Teacher preparation:

Overarching learning goal: In this activity students will understand the relationship between energy - in particular the type of energy - and climate change. Students will investigate the range of renewable energy technologies already available and recognise the environmental benefits of renewable energy. Students will also identify personal actions that can be taken to fight climate change.

The IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was created to:

provide policymakers (governments) with regular scientific updates about climate change;
highlight the impact climate change will have on the planet in the future; and,
offer some ideas about how to tackle the challenges of climate change's potential effects on the planet.

In 2021-22, the IPCC released their sixth assessment report. This is the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change.

The report makes a number of important points:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.
Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades (B1). The report describes five possible climate futures, where #1 is not great and #5 is extremely bad. If we want to keep global warming at less than two degrees, which the IPCC says is the best-case scenario, we need to reduce our CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions significantly and start right away.

'Net zero' or 'carbon neutral' are terms that refer to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Getting to net zero means we can still produce some emissions, so long as we're doing something else to reduce the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere at the same time, kind of like balancing a set of scales (more info).

Psychological safety. The IPCC Report sets a hard challenge. While this real-world issue is essential for students to understand, there is no doubt it can make them feel sad or anxious about the future is becoming darker and scarier by the day. So, reassure students that we can have a hopeful and optimistic outlook on this report, rather than one of doom and gloom. Explain that optimism involves looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good (more info), and that hope is the belief that you can make an impact (more info). Explain to students that you are going to look ahead, identify what needs to be improved, and then work on the skills and confidence so that they can go out and do it. If you're interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.

Student and classroom organisation:

Step 1.

Begin this activity by breaking the class into four groups and asking each group to think of 5 personal actions we can all take to help address climate change. Give groups 1 minute to think of their actions. Ask groups to share their suggestions and write these on the board. Suggestions could include:

Ride your bike or walk
Catch the bus/public transport
Eat less meat
Buy less stuff
Buy secondhand or share
Save water
Use less energy
Use renewable/green energy

Looking at the suggestions, discuss with your students which actions feature the most. Focus your discussion on energy, discussing the following with your students:

How often does energy feature?
What suggestions about energy were made?
What role does energy play in helping to fight climate change?
What is renewable/green energy?
What role does renewable energy play in fighting climate change?

Step 2.

In the next part of the activity, students will work in groups to investigate the role that alternative energy takes in helping fight climate change. Break the class into 6 groups and give each groups one of the following renewable forms of energy to explore:

Solar panels
Wind turbines
Hydropower electricity
Biomass for making fuel
Geothermal for making electricity
Electric cars

Students should spend 20 minutes investigating their energy type and creating a short (1 minute maximum) Prezi presentation on the energy type they are investigating. The presentations should include:

A description of their renewable energy and the technology used;
How and where this technology is currently being used;
What are the problems with this technology (e.g. does it have technological limitations or does it have community opposition);
How is this energy renewable and how does this energy help fight climate change?
Supporting images or video.

Ask students to share their presentations with the class. Students can use the Peer Assessment Rubric to assess the presentations of other groups (rubric also available on the student worksheet).

Assessment/Reflection

Choose one or more of the following:

1. Students should complete the quiz on the student worksheet. Set a stopwatch to 5 minutes, and ask students to swap their completed with another student for marking.

2. Ask students to complete the PMI chart (available on the student worksheet).

3. Invent a new type of renewable energy:

Working independently or in groups ask students to create a new form of alternative energy that they would like to use. For example, students students could create a way to harness the energy generated from riding bikes. How could that energy be captured and used to power, for example your laptop or charge a battery on the bike that helps you motor up the hills as you ride?
It doesn’t matter too much if the energy they create is not a realistic or viable idea; the aim here is to encourage your students to think creatively about alternative forms of energy and to justify the technologies they suggest.
Students should create a marketing brochure for their energy, describing the main features of their energy, what technology it uses and how it will help fight climate change.
Consider asking students to share their ideas with the class.

Extension/Homework

Ask students to find create a glossary for the renewable energy they are investigating. This glossary can be shared with the class.

Renewable energy and climate change

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