Bring a discussion on climate change to a wider group of people at your school.
Climate change issues are complicated and full of technical knowledge and vocabulary. But that’s no reason to shy away! The science and evidence behind the drivers of climate change – and the solutions and technologies needed to combat it – are powerful tools which can help convince citizens, companies and governments to act for good.
Bringing this discussion into the classroom is one way to start learning more about the science behind it. Why not ask your teacher if a lesson can be dedicated to the causes of climate change and global warming? And not just your science teacher either. Teachers of history, social science, civics, geography, politics, health and life skills and other areas can all provide a unique perspective on climate change and how to make a difference.
If your fellow classmates also feel strongly about this topic, why not start a dedicated club at school that focuses on environmental protection? For instance, a club could create an educational campaign for the local community, organise clean-up days at nature sites, develop workshops or competitions on clean energy innovation, and more. When a group of people focus on a shared mission, you might find that limits and boundaries of what you can accomplish together will fall away!
Further resources:
- NASA’s ClimateKids programme offers games, stories and articles to teach children about climate change, and also offers resources for teachers and educators.
- Ørsted has compiled “Easy answers to hard questions” which address how to discuss climate change among children.
- Vestas has created a Sustainability for Kids video series which explains how wind energy works.
- EDF offers a Net Zero Challenge which can be led by students to teach their classmates and community about tackling climate change.
- The KidWind program provides a full library of class activities on wind energy for elementary school, middle school and high school learners, including downloadable articles and teaching strategies.
- The COP26 team have already released school packs to help teachers and students engage in climate discussions.
- The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions provides straightforward, science-based explanations on climate change and its impacts. Teachers and educators can also find classroom guides, suggested activities, games and data visualisations on the same website here.
- Climate Outreach provides an evidence-based guide on talking about climate change with your family and friends.
- Climate Outreach provides a handbook to teachers, parents and discussion facilitators on holding a workshop on climate change, including a slide deck and a script.
- Looking to get started with podcasts which are both educational and entertaining? Connect4Climate has compiled a list of climate-related podcasts here.
