WWF’s Earth Hour Support pack for schools

27 March 2010 wwf.org.uk/earthhour  Introducing WWF’s Earth Hour

It’s 8.30pm, 28 March 2009. Suddenly, iconic Your school can join them. We’re calling on all of you to take landmarks such as the Acropolis, the Vatican, part and we have a special theme for 2010: the dome of St Peter’s Basilica, the Pyramids of “Wear something bright – turn off the light!” Giza, the Olympic Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, the Eiffel Tower and New York’s Empire State Building all go dark. The Millennium Stadium in The world’s largest mass participation event on Cardiff and the Millennium Bridge in Newcastle, climate change – ever! Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Edinburgh Castle WWF’s Earth Hour started out in , and and Stormont are among 200 UK landmarks that has become a global event as a result of the energy, dim or plunge into darkness. At the same time, creativity and determination of millions of people around in homes around the world, millions of people the world. switch off their lights… WWF’s Earth Hour 2007 – 2.2 million people in Sydney, Australia. This was WWF’s Earth Hour 2009 – the largest ever public statement on climate change. WWF’s Earth Hour 2008 – 50 million people across 35 countries. In 2010, we hope that one billion people across the world will sign up to WWF’s Earth Hour and switch off their lights WWF’s Earth Hour 2009 for an hour at 8.30pm on Saturday 27 March. People will – Hundreds of millions of people in 88 countries. be taking part because it’s an opportunity to unite and make WWF’s Earth Hour 2010 aims to reach one billion a bold statement, saying: people in 1,000 cities to illustrate the support of • we care about the people, places and wildlife of this planet world communities for action on climate change. – now and for future generations Once again this year, thousands of companies will get • we know that climate change is the most serious threat involved, encouraging their staff and customers to join facing the planet we call home them. Political leaders will embrace the campaign, locally • we want world leaders to take urgent action to tackle and at a national level. Children across the globe will climate change organise Earth Hour activities in their schools. The event will be shared and discussed, with friends and strangers • we believe it is still possible to take positive action. all around the world, on social media sites such as facebook, myspace, flickr and youtube. © Benjamin Ealovega / WWF-UK

Houses of Parliament before and after Earth Hour 2009  Why we need climate change action

Climate change is the most serious problem we face – People, places and wildlife changing weather patterns, warming seas and melting ice • People: 1998 was the hottest year on record and the first are devastating for both people and wildlife. Urgent global in which more refugees were created by environmental action is needed if we are to avoid the worst impacts of disaster rather than war. Drought, floods, deforestation climate change and safeguard our world. WWF – along and poor agricultural prospects drove some 25 million with many other non-governmental organisations – has environmental refugees off the land into already crowded been lobbying for an effective international agreement on shanty towns. climate change. Some progress has been made, but the • Places: We can’t protect the people and wildlife of this pressure of public concern must not abate. World leaders planet unless we protect the places where they live. The need to keep working for a global deal on climate change. environment consists of a wealth of different places that Average global temperatures must remain less than are vital to the people and wildlife of this planet – habitats 2°C above pre-industrial levels if we are going to avoid where animals live; farmlands and fishing grounds that irreversible and devastating changes in the planet’s natural provide our food; rivers and oceans; coral reefs and systems. glaciers; grasslands and forests. • Wildlife: Around a quarter of all mammal species and a third of amphibians are now threatened with extinction. We urgently need to safeguard wildlife and the places in which they live. Climate change could have devastating consequences for our natural environment in the coming years.

More information about cllimate change can be found in our Tackling Cllimate Change information pack: http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/tackling_climate_ change_info_pack.pdf © istockphoto.com  What’s this got to do with schools?

WWF believes that schools have an important role to play in leading and championing action on climate change. It’s the young people in our schools today who will live through the worst – or best – effects of the action we take now on climate change. It’s also today’s students who will be tomorrow’s citizens and decision-makers: we need to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to make wise choices about the future of our planet. “The government would like every school to be a sustainable school by 2020. A sustainable school prepares young people for a lifetime of sustainable living, through its teaching, its fabric and its day-to-day practices.” © David Southern / WWF–UK DCSF, National Framework for Sustainable Schools.

