can photocopy student posters and allocate time for your class to display the posters around the school.

Reflection

Lead a discussion with your students on the following prompts:

How will you participate in Earth Hour?
What other actions can you take to protect our environment?

Earth Hour - Posters for the Planet

Go to

Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

Lesson Guides and Printables

Lesson Details

Skills

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Additional Info

Related Professional Learning

In this lesson