Intended End User: Teacher, Teacher Educator
Age Group: Lower Secondary
School Curriculum: Science; Social & Environment Science; Applied Science
Themes and Topics: Behaviour & Lifestyle; Collective Action; Environmental Change; Food and Agriculture; Pedagogy Approaches
Duration: Approximately 6-8 teaching hours
Type of Resource: Assessment, Demonstration, Game, Guidelines & Notes, Audio/Video, Lesson Plans, Presentation, Project, Simulation
Keywords: Climate change, biodiversity loss, greenhouse effect, species
Languages: English
Description
This learning scenario fosters a deep understanding of climate change and biodiversity loss. Through interactive games, simulations, and the analysis of satellite data, students learn about the greenhouse effect and how even a one-degree increase impacts ecosystems globally. The activities encourage critical thinking and problem-solving while promoting environmental responsibility.
Students engage in collaborative tasks, investigate climate phenomena using real-world data, and reflect on the human impact on ecosystems. The scenario not only strengthens scientific literacy but also enhances students’ ability to connect local actions with global environmental challenges. The resource uses inquiry-based methodologies, encouraging students to propose their own solutions to biodiversity loss.By the end of the activities, students develop greater environmental awareness and feel empowered to act sustainably within their communities.
How to use this resource
In this activity, the teacher begins by introducing the concepts of biodiversity loss and climate change, using real-world examples and interactive videos. Students then analyze satellite data to visualize climate patterns and explore the impact of a one-degree temperature rise.
Next, they engage in activities that simulate climate effects on ecosystems, followed by discussions that link human actions to environmental outcomes. Students also work on a project where they brainstorm and propose individual and collective actions to protect biodiversity.
The activity concludes with an assessment and a reflection session, where students share their ideas on how small lifestyle changes can contribute to climate change mitigation.
The resources
You will find the link to the resource here:
Learning Outcomes
- Elicit prior knowledge and further develop knowledge and comprehension of key Sustainability Citizenship key concepts, challenging established worldviews and values.
- Apply a range of suitable tools and frameworks to promote student Sustainability Citizenship
- Reflect on practice and examine national curricula to identify opportunities to promote Sustainability Citizenship in interdisciplinary ways and engage with external stakeholders.
- Collaboratively synthesise the knowledge, tools and frameworks to create educational materials and lessons plans adapted to their own local context
- Develop and apply assessment criteria to evaluate Sustainability Citizenship in students.
- Through workshop activities and communities of practice, build capacity and agency as Sustainability Citizenship educators and leaders.
Green Competencies
- Embodying Sustainable Values: Valuing Sustainability; Promoting Nature
- Embracing Complexity in Sustainability: Critical Thinking; Problem Framing
- Envisioning Sustainable Futures: Futures Literacy
- Acting for Sustainability: Collective Action; Individual Initiative
Creative Commons
The resource, “Whispers of Loss: The Significance of One Degree,” was created by Georgia Laskari and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
SDGs
