Climate Change and the Environment: For the teacher

Key Learning Area: Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE)

Year Level: Upper Primary

Lesson Duration: 6 lessons

Lesson’s overall aim:

Students investigate the issue of climate change and the environment. They examine the impact that they might be having on the environment. They consider ways that they can reduce their impact and then influence others to make positive changes for a better world – for our planet's people, plants and animals.

Curriculum links

Links to the Australian Curriculum

Learning outcomes

Skills:

  • Research
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Reporting
  • Presentation
  • Teamwork

Values:

  • Integrity
  • Respect
  • Responsibility

Resources

Research by the world's scientists, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, suggests that:

  • On average, the Earth's temperature has already risen by around 0.7°C over the past hundred years, and is projected to increase from 1.0°C–6.4°C by the end of the 21st century.
  • Sea levels are rising as oceans expand and glaciers and ice sheets melt. By 2100 sea levels may rise by 18–59cm.
  • Changes in climate patterns mean we will see some weather events and extremes such as heat waves, floods and storms, droughts and bushfires become more frequent, more widespread or more intense.
  • We will see adverse impacts on plants, animals and human health as climate patterns shift.

Source: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Before starting this unit with your class, it is suggested that you familiarise yourself with the issues around climate change and the environment by visiting the Australian Government's Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website.

Graphic organisers are suggested in this unit to focus student thinking.

Links can be made to Values Education as student learning focuses on the following values from the Nine Values for Australian Schooling:

  • Integrity – Act in accordance with principles of moral and ethical conduct, ensure consistency between words and deeds
  • Respect – Treat others with consideration and regard, respect another person's point of view
  • Responsibility – Be accountable for one's own actions, resolve differences in constructive, non-violent and peaceful ways, contribute to society and to civic life, take care of the environment.

For the teacher | Introduction | Overall Aims | Investigation: Tuning in | Investigation: Research | Investigation: Analysing | Investigation: Taking Action | Evaluation and assessment | Resources

Back to Upper Primary Teaching and Learning Activities