Schools get climate change resource
Programme aims to show worried youngsters what they can do.
A new tool for schools will help children understand how to live with climate change, and also how they can make a difference.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw and Education Minister Chris Hipkins will today announce that texts, videos and guidance for teachers will be available to all schools, following a pilot programme at Christchurch’s South New Brighton School in 2018.
Climate Change – prepare today, live well tomorrow would help students understand the effects of climate change on a local, national and global scale, Hipkins said.
‘‘Young people have shown us how important this topic is for them, and there’s been a lot of interest in the development of this resource,’’ he said.
‘‘It explains the role science plays in understanding climate change, aids understanding of both the response to it and its impacts – globally, nationally and locally – and explores opportunities to contribute to reducing and adapting to its impact on everyday life.’’
South New Brighton School teacher Melanie Field said there was a lot of discussion in the coastal community about sea level rise and climate change when the pilot was introduced.
At the start, many children were uncertain and fearful about the impacts of climate change, she said.
As well as providing information, the pilot also addressed the emotional side of things.
‘‘Doing the programme, they could see there were things they could do to help slow climate change and things that other countries had done to adapt to climate change. So they saw it wasn’t all over – there are things that we can do.’’
The year 7 and 8 pupils who took part in the pilot set individual goals. Some chose to mostly walk or bike to school, and others became vegetarian, Field said.
At a teachers’ course she attended, Field said some of her colleagues had been ‘‘crying out’’ for a climate change teaching resource. Having one introduced nationwide would be beneficial, she said.
‘‘The more children know about it, the more they can be positive about their future – they can make the changes that are needed.’’
Shaw, the Green Party coleader, said: ‘‘Children today are understandably growing up worried about how climate change will affect their lives.
‘‘They see the simple fact that every year they have been alive has been one of the hottest on record and they expect us to act.
‘‘Our zero carbon legislation is an important framework for lasting change, but its success depends on all of us working every single day to take the ambitious action we need. Making this resource available means children will be able to learn about what we have done to the planet, its potential impacts and what they can to help us solve the problem.’’
Following a positive evaluation, the ministry funded further development to make it applicable to all New Zealand schools, he said. The wellbeing element of the programme was also strengthened to recognise the strong emotions and reactions people experience when learning about climate change.
The resource is designed for level 4 (years 7-10).
It adds to existing curriculum resources that focus on national identity, sustainability development goals, sustainable economies and personal and environmental wellbeing.