Curriculum Zone

Curriculum

Sophie Thorpe

A curriculum for a hot planet

Sophie Thorpe, a Geography teacher in a large comprehensive school in south London, shared her experience of interdisciplinary teaching with a focus upon the climate change.  This session identified the rewards and challenges of designing a climate-specific curriculum and through discussion, explored ways of embedding the teaching of the climate crisis into every subject.

Sophie teaches at Thomas Tallis School in London (motto “education to understand the world and change it for the better”) - see https://www.thomastallisschool.com/Link opens in a new window.

https://warwick.padlet.org/aball116/z6iy2fkw5h68aqgwLink opens in a new window

For the first Green Space Day, a series of resources were collected together around this theme which you are welcome to explore and use in your teaching. Please note that they were accurate and live in April 2022, but some may have been replaced or removed, as we have no control over external resources. The resources are labelled with the following colours and shapes to denote their suitability for particular age phases:

Early Years: Primary: Secondary:

Resource title, description and link	Suitable for
Climate in Colour - Jocelyn Longdon - video (54 mins) A video recording of an online talk from the Primary Climate Science Symposium (November 21). Jocelyn Longdon from Climate in Colour aimed at making conversations around climate more accessible and diverse. https://climateincolour.com/aboutLink opens in a new window
Greening your curriculum and school systems - discussion - video (63 mins) A video recording of an online discussion from the Primary Climate Science Symposium (November 21). Panel members are Amy Ball (World Wild Life), Elizabeth Chambers (Royal Society) and Olivia Sweeney (Resource Futures). https://www.worldwildlife.orgLink opens in a new window https://royalsociety.orgLink opens in a new window https://www.resourcefutures.co.ukLink opens in a new window
World Wildlife Fund - website - resources for schools https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schoolsLink opens in a new window
The Guardian - 21/6/19 “Teachers want Climate Crisis Training, poll shows” This article discusses the findings of YouGov research commissioned by Oxfam which found that 75% of teachers felt that they had insufficient training to educate students about climate change. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/21/teachers-want-climate-crisis-training-poll-showsLink opens in a new window
SEED – Sustainability and Environmental Education – website – lists of learning resources https://se-ed.co.uk/a-collated-list-of-online-climate-change-learning-resources/Link opens in a new window
UN Climate Change Conference UK: COP 26 - website - resources for schools (schools pack) https://together-for-our-planet.ukcop26.org/Link opens in a new window
Understanding the World Resources - Eco, recycling and the environment - website https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/early-years-topics/early-years-everyday-life/early-years-eco-recycling-environmentLink opens in a new window
World Wildlife Fund - Early Years Classroom Resources https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/resources/early-years-resourcesLink opens in a new window
First Discovers - Environmental Awareness in your Early Years Setting - website https://www.firstdiscoverers.co.uk/environmental-awareness-early-years-setting/Link opens in a new window
School Reading Lists - Environment, climate change and eco topics book https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/books-for-topics/environment-eco/Link opens in a new window
Nursery World - Education for Sustainability: hot topic https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/features/article/eyfs-activities-education-for-sustainability-hot-topicLink opens in a new window
Teachwire - Climate Change for Kids review of resources https://www.teachwire.net/news/climate-change-and-global-warming-ks2-teaching-resourcesLink opens in a new window
Learning through Landscapes - charity promoting the value of Outdoor Learning https://www.ltl.org.uk/about-us/Link opens in a new window
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology https://fore.yale.edu/Climate-Emergency/Climate-Change-Statements-from-World-ReligionsLink opens in a new window
Countryside Classroom - connecting schools with food, farming and the natural environment https://www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk/Link opens in a new window
Forest School Association https://forestschoolassociation.org/Link opens in a new window

Resource title, description and link

Suitable for

Climate in Colour - Jocelyn Longdon - video (54 mins)

A video recording of an online talk from the Primary Climate Science Symposium (November 21). Jocelyn Longdon from Climate in Colour aimed at making conversations around climate more accessible and diverse.

https://climateincolour.com/aboutLink opens in a new window

Greening your curriculum and school systems - discussion - video (63 mins)

A video recording of an online discussion from the Primary Climate Science Symposium (November 21). Panel members are Amy Ball (World Wild Life), Elizabeth Chambers (Royal Society) and Olivia Sweeney (Resource Futures).

World Wildlife Fund - website - resources for schools

https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schoolsLink opens in a new window

The Guardian - 21/6/19 “Teachers want Climate Crisis Training, poll shows”

This article discusses the findings of YouGov research commissioned by Oxfam which found that 75% of teachers felt that they had insufficient training to educate students about climate change.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/21/teachers-want-climate-crisis-training-poll-showsLink opens in a new window

SEED – Sustainability and Environmental Education – website – lists of learning resources

https://se-ed.co.uk/a-collated-list-of-online-climate-change-learning-resources/Link opens in a new window

UN Climate Change Conference UK: COP 26 - website - resources for schools (schools pack)

https://together-for-our-planet.ukcop26.org/Link opens in a new window

Understanding the World Resources - Eco, recycling and the environment - website

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/early-years-topics/early-years-everyday-life/early-years-eco-recycling-environmentLink opens in a new window

World Wildlife Fund - Early Years Classroom Resources

https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/resources/early-years-resourcesLink opens in a new window

First Discovers - Environmental Awareness in your Early Years Setting - website

https://www.firstdiscoverers.co.uk/environmental-awareness-early-years-setting/Link opens in a new window

School Reading Lists - Environment, climate change and eco topics book

https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/books-for-topics/environment-eco/Link opens in a new window

Nursery World - Education for Sustainability: hot topic

https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/features/article/eyfs-activities-education-for-sustainability-hot-topicLink opens in a new window

Teachwire - Climate Change for Kids review of resources

https://www.teachwire.net/news/climate-change-and-global-warming-ks2-teaching-resourcesLink opens in a new window

Learning through Landscapes - charity promoting the value of Outdoor Learning

https://www.ltl.org.uk/about-us/Link opens in a new window

Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology

https://fore.yale.edu/Climate-Emergency/Climate-Change-Statements-from-World-ReligionsLink opens in a new window

Countryside Classroom - connecting schools with food, farming and the natural environment

https://www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk/Link opens in a new window

Forest School Association

https://forestschoolassociation.org/Link opens in a new window