Student Worksheet

Testing The Tone Of Climate Change - Activity Instructions

Climate change can evoke a range of different emotions. In a text, these emotions can be referred to as ‘tone’. Understanding and using tone can help us communicate different messages around climate change. In this activity you will compare and contrast headlines and videos that use a range of tones. You evaluate the effect that different tones have on the audience. You will then create your own messaging around climate change.

Part A. Identifying Emotions Around Climate Change

Step 1.

Climate change is a very emotive issue. Many people feel very strongly about it, but many of us feel different emotions.

Watch this clip from the 2040 documentary that explains more about climate change and which may help you to connect with your emotions around this topic:

Click to watch: Exploring the Themes (Password: 2040_EDU) (https://vimeo.com/336505203)

Once complete, reflect on your experience of this clip by completing the table below:

THINK - What does the clip make you THINK about?	FEEL - How do you FEEL about this clip?	WONDER - What do you WONDER about the clip? What questions does this clip leave you with?

Step 2.

‘Tone’ is the attitude an author has towards a topic. For example, an author may sound negative when they describe a topic. Words to communicate different tones could be:

Negative

Neutral

Positive

Concerned

Angry

Frustrated

Hostile

Certain

Direct

Instructive

Hopeful

Optimistic

Pleased

Satisfied

Step 3.

Now have a look at the table below. This table features actual news headlines around the topic of climate change. These headlines use a range of positive, neutral and negative tones. Classify the headings in the table below by writing down what tone you think the author is using. The following strategies will help you to find the tone:

Look for emotive words
Look for modality - how certain does the author sound? (will/must/might/could)
Consider the adjectives used
Consider the author’s use of language - is it formal? Informal?

Record your responses in Column C. In Column B, underline the words that you think give them that tone.

For example: AL JAZEERA - Climate change threatens 19 Million Bangladeshi Children - negative

Column A. Source	Column B. Headline	Column C. Tone words
ABC NEWS	*Will climate change be devastating for Kakadu National Park?*
THE CONVERSATION UK	*Climate change: Yes, your individual action does make a difference*
FOREIGN POLICY	*The kids are taking charge of climate policy*
AL JAZEERA	*Europe set to suffer as climate change brings mosquito threat*
UNSW NEWSROOM	*The future for climate change action is in good hands*
NEW SCIENTIST	*Climate change is making the seas rise even faster, UN Warns*
POPULAR SCIENTISTS	*Small shifts can stop climate change - if they happen in the right places*

Part B: Climate Change Trailers

Step 1.

You will now watch the trailer for the film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. As you watch, pay attention to the tone and images or words that convey that tone, and record your responses in the table below. There is an example to get you started:

Step 2.

You will now watch the trailer for the film 2040. Again, as you watch, pay attention to the tone and images or words that convey that tone, and record your responses in the table below. There is an example to get you started:

Step 3.

Take some time to reflect on the two clips you just watched by completing the table below:

Column A. Questions	Column B. What do you think?
What types of words and images created a more negative tone?
What types of words and images created a more positive tone?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of a negative tone?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of a positive tone?
What types of tone do you feel are more commonly used in the media? Why?
What types of tone do you think should be used more often?

Part C: Testing Out Tone

Step 1.

You are now going to create a climate change message for school students younger than you. You might want to warn students about some of the dangers relating to climate change, give them actions to take, or include other information that you find important or interesting. It’s up to you. You simply need to create three messages with three different intended tones.

Some intended tones you could use might be: angry, sad, positive, hopeful, anxious.

Add your tone and main message to the following table:

Show your three messages to someone in your house. Ask them which message they think is the most effective, and why.

Taking It Further

You could create a multimodal campaign that utilises a consistent tone throughout. For example, you could make a short video, social media campaign, presentation or poster that conveys the tone of your single message.

2040 - Testing The Tone Of Climate Change

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