Understanding Climate Change

Key Understandings

• There are different types of weather.
• Climate is a year long pattern.
• The atmosphere insulates and protects the earth.
• There are six greenhouse gases.
• Changes to our climate system as a result of global warming is occurring.

•  There are causes, effects and consequences of climate change.

• Individuals, communities and Local Governments have a responsibility in making informed choices to find a balance to live both comfortably and sustainably and to address the issue of climate change and take positive action.
• Information about climate change is presented in numerous ways.
• There are differing views, opinions and evidence on climate change
• Climate change is a local, national and global issue.
• Climate change affects more than us.
  

Focus Questions

•  What are climate change and global warming?

•  What is the difference between the greenhouse effect and the enhanced greenhouse effect?

•  How does climate change affect you? How does climate change affect different groups of people? •  How can we reduce climate change? •  What can we do and why is it important to get involved? •  Why is it important to keep looking for new and better ways of reducing the impacts of climate change?

Key Literacy Terms

air, alternatives, animals, atmosphere , behaviour, birds, Best Environmental Practices (BEP's), biodiversity, care, cars, changing, chimneys, citizens, clean, climate, clouds, colours, conserve, conservation, consumers, cultural values, ecosystem, emissions, energy, endangered, environment, environmental values, equipment, ethics, exhausts, facilities, features, fields, government, human-made, impacts, implementation, Indigenous peoples, planes, interest group, investigate, leisure, local, look after, maintenance, motorbikes, nature, ocean, particles, permits, pollution, protect, rare, resource, restrictions, safety, sea, signs, smog, smoke, sources, technology, threatened, tourism, transport, trucks, water, weather, wood heaters, work.

Key Learning Areas

•  Society and Environment;
•  Science;
•  Literacy;
•  Numeracy; and
•  The Arts.

Outcomes

The unit focuses on core learning outcomes from the SOSE, Literacy, ICT and Science Syllabuses/ Curriculum Frameworks.

•  Collecting, analysing and organising information;
•  Communicating ideas and information;
•  Planning and organising activities;
•  Working with others in teams;
•  Using mathematical ideas and techniques;
•  Solving problems; and
•  Using technology.

Planning Considerations

Some tips to help the unit run smoothly:

•  Read through the unit thoroughly and highlight activities you think are most relevant to your students;

•  Consider which of the key learning outcomes from your State Syllabus are most likely to “come out” of the unit;

•  Gather together key resources used in the unit, eg. photographs, picture books, resource sheets etc. (see resources page);

•  You may wish to write to parents informing them of the topic, sharing the understandings for the unit and inviting any assistance and resources; and

•  Organise a learning log for each student.