Climate change is a big issue in my classroom and something that I endeavour to teach my pupils about. In our local area one very obvious impact of climate change is flooding. In recent years the flooding on school routes and the school playground are very obvious. I would engage my pupils in discussions about how this flooding has happened. We would talk about how our school was originally built on a green site on the edge of the town. Now, however, it has been greatly extended and all surfaces around it are either concrete or tarmac which leave nowhere for excess water to soak in. I would complete experiments about the type of drainage different surface coverings can offer and watch videos in relation to it. We would plant native trees on any existing grass area if possible.
Leading on from this we would discuss the very serious issue of melting ice caps. For younger pupils they can be introduced to this by watching the movie Ice Age, The Meltdown. Experiments with ice cubes bring a tangible experience to this where children create their own plasticine polar bears and leave them on ice cubes while slowly adding warm water to their tub. As they see the ice melt before their eyes the get a powerful message about the destruction of the habitat for polar bears and other Arctic animals.
Another impact of climate change is the increase in temperatures. We would explore temperatures throughout the world, investigate what the weather was like when their grandparents were young and explore possible reasons for any changes. I would install a waterbutt at school to collect rainwater for times when the school flowers, pots and garden requires extra watering and encourage the children to do so at home too.