CLIMate CHANGE
‘I’ve learnt that no one is too small to make a difference’ – Greta Thunberg
“Climate change has been a welcome addition to our teaching curriculum. Its cross curricular links are evident for pupils and staff and it has been lovely to see the pupils becoming so invested in it” - MV Staff
“We are learning how climate change is affecting the animals and we want to save them.” - MV Pupil
“I think climate change is so important for us to learn about as it can change our future. Some of the world leaders are not taking it seriously and this makes me angry.” - MV Pupil
“My child came home from climate change week and told us everything that they have learnt. Whenever we go to the supermarket now we always try to buy products that do not have plastic in them and we have created lots of bug hotels for our garden.” - MV Parent/Carer
"I would love to have more lessons about climate change." - MV Pupil
“When we started making our Eco-Bricks I could not believe how much plastic was non-recyclable. We filled our bricks very quickly and it was an eye-opening moment for us too!” - MV Parent/Carer
"Climate Change is a brilliant addition to the Morley Victoria Curriculum and the impact it has had on the school community so far, especially the children, has been wonderful to see and hear about." - School Governor
Our Climate Change Curriculum aims to:
- Allow our children to understand the scientific background surrounding climate change
- Create awareness of the urgency and need for action
- Teach our your young people about the impact of climate change and what they can do to make a difference to the future
- Allow our children to articulate their feelings and emotions surrounding this area
Climate Change in EYFS
Climate Change knowledge, understanding and skill development in EYFS is taught under the ‘Understanding the World’ section of Development Matters. Climate Change taught by exploring and playing in purposeful well thought out areas of provision, through active learning and through creating and thinking critically.
In EYFS the children:
- Explore the natural world, including trips and experiences.
- Begin to understand and care for their environment and all living things.
- Know that their choices can make a difference.
- Explore simple things they can do to save energy, recycle etc.
- Recognise and talk about different weathers.
The lessons provide children with a solid base to allow them to access the National Curriculum in Year 1.
At Morley Victoria we understand the importance in teaching children about worldwide issues current leaders are facing. Climate change is at the forefront and we see it as our responsibility to ensure our children not only hold the knowledge to understand the problem but we encourage them to actively participate in questioning solutions and begin to take actions themselves. Some of the challenges involved in climate change may feel big and scary for children; we offer a safe, guided space to explore and reflect on what is happening in the world, developing a sense of shared responsibility and building upon their understanding and feeling of empowerment.
In Key Stage 1 the children learn about the changing weather and climate, identifying the impact of this on some animals, plants and environments both in our locality and elsewhere. This develops further into Key Stage 2 where the children look specifically at the impact of fossil fuels, carbon footprint and begin to make predictions based on current trends. There is a heavy focus throughout school on responses to climate change with initiatives such as planting trees, renewable energy and strike action.
We also give children the opportunity to become elected as part of our ‘Eco Committee’. This gives the children a voice in the way our school can become more environmentally friendly. The first step in our journey to a greener school will be creating an action plan to work towards gaining the accredited Green Flag, Eco Schools award. Climate change is also a hot topic on the agenda at our Cluster Council Meetings which involves all schools in Morley and in council events that involve school council representatives from all over Leeds.
Please CLICK HERE to visit the Eco-Committee Page on our website
When learning about climate change, creating a link with home is essential to allow children opportunities to put their learning into action and try out sustainable methods within their homes and communities. This year we have looked at the impact of non-recyclable plastic on the environment (both in landfill sites and the ocean). Children in all years created ‘Eco-bricks’ at home. We have used these bricks to design and build sustainable sculptures in our school grounds, such as a bird table.
There are so many wonderful books written about this important area, here are our top reads:
- The Story if Climate Change C Barr and S Williams
- Greta and the Giants Z Tucker and Z Persico
- Our Planet M Whyman
- What a Waste J French
- Climate Change (Infographic) R Twiddy
Here are our top 10 tips to support climate change at home:
- Avoid using the car for short journeys – cars are more polluting than other forms of transport such as bikes, walking or public transport.
- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – sustainable shopping is key to helping the climate. Make sure any unwanted items are either reused in a useful way or donated to a local charity shop.
- Look at reducing your consumption of meat one or two days of the week – the meat industry is a huge contributor to global warming. There are now lots of meat free alternatives in supermarkets – test one out and see if you like it!
- Use energy such as heating, electricity and water wisely – changing from energy efficient light bulbs and unplugging electronics that are not in use can save you money too!
- Consider growing some of your own fruit and vegetables – the summer months are perfect for growing tomatoes, strawberries among other foods. This will reduce the carbon used to transport goods to a supermarket and the non-recyclable plastic used to package them.
- Try to use reusable items such as shopping bags and water bottles - you can now get reusable sandwich bags and cosmetic products such as cotton pads.
- Take a shower instead of a bath – baths use a lot more water!
- Reduce the food wastage in your household – buy only what you definitely need. You could always create a compost area to turn wasted food into fresh soil.
- Spend more time outdoors exploring nature – understanding and respecting nature is key to helping climate change. Maybe you could organise a litter pick whilst you’re exploring?
- Use your voice and help educate friends and family on how to be more environmentally friendly!
For help and support at home please visit:
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/general-geography/what-is-climate-change/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/live-lessons/climate-change-for-children/z77wvk7
