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Planning climate change lessons at GCSE Level.

When I start planning lessons for my GCSE groups, I always start with the specification, as this informs me what areas I need to address and the content that examiners are going to focus on when writing exams. I follow the AQA Geography specification and this is what needs to be covered at GCSE level…

Available here

I then look through different textbooks and past papers for examples of exam style questions. At work, we use the exampro service, which we find excellent and so easy to use. I do this to really try and get into the minds of the examiner and think about how they are viewing the content. It is also really helpful as there will often be different types of images and figures that are used in the exam that I might not have considered using. Here are some typical exam type questions, from a range of sources for climate change that I have come across are:

  • Explain how volcanic activity and orbital changes may cause long-term climate change.
  • Outline one strategy which aims to reduce the rate of climate change (mitigation).
  • Explain why international directives are needed to reduce carbon emissions.
  • Describe local responses to the threat of global climate change.
  • Describe the possible effects of climate change on the UK.
  • Describe and explain the global response(s) to the threat of climate change
  • Climate change has global consequences. Describe the environmental and economic consequences of climate change for the world.

All of these questions require the students to think in different ways. Some ask the student to recall information, the AO1 knowledge and AO2 Understanding. Others when using images might tackle AO3 Applying knowledge and Understanding, while others might require students to select information AO4. It is therefore important that when planning lessons for my students, that I too offer this range of different requirements.

An example of a starter I use at the start of the GCSE module on Climate Change is shown below.. I ask students to study the graph – produced by NASA and available here and to then predict what happens next, based on historical records and evidence. Students are given a copy of the graph and the x axis extended to include a further 200,000 years. The discussions that the graphs generate really helps to kick start the climate change lessons.

By using data like the graph above, it leads nicely into the idea of natural causes of climate change, as well as providing a temporal context to the issue, which is where the lesson develops and moves onto.

It is also really helpful in developing the language of the lesson, so I check that students are aware what millennia means for example.

How do you approach planning GCSE lessons from the specification, I would love to hear your thoughts..

Paul

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Climate Change Teacher

Incorporating the UNCC Learn Paris agreement module into A Level Global Governance.

As you may have read, I have recently completed the UN Climate Change Teacher course. The next step my my professional development, and also in ensuring the course has lasting impact is to incorporate the materials into my teaching. With this in mind, I thought I would share with you what I have done so far in relation to A Level geography.

The image has been taken from the AQA Geography specification available here – I decided to focus on the role of the UN here, and their role in climate change. So where to start? Well, I decided to use the material from the Paris agreement, as I felt the Paris Agreement was a really good example of an attempt at global governance, and the issues that are associated with it.

I began by looking at the aims of the Paris agreement aims. All of the quoted text below has been taken from the Take away summary resource

The Paris argeement aims to

The goals of the Agreement are to keep global temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C

By including this in the aim of the Paris agreement, there is a desire to develop a series of social norms which will in turn help to reduce global temperature rise.

These goals are to be achieved in a manner that reflects equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.

Here the concept of common goals but taking into account the level of development of the countries involved is outlined in the Paris agreement. This is an area that I wish to explore further with the students, as this will allow deep thinking about why common goals are important, but also why differentiated responsibilities and capabilities are needed in order for global governance to work in practice. I shall also explore why the Paris Agreement has moved away from defining countries as either developed or developing.

This idea of differentiated actions is further explored here

The Agreement emphasizes the capacity building needs of countries with the least capacity, such as least developed countries (LDCs), and those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, such as small island developing States (SIDS), to help them take effective climate change action including on mitigation, adaptation, technology development and transfer and to access climate finance

This will further stimulate and provide an opportunity for students to investigate one of these SISS, and investigate:

  • Why it is at risk from climate change.
  • What mitigation is taking place.
  • How is adaptation taking place.
  • Which developed countries are supporting them.

When looking at how the Paris Agreement can regulate global systems, I shall draw the students attention to how the Paris agreement works, and what is expected from each country that has signed up to the agreement, in short:

Countries are expected to communicate Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) detailing actions towards meeting the goal of the Agreement every five years. Each new NDC should represent an increase in ambition

I shall ask students to explore the NDCs of a selection of countries found here and consider to what extent (exam style) th NDCs are similar and how effective they might be.

Also linked into the concept of globalisation and the flow of finance, the Paris Agreement encouraged globalisation in this sense as

Developed countries will provide finance to developing countries to assist them with their mitigation and adaptation efforts, and will report their public financial contributions to developing countries in a detailed manner every two years. Developing countries may also voluntarily provide support.

I will ask students to consider the roles here. It is right that “developed” countries are expected to provide finance to “developing” countries?

I will finish this section by asking students to consider how the Paris Agreement can be enforced when there is a non-punitive approach. Is this possible? This ties into the idea of “Issues” in the A Level Spec.

An implementation and compliance mechanism is established, consisting of a committee of experts, to facilitate implementation of the provisions of the Paris Agreement in a transparent and non-punitive manner, and promote compliance with the Paris Agreement.

This will be further explored as I introduce to the students who signed and who did not sign. Does this cause an issue, and if so why?

Image found here – https://www.businessinsider.com/195-countries-that-signed-paris-climate-agreement-accord-deal-2017-5?r=US&IR=T

That’s all for now. As always, I would love to hear some feedback or comments.

Paul

Categories
Climate Change Teacher

GCSE Geography: An introduction to Climate change.

At our school we follow the AQA specification for GCSE geography. We need to study climate change as part of the specification, and are required to introduce to the students the following key ideas

  • Climate change is the result of natural and human factors, and has a range of effects.
  • Managing climate change involves both mitigation (reducing causes) and adaptation (responding to change) Climate change is the result of natural and human factors, and has a range of effects.

Looking more closely at the first key idea, the specification details the content that is required as follows

  • Evidence for climate change from the beginning of the Quaternary period to the present day.

Possible causes of climate change:

  • natural factors – orbital changes, volcanic activity and solar output
  • human factors – use of fossil fuels, agriculture and deforestation.
  • Overview of the effects of climate change on people and the environment.

I have decided to use the powerpoint from Unit 1 of the UN: CC Learn module and incorporate some of the slides into my own powerpoints for the students. There are a selection of the slides that I think work really well with GCSE students, so you get a flavour of what the UN:CC Learn materials are like,

Defining key terms.

Several slides are going to be used which highlight key terms. For example:

Useful in outlining the difference between global warming and climate change.
Great way to slowly introduce a systems approach to geography which is very much a key element to A Level geography.

Effects of climate change on people and the environment.

When planning the resources for this element of the course, I shall be using elements of the video that has been included in module 1

3.00 minutes into the video is an excellent section on how climate change has affected the cryosphere and lasts about a minute. From 4 minutes in, the role of the oceans is also discussed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yiTZm0y1YA&feature=youtu.be

I shall also be using these excellent maps from slides 50 to 52 to highlight through later case studies how climate change will affect the places we study. For example, when investigating a NEE – Nigeria we shall refer back to the map below as climate change will play an important role in areas such as Makoko – the floating settlement area of Lagos.

By highlighting key locations or case studies now, I am hoping that the students see the world, and their studies as connected places – so developing their ability to “think like a geographer”

Once I have finished the powerpoint I shall post here. I would love to hear what you think so far.

Paul

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