Module 7: Taking climate action
This module scaffolds your students (individually or as a collective – in community) to make a plan about a local climate issue and then to DO IT.
The focus here remains climate change – the urgent issue of our time. The value of the Spheres of Influence concentric circles becomes apparent as you and your students explore the issue through these layers.
Explore: self-watch, family (questions to ask and ways to respond), community (school – how to influence policy and practice), municipality (understanding policy construction and implementation), state (how to take action on bigger issues – meet your MP).
Curriculum links
1: The cross curriculum priority area of sustainability
Three key concepts of systems, world views and futures.
A. explores the interdependent and dynamic nature of systems that support all life on Earth and our collective well-being.
B. enables a diversity of world views on ecosystems, values and social justice to be discussed and recognised when determining individual and community actions for sustainability.
C. is aimed at building capacities for thinking and acting in ways that are necessary to create a more sustainable future. The concept seeks to promote reflective thinking processes in young people and empower them to design action that will lead to more a more equitable and sustainable future.
2: The General Capabilities of:
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Personal and Social Capability
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Ethical Understandings
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Critical and Creative Thinking
1: Reflect on learning so far.
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The Story of Solutions was written by Annie Leonard and Jonah Sachs, directed by Louis Fox and produced by Free Range Studios.
In the video Annie illustrates the goal of our solution should be as follows…
GOAL:
G = gives people more power
O = Opens people’s eyes to the truth of happiness
A = accounts for all the costs
L = Lessons the wealth gap
2: Invite your students to take the Changemaker quiz.
Discuss the results and explore what this means for taking your own group action.
3: Use the Action Learning Group Project to take CLIMATE action!
Focus on actions that are all about CLIMATE CHANGE.
This website presents the Action Learning Group Project 12 step process.
Action learning group projects are a great way to get your whole class/group engaged in environmental or social issues. This website scaffolds you (the teacher/instructor) through a 12 step action learning group process.
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The 12 step process is as follows:
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STEP 01: Reflect on Your Environment, Community, and Your Living Practices
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STEP 02: Form an Effective Group
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STEP 03: Choose an Issue and Generate Ideas for Action
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STEP 04: Research, Analysis, and Decision Making
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STEP 05: Build Motivation
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STEP 06: Choose an Action and Make a Plan
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STEP 07: Defining and Measuring Success
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STEP 08: Identify Barriers and Supports
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STEP 09: Develop Skills
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STEP 10: Do it! ACTION
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STEP 11: Celebrate and Communicate
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STEP 12: Reflect and Repeat as Necessary
You don't have to use every activity included. You also don't have to use each step. Click here for some examples of projects.
Why do this work? Check this site.
Often we forget to TEACH students about how to operate well in a group. Explicit teaching and the use of the activities in this strategy will be useful.
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More information about how to set yourself up to use this strategy can be found in this section: Teacher/Instructor: Decide on Goals, Parameters, and Assessment Plan
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Don’t forget to map your action for influence and influencers!
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Notes for Teachers
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Read the relevant outcomes from cross curriculum priority - sustainability and general capabilities. Know what is being asked of your students through this learning engagement/opportunity. How will you assess their achievement of the outcomes?
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Watch the Story of Solutions and consider how it makes you feel. Be prepared for how your students will react/respond to this video and the ideas.
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Take the Changemaker quiz for yourself. Understand each of the roles in changemaking and be prepared to lead a discussion with your students.
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Make time to review the action learning group project site and to work out how you want to be prepared for your group to take action. Check out this page https://sites.google.com/site/actionlearninggroupproject/
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This cycle will take time to move through. Each step has some important element as it scaffolds and supports students to LEARN HOW to take action.