Many of you clearly feel the same. Over 1,400 UK schools took part in WWF’s Earth Hour 2009. Here are some of the “Thank you for the opportunity to be included in a activities they organised: marvellous effort” • Earth Hour assemblies Academy of the Lakes. • Lights out! Power-free lessons • Getting creative – making Earth Hour videos or animated films, and making light pictures “On Monday we went round and tallied up to see how many people took part. 164 people (and their • Lobbying – persuading the local council to sign up and take part families/friends!) took part from our school!” St Leonard’s Primary School. • Reducing impact – turning socks into draught excluders, handing out low energy light bulbs, monitoring energy usage, and holding paper-free days, car-free days, or waste-free packed lunch days “Our aim is that by 2014 people in Scotland will • Holding an Environment Week have developed the knowledge, understanding, skills and values to live more sustainable lives. “Our school was really interested and Schools have a major role in supporting this enthusiastic – it was a great way of getting the aim.” message across” Clackmannan Primary, Scotland Scottish Government Action Plan for the UN decade of ESD

There were also lots of communications activities, including: • Giving radio interviews • Writing reports for the local press • Writing about WWF’s Earth Hour for their BBC Schools Report project.  How can you get involved?

The overarching message for schools this year is to • Where would be the best place to get footage of their own ‘Wear something bright – turn off the light!’ You’ll find switch-off, or a local switch-off? a special activity on this theme on page 7 of this pack. • What images do they want to include? We’ve produced a range of materials to support your • What key messages do they want to include? involvement. They can be found at wwf.org.uk/earthhour/ • Some of our Earth Hour films use celebrities to enhance schools – or, if you prefer, we can send you a DVD. The the appeal. Could students find a local celebrity willing to materials include: contribute to their event? • a climate change information pack • How could they share their work? Might the local • the WWF’s Earth Hour 2010 film newspaper, radio or TV news be interested? Or could they share it via the internet? • this support pack, containing: Share your films with WWF by emailing o ‘Wear something bright – turn off the light!’ activity ideas [email protected]. We have a prize of £250 o an assembly/introductory activity with accompanying for the best film submitted to us. PowerPoint containing a set of photos o ideas for a 60-minute, ‘Hour for the Earth’ activity School challenge o classroom activities If people say they’ll do something (orally or in writing) they’re o an Earth Hour challenge more likely to do it. So we’re asking your pupils to take part in a challenge! o a set of climate change games • ‘Wear something bright’ fundraising guidelines, posters, • At the back of this support pack you’ll find a challenge certificates, etc. sheet, on which pupils can record the actions they’ve taken to reduce their energy use. We hope these materials will also help improve your students’ understanding of climate change, and encourage • You could also make a written pledge as a school, family them to take action by changing the way they live – for or group of friends. Your pledge might include promises example by saving energy and reducing consumption. about how you’re going to mark WWF’s Earth Hour and/or promises about how you’re going to join the battle against As WWF’s Earth Hour takes place on a Saturday, most of climate change by changing the way you live. the schools that took part in 2009 held events and activities People are also more likely to join in if they know others in the previous week or weeks. So this support pack has are making an effort as well. So we’re asking you and your been designed to provide a series of activities you can use pupils to tell someone what you’re going to do for WWF’s before WWF’s Earth Hour, or which you can condense to Earth Hour 2010, and to ask someone to tell you what create your own Earth Hour – 60 minutes of school or class- they’re going to do. based climate change activity. This can all be recorded on the challenge sheet. Before we get into particular activity ideas, here are some general thoughts and suggestions: Please send your completed challenge sheets to: Liz Rossall, Schools and Community Relations Team, Make your own Earth Hour film WWF-UK, Panda House, Weyside Park, Godalming, We’d like to collect as much feedback and as many films Surrey GU7 1XR. and photos from schools as possible. Please ensure you give us a contact name and number, and If you’re keen to make your own Earth Hour film, you a postal and email address. We will provide a certificate to all could start by looking at some of the Earth Hour films from schools that take part. A downloadable pupil certificate will previous years – on Youtube – and note the style of narration also be available from wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools and messaging in the text. Your students could also include content to publicise their own Earth Hour event or to record what happened at their event. When planning your own Earth Hour film ask students to think about:  How can you get Involved? continued

