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Climate change is affecting my own area by making weather patterns less predictable and more extreme. Storms are dangerous and increased rainfall is affecting agriculture. This is significant enough that even some older children can notice the difference from when they were younger as it’s recently gotten much worse.
Some actions that we could do to make the world a better place and slow down climate change are conducting a walkability survey to send to officials to make the roads around the school safer, thus increasing foot and bicycle traffic.
We could become climate detectives and conduct research that could be shared to a wider audience to increase awareness on climate change and how it’s affecting not just Ireland but the world.
We could work on the schools energy usage and try to switch to a renewable energy source.
The work on climate change would probably be the easiest to integrate into SSE with recycling, energy, biodiversity and travel targets that would be easily measured.
To help the students to learn how to welcome refugees I would show them some of the videos to change the way you see refugees.
Diversity days are a tried and trusted way to integrate students from abroad and this could be extended to focus on areas where refugees are coming from.
We could reach out to Doras to see what resources they have for school children.
We could also set up a welcome café to celebrate diversity and encourage intercultural exchange.
Celebrating and valuing different cultures, religions and backgrounds is key to welcoming those from different backgrounds to our own.
We could educate the students about how and why people become refugees and watch videos and listen to stories of the children affected (making sure they are not too much for a younger audience first.
It can be difficult to celebrate different cultures whilst being wary of tokenism so this must be kept in mind.
A lot of this is measurable in an SSE context, from surveys to milestones I think it could a great topic to focus on for SSE.
To help the students to learn how to welcome refugees I would show them some of the videos to change the way you see refugees.
Diversity days are a tried and trusted way to integrate students from abroad and this could be extended to focus on areas where refugees are coming from.
We could reach out to Doras to see what resources they have for school children.
We could also set up a welcome café to celebrate diversity and encourage intercultural exchange.
Celebrating and valuing different cultures, religions and backgrounds is key to welcoming those from different backgrounds to our own.
We could educate the students about how and why people become refugees and watch videos and listen to stories of the children affected (making sure they are not too much for a younger audience first.
It can be difficult to celebrate different cultures whilst being wary of tokenism so this must be kept in mind.
A lot of this is measurable in an SSE context, from surveys to milestones I think it could a great topic to focus on for SSE
That’s a great idea Clodagh and a very worthwhile goal to look at. Many of us take our access to clean water for granted every day. It would also be worth looking at the impact of water loss for extended periods in affluent countries like Flint, Michigan.
Focusing on Sustainable Development Goal number 7 is a good idea because climate change can’t be combatted if the alternative to climate change inducing activity isn’t there. Ireland’s position as a car dependent country means that there is a lot of room for improvement. Educating the students on how carbon heavy all vehicles are (including electric vehicles) is a good place to start. We could then allow the students to catalogue the main reasons people drive to and around our school and what are the obstacles to the alternatives. Completing walkability surveys, canvassing for bike lanes and improved public transport could be impactful initiatives. This would link well with the Priority Action Area 5: Accelerating Local Level Actions and hopefully snowball in the community.
We would also look at the schools’ energy usage and ways that can be improved and maybe even switched to renewable energy.
Again, we could set sustainability, energy and travel targets and check milestones as we progress in those areas.
That’s a great example Robyn. Pink was actually a “boys” colour as recently as the 1800s! It represented the flushed skin of exertion apparently. I use that example for my class to teach how these stereotypes are only inventions.
As I work in an all boys school, the scenarios involving gender stereotypes are endless. One that stands out for me last year wasn’t as impactful as the bullying or peer pressure but it felt important. I was getting a class with a boy who was famous for his encyclopaedic knowledge of animals, younger students would quiz him and as someone who loves animals I was excited to plan lessons around this interest. By the time school started in September he had decided that “animals aren’t cool” anymore which his parents told me was due to boys making fun of him for his interests and calling him names based around gender. He pivoted to soccer as his new interest and that lead to him making different friends. It shows the power of gender norms and how they can impact younger people in subtle yet drastic ways.
Incorporating SSE could mean setting targets for gender equality and breaking down gender norms in our school. This would have to start with the staff as we have been affected our whole lives and pass these stereotypes down subconsciously.
Ehigie’s (2021) paper describes global citizenship’s role in taking on the challenges the world faces through collective education, action and advocacy.
The paper addresses an issue that we as a species have been aware of for centuries but fail to tackle collectively, the fact that we, as a species, are one. When this line of thinking takes place we lift humanity up but as far as we’ve come there is so much more to do. Without developmental education we tend to think on a micro level, family, country, race, religion etc… and this leads to a lack of understanding about how the world works and precipitates and repetition of past failures. Education can lead us to see the world in terms of communities and “global neighbourhoods”, thereby giving impetus to the idea of looking out for each other on a macro level.
We already engage in global citizenship through our green-schools program and switching this focus from how our action after others around the world environmentally to the other ways we engage in global citizenship should be the goal.
Similarly our SSE targets for sustainability can be altered to reflect poverty, inequality, human rights etc…
You could also show them the recent deforestation events in New Zealand and other countries along with EO images of areas that have been affected by deforestation, areas with resulting desertification being the most dramatic.
This is a great question and one that strikes me every time I’m in a city that benefits from good urban planning vs when I’m in Galway or Cork for example.
Research question, “How has climate change affected climate change in Ireland and how is it predicted to do so in future?”
Student Participation:
I would begin with a KWL chart about weather and climate in Ireland followed by estimates for storm numbers and rainfall. It would be key here to clarify weather, climate, extreme weather and what was expected of them in using the scientific method.
I would show the students the climate aid 2020 video for interest and context building
The students would then be asked to formulate their own hypotheses based on extreme weather events in Ireland and how they can be measured.
The class could then avail of the tools the tealtool, the Copernicus project and the EO website to chart the changes in climate and weather events in Ireland and abroad trying to recognise patterns and predict outcomes. They would be expected to analyse the data and determine its value.
The students then collect and compile suitable data and analyse their findings, comparing metrics, data and tools.
Students would then ask questions and give feedback on each others projects before completing their projects.
The class would then finish off with a group project presenting their findings and sharing the research with a wider audience, either through showing to other classes, a green-schools assembly or publishing on the school website.
I think the vegetation health will become a huge visual indicator for climate change, especially as there is mass forest die off around the globe. Would be interesting to compare vegetation at different times of the year historically vs recently as well.
I think it performed best for me when comparing the before and after of natural disasters, I think comparing weather patterns and history of disasters is a great idea too.
The EO browser is basically an archive of multiple satellite’s images of earth from different points in time with different data visualizations for things like vegetation cover and moisture.
My elevator pitch would keep it simple. This is a resource that every teacher in senior classes should try out, it’s a website that allows you to see and compare satellite images of earth over time. It has a wide array of lenses, light band and filters to help you to examine and compare the difference and impact that climate change could have over time. Not only is that but there is a huge range for exploration for the student and pre selected “images of the month” which mean there is scope for all levels of interest and technological competence. I found the Copernicus education browser to be excellent as well even though it’s a lot more limited. It still has huge swathes of data available and would either be the preferable site for younger classes or a great intro for the EO browser.
I think the potential for these sites is great not only for Climate but for geography and science and history lessons in general.