Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goal: Students participating in this activity are able to identify their existing knowledge around climate change and major environmental issues and are able to make predictions about environmental change.

Teacher content information:

Video - CLIMATE 101 with Bill NYE - https://youtu.be/3v-w8Cyfoq8

In addition, this image shows possible climate change impacts around Australia and this website allows you to experiment with different climate futures.

For more reliable information about climate change in Australia, visit the Climate Council.

The IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was created to:

provide policymakers (governments) with regular scientific updates about climate change;
highlight the impact climate change will have on the planet in the future; and,
offer some ideas about how to tackle the challenges of climate change's potential effects on the planet.

In 2021-22, the IPCC released their sixth assessment report. This is the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change.

The report makes a number of important points:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.
Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades (B1). The report describes five possible climate futures, where #1 is not great and #5 is extremely bad. If we want to keep global warming at less than two degrees, which the IPCC says is the best-case scenario, we need to reduce our CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions significantly and start right away.

'Net zero' or 'carbon neutral' are terms that refer to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Getting to net zero means we can still produce some emissions, so long as we're doing something else to reduce the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere at the same time, kind of like balancing a set of scales (more info).

Psychological safety. The IPCC Report sets a hard challenge. While this real-world issue is essential for students to understand, there is no doubt it can make them feel sad or anxious about the future is becoming darker and scarier by the day.

So, reassure students that we can have a hopeful and optimistic outlook on this report, rather than one of doom and gloom. Explain that optimism involves looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good (more info), and that hope is the belief that you can make an impact (more info). Explain to students that you are going to look ahead, identify what needs to be improved, and then work on the skills and confidence so that they can go out and do it.

If you're interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.

Student and classroom organisation

Step 1.

Begin by asking students to read the We Are the Weather Maker quotes and complete the table (available on the Student Worksheet): 4 things I already know about the environmental problems confronting Planet Earth and 4 things I want to know about the environmental problems confronting Planet Earth.

Ask students to each share one item from each column with the class.

Step 2.

Divide students into pairs and ask each pair to fill in the Y-chart, describing what the environment around them looks like, feels like and sounds like. Students should include information about the local community as well as the town you live in or the city closest to you. Students should retain the Y-chart until the end of the activity.

Step 3.

Ask groups to imagine that they have been asked to prepare a secret document about the current state of the planet. It will be placed in a time capsule for future generations. The capsule will be sealed and buried on the coast of South Australia. They should include information about Planet Earth's forests, atmosphere, water, population, resource use, etc.

To begin this process groups should make a list of 30 pieces of information they would include about the environment of our world. Groups should then decide on a 'Top Ten' of information they would place into the secret documents based on their current knowledge. Students can create an infographic detailing their 'Top Ten', ranking them in order of most to least important. DIY infographic background information.

Once complete, lead a class discussion around the similarities and differences between groups. Students could categorise responses into groups, such as business, environment, housing, possessions, etc.

Step 4.

Now ask students to imagine they are living in the year 2200. They come across upon the secret documents while swimming at the beach. The environment in the year 2200 is completely different to that which they read about in the documents. Using another Y-chart, ask groups to make some predictions about what the environment will look like, feel like and sound like in the year 2200. Students could use the Cool Australia Climate Change Toolbox for some ideas on what our environment will look like in the future.

Reflection

Ask students to create a timeline (either drawing, desktop program or online tool such as Padlet) showing the timing of the events that occurred between now and 2200 in our environment. What happened first? What did this lead to? What were the last things to have happened?

Homework/Extension

Ask students to research the following question: How will climate change affect me? Students can record a short podcast or video message to answer the question and present their research.

Weather Makers - Tuning in to our environment

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