Look beyond the school gates Every school, every business, every family and every person has Remember…! a vitally important role to play in helping to make WWF’s Earth • ‘Wear something bright – turn off the light!’ Hour 2010 a massive worldwide event. We need to tell people • Share information about events at your school by emailing about WWF’s Earth Hour and we need to create the sorts of the details to [email protected] events that will encourage more and more people to join in. • Take part in the Earth Hour Challenge. You could create You can encourage students to switch off and mark the a Climate Change Action Report with details of pledges event at home on 27 March. Pupils could also create their and action at your school. Publish and update your report own Earth Hour leaflets for homes and/or local businesses. on your school website and/or send a copy to WWF at These might include key messages and lists of practical [email protected] suggestions. • Make sure that lots of other people know what you’re And if you’re interested in telling the local radio or press what doing by contacting the local media and cluster group your school and students have been up to for WWF’s Earth schools. Hour, we’ve drafted a press release for you, which will be emailed to you before the big day! Inclusion and participation Involving the children in the creation, organisation and running of activities is an important part of this event and provides a wealth of educational opportunities. As well as building their understanding of climate change, the event provides opportunities for students to show their creativity as they come up with their own ideas, develop their practical skills through the planning and delivery of their ideas, and build their communication and evaluation skills as they publicise and eventually gather their learning from their event. Students might be asked to brainstorm their ideas for activities to mark WWF’s Earth Hour in two stages: © Jacqueline Dragon / WWF–UK 1. Imagine that there are no restrictions on what we do. St Bartholomews Primary School, Haslemere 2. Think about how the following criteria will affect their ideas – fun, inclusion, safety and time, cost and being environmentally-friendly. To get you going, here are some activity ideas: • Hold an environment week • Organise an eco-gadget display in school • Ask pupils to arrange a swap shop for clothes/books/ games/music • Circulate a leaflet for parents or include information about your Earth Hour activities in your newsletters and your website • Organise a lantern parade or a wear-something-bright fashion parade • Ask pupils to consider the viability of ideas such as night walks, treasure hunts in the dark, wildlife walks, shadow puppets, astronomy, pre-midnight feasts, candle making, night photography, concerts, community singing, film shows, story-telling, sky lanterns (these would provide a spectacular event but pupils might decide that they’re unsustainable – visit: www.skylanterns.com)  The activities ‘Wear something bright – turn off the light’

In 2010, ‘Wear something bright – turn off the light!’ is You could invite press and/or someone from the local our suggested catchphrase for schools’ involvement. council to your ‘Wear Something Bright’ events. Here are a few ideas for how you could connect with Whatever you choose to do, we are sure the students will this idea: make it a bright day for WWF’s Earth Hour! • Hold a ‘Wear Something Bright Day’. Bring WWF’s Earth Hour into the classroom on Friday 26 March, or another Fundraising day in the week leading up to the big night, by holding a We rely on sponsorship and donations to continue our ‘Wear Something Bright Day’. The idea is that teachers important work. So we are asking all our supporters, and students can wear their brightest, boldest coloured including our youngest supporters, across the UK to raise clothes, for example their loudest T-shirt. funds to help protect wildlife threatened by climate change. • Make the ‘Wear Something Bright Day’ an open-house Some of the above events could be given a fundraising event and invite everyone – parents, friends and family – to twist – for example, teachers and students could be asked come along and wear something bright too. This should to donate £1 for the right to look bright on the ‘Wear make quite a visual statement as participants arrive at Something Bright Day’. If the school is undertaking other school. environmentally focused activities, such as energy reduction and recycling projects, wildlife gardening or growing their • Hold a ‘Wear Something Bright’ fashion show – students own food, you might wish to keep a percentage of the funds could design and make their own creations. raised to support this ongoing work. • Organise a brightly coloured face-painting competition. If your school would like to raise funds for WWF as part of • Hold a colourful cake or fruit stall. their Earth Hour involvement, you can find support materials • Switch off the lights, computers, heating, etc in school for including guidelines, posters and certificates for the brightest at least 60 minutes. dressed at wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools or on the Earth Hour schools DVD. • Run a local campaign to encourage others in the community to take part in WWF’s Earth Hour – accompanied students could visit local shops and businesses wearing something bright, and hand out their own Earth Hour leaflets and posters.  Assembly/ introductory activity

What’s it all about? Key messages include: o Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing Age range: 7-16 the people and wildlife of this planet. Curriculum links: English, Science, PSHE/Citizenship o On Saturday 27 March 2010 at 8.30pm, people around Time needed: 20 minutes the world will turn off their lights for one hour – WWF’s Group size: Year group or whole school (or Earth Hour – to show their support for global action to class/tutor group) tackle climate change. Setting: School assembly hall (or classroom) o WWF’s Earth Hour aims to reach one billion people Key vocabulary: Climate change, global warming, in 1,000 cities to illustrate the support of world communities for action on climate change. Resources needed: A digital projector (optional). o WWF’s Earth Hour is a milestone in WWF’s ongoing Pupil volunteers to read out short texts global campaign to get world leaders to take rigorous (see Resource sheets 1 and 2) as action on climate change. photographs are displayed. • Explain that the school is going to take part in WWF’s Flipchart and marker pen or interactive Earth Hour and ask pupils to make their own pledges to white board. reduce the energy they use. The Reception or Assembly Access to the photographs provided in Hall walls could be set up with flipchart sheets and the PowerPoint. repositional notes for children to record and share their Access to the film at pledges. In a classroom setting, pupils could be asked to wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools Copy of the short story on Resource brainstorm simple tips for saving energy and develop this Sheet 3. into a class action plan. They could also think about what would be needed to turn this into a school action plan. Learning outcomes • To understand the causes and effects of climate change. • To understand some of the actions that can be taken to combat climate change. • To commit to taking action.

