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Climate Change

Learn how to teach climate change in a proactive and constructive way. Resources are available to explore sustainable futures, climate science and climate justice.

Climate Change Student image
Primary

Climate Change and the Environment Investigation: Tuning in
Stages 2 to 3 | Cross KLA | Unit of work, student activity | Education Services Australia

Primary and Secondary

Stand Up for Your Climate/Future – Using climate change as the central issue, this teaching and learning sequence seeks to strengthen students’ critical and creative thinking skills as an integral part of becoming socially and scientifically literate and active citizens.There are 8 modules linked to the Australian Curriculum. 
Stages 3 to 6 | Cross KLA | AAEE 

CSIRO Sustainable Futures – This is an innovative school-based education program that combines the latest climate science with education for sustainability. Includes interactive student activities, case studies, online games and videos describing cutting edge research.
Stages 2 to 5 | Cross KLA | Units of work, information, student activity | CSIRO

The Language of Climate Change Science: A pre-school to Yr 8 teaching and learning progression
Stage 1- 4  | English, Science, Geography | Primary English Teachers Association of Australia 

Adapt NSW Climate Change Teacher Resources
Stages 3 – 6 | Cross KLA | Information, units of work | Department of Environment & Heritage 

Cool Australia – Primary & secondary climate change education resources 
Stages 1 – 5 | Integrated Inquiry Australian Curriculum aligned lesson plans | Cool Australia

Climate Change Resources via Scootle Scootle is a national digital learning repository which provides Australian teachers with access to more than 20,000 digital learning items, provided by a wide array of contributors and aligned to core areas of the Australian Curriculum. All Australian educators, from pre-service teachers through to principals, have access to Scootle.
Stages 1 to 5 | Cross KLA | Units of work, information, student activity | Education Services Australia

Climate Change – provides accurate observations and information about our changing climate. 
Stages 3 to 6 | Cross KLA | Information | Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Climate Change: ABC educational resources and supports the teaching of science and geography as part of the Australian Curriculum.
Stages 3 to 6 | Cross KLA | Information | ABC Education

Global warming and climate change – outlines the science and impacts of global warming and climate change and some possible solutions.
Stages 3 to 6 | Cross KLA | Information | World Wildlife Fund

Our climate system: how it works and changes – explains the processes that drive our climate with particular reference to NSW.
Stages 3 to 6 | Cross KLA | Information | NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

Raising children to thrive in a climate changed world – Information sheet about the skills and capacities that children will need to keep working to restore a safe climate, and a guide for parents to respond to the current crisis of climate change. 
Information | Australian Psychological Society 

Understanding Climate Change – provides answers to some common climate change science questions.
Stages 4 to 6 | Science | Information | CSIRO

Climate Change Resources for Rethinking online database and PDF summary of teaching resources. Resources for Rethinking is developed by Learning for a Sustainable Future (a not-proft Canadian organisation) and connects teachers to lesson plans, books, videos and other materials that explore the environmental, social and economic dimensions of important issues and events unfolding in our world today.
Stage 3 – 6 | Cross KLA | Units of Work, Activities | Learning for a Sustainable Future

Secondary

Climate Classrooms 
A series of lesson plans on Climate Science for use teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics
Stages 4 to 6 | STEAM | Lesson Plans | Monash University

Climate Change Science and Solutions: Free e-book presents scientific information on a series of climate change topics relevant to Australia and the world. It articulates how human activities affect our climate, what changes we have seen already, what further changes we can expect, and what we might do to reduce future changes and live with those that are now inevitable.
Stage 4 – 6  |Science, Geography | Information | CSIRO

Stay Tuned to our Planet, is a mini climate action series and online resources that delivers simple, everyday actions to help the planet.  Designed for teens to unpack environmental issues and reduce climate-anxiety. 
Stage 4 – 6 | The Feds

Climate Conversations
Conversations (live and recordings available) with 100 visionary Australians taking effective action on climate change. 
Stage 4 – 6  |Science, Geography, Design and Tech, Agriculture | Information | Powerhouse Museum

Climate Change Teaching Mini Unit: Over approximately seven weeks, students explore the carbon cycle and the four global systems: biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere. Students will investigate greenhouses gases and carbon dioxide and describe the relationship between the carbon cycle and climate change. 
Stage 5 | Science | Unit of work, activities | Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Coral Bleaching Teaching Unit: Students will observe different animal and plant cells under the microscope and will investigate the structure and function of different animal cells and observe and describe the function of chloroplast in plant cells. Students will investigate zooxanthellae and their symbiotic relationship with coral and use this understanding to explain coral bleaching.
Stage 4 | Science | Unit of work, activities | Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

This is what climate change looks like: Australian Climate Council Report highlights recent examples of the impacts on Australian ecosystems. 
Stage 4 – 6 |Science, Geography | Information | Australian Climate Council

Switched on Schools: Australian Youth Climate Coalition provides a range of programs to ignite students interest in climate justice. Through a  unique peer-to-peer approach, high school students develop their understanding of sustainability and build skills in change-making. Climate Justice Summits and Student Leadership Programs. 
Stage 4 – 6 | Australian Youth Climate Coalition 

Climate Solutions 101
A 6 part series focused on climate solutions, presented through videos and in depth discussions
Stage 5 to 6 | Information | Project Draw Down

Our Climate Our Future: Alliance for Climate Education (American NFP) provides short videos on different climate topics including explaining climate change, climate science, justice and activism. Educator resources include teaching activities and information resources. You need to create a login, it is based on American examples but transferable, it is free and videos are good quality. 
Stage 4 – 6 | Science, Geography, Art |  Alliance for Climate Education

Interactive computer activities

Mt Resiliance an augmented reality experience which allows you to see how we can prepare our towns for the weather we’re likely to see on a warmer planet. To visit, you’ll need a smartphone or a tablet.

Your Ecological footprint – how much land area does it take to support your lifestyle? Take this quiz and discover your biggest areas of resource consumption, and learn how you can tread more lightly on the planet.

Australian Greenhouse Calculator helps you explore how your lifestyle contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. 

Information websites

Climate Kids NASA answers the big questions, incorporates facts, information and games explaining evidence for climate change throughout the planet.

Film resources

Films, festivals and documentaries – Regenerating Australia, Young Voices for the Planet, Environmental Film Festival Australia, Documentary Australia Foundation, Happen Films, Green Film Festival, Picture This Festival for the Planet , The Outlook for Someday, Stay Tuned for the Planet

ABC Education resources:  

Climate change affects our mental health. Below is a list of resources that may be useful for people who are grappling with how to support students through challenging times. This is by no means an exhaustive list, rather a starting point to support student and educators wellbeing. 

Support services are available, including

 
Online wellbeing resources
 
Online climate psychology resources
 
Facilitate agency

Sustainable Schools NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. 

We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.