Climate change is rapidly affecting our world and it is important for children to learn how climate change is affecting their local area. Flooding is evident in my locality. Rising sea and river tides has brought about extreme flooding and considerable damage to homes and amenities in my locality. It has also had a negative effect on water quality for plant and animal life, fish and sea life. It is also evident in our drinking water where many homes must use a water filter. Children in the local schools can learn about this by doing research on water quality in their local area and compare it with water samples from another area. The children can also do projects on how poor water quality effects plant and animal life. Projects can be done on a local and global level to help the children realise that this is a world -wide issue.
Having open conversations with children about climate change and how it is affecting their locality is a good place to start. Allowing the children to actively engage in raising awareness of climate change will help them to engage, understand and empathise with the topic. I suggest activities such as tracking weather through weather reports and reading real life stories of how weather is effecting peoples’ lives will help show that action is needed.
Trips to the local beach to witness sea erosion would also make this topic more real and accessible to the children. Discussing current governmental initiatives with the children will educate them further and help empower them to participate in change. For example the introduction of a cycle lane in my local area. Children can engage in a walking debate to highlight the pros and cons of this initiative.
In the school I work in the children and staff are very good at recycling and reusing. The next step, and one that is often overlooked it to ‘reduce’. It is important to teach the children that we first need to reduce the amount of things in our lives.
A school garden is also a nice idea to teach children about the importance of plants and also shopping locally.
Getting involved with the local Tidy Towns Committee in litter picking is another idea action to engage in.