Procedure • One by one, display the photographs using the digital projector. The texts on Resource Sheets 1 and 2 should be read out as the images are shown. Alternatively, view the PowerPoint at www.kidscall.info/downloads/ KidsCall-ClimateChange.ppt • Tell the pupils that you are now going to read out a short story (see Resource Sheet 3). Pupils should put up their hands each time they think energy has been used. • Confirm that every time we switch on a light, use a computer, watch TV or travel by motorised transport we are creating and contributing to climate change. • Say that we can all contribute to reducing climate change by cutting the amount of energy we use every day at home and at school. But we need to make sure decision- makers know we want them to take action too. Now introduce pupils to WWF’s Earth Hour by showing the film at wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools  Ideas for a 60-minute Earth Hour activity

A 60-minute Earth Hour event might include some of • Write some climate change poems, raps or songs. You the following activities: might use the following rhymes as a starter: ‘switch off the light; wear something bright; turn down the heat; buy • Show the Earth Hour film and PowerPoint and open up locally-grown to eat’. discussion about climate change. • Select or create an Earth Hour anthem – a piece of music • Create a class or school guide based on the 60 minutes of that encapsulates the meaning of WWF’s Earth Hour. WWF’s Earth Hour – for example, 60 things you can do to You might choose a piece that already exists; you might reduce the effects of climate change; 60 things you need change the words of an existing song or you might write to know about climate change; 60 ways to save money your own piece of music. and save the planet; 60 recipes to beat climate change. • Create a dance or drama activity that models and explains • Explain how you would persuade more people to take part climate change and the greenhouse effect. in WWF’s Earth Hour or take other action that will help to tackle climate change. • Create a collage of the WWF’s Earth Hour logo. • Spread the word – find out what family, friends, your local • Make some Earth Hour lanterns. (see the template on school and local businesses know about WWF’s Earth www.earthhour.org/assets/pdf/kidslanternkit.pdf) Hour. Develop ways to share ideas and spread the word. • Drama – create a climate change tableau based on one or • List what you consider to be the most important things more of the quotes from WWF’s climate change witnesses that everyone should do to tackle climate change. (see Resource Sheet 5). Pupils create a ‘frozen’ scene based on the quote – a character ‘comes to life’ and • Create a storyboard for a short animated film about explains more about the situation when the teacher gives climate change. them a prearranged signal. (20 minutes) • Make a climate change pledge – a list of the actions • Drama – Read the true stories from WWF’s climate change against climate change that you promise to take. witnesses (see Resource Sheet 5). Use a conscience alley • Play some of the climate change games – see page 24. (see box) to explore attitudes towards climate change. • Use a large sheet of paper to create a drawing or diagram that explains the causes of climate change. Use your work to identify some of the solutions. How to use a conscience alley • Discuss how WWF’s Earth Hour could be extended Ask one person to imagine that they are a world leader throughout the year in your school or community. What on their way to a Climate Change Summit. Everyone would you hope to achieve? What changes could you else in the group stands in two lines facing each other make? How could you persuade people to join in? with a space down the middle. The ‘world leader’ walks slowly between these two lines. The people in the lines Arts act as the conscience of the person walking past them • Hold an Earth Hour art exhibition. Artist Angela Palmer and take turns to speak their mind as the person comes created the Ghost Forest exhibition which was displayed alongside. The ‘world leader’ should pause to allow the in Trafalgar Square in London. She talks about the ability person to make their point but should not respond in of artwork to get the message across when people feel any other way. When the ‘world leader’ reaches the end they’ve been bombarded with ‘dry statistics’ about issues of the line they might be asked to explain how they’ve like deforestation and climate change. Visit http://news. been affected by listening to ‘their conscience’. .co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8361486.stm Other roles to explore might be ‘Mrs Wasteful Energy • Create an Earth Hour anthology – invite pupils to help User’ or ‘Mr Climate Change is Not My Problem.’ create a compilation of verses from songs or poetry; quotations or extracts from stories that have a particular link to the issues of climate change. You could ask each person to write a short piece about their choice. For example: “Where the sun beats, and the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief, and the dry stone no sound of water” – TS Eliot 10 Ideas for a 60-minute Earth Hour activity continued

Design Miscellaneous • Design and build a shoebox eco-house, see: • Hold a ‘Pimp my Ride’/ ‘Bling my Bike’ event in www.concrete2cookers.org celebration of bicycles, scooters, skateboards and other • Draw the plans for an eco-school or eco-town, see: forms of climate-friendly transport. See: www.sustrans. www.mysusthouse.org org.uk/assets/files/Safe%20Routes/publications/ routes2action/SRS_R2A_15.pdf • Design a Climate Change board game. • Bake some cakes or biscuits. Use icing to decorate them • Design and/or make some headgear and accessories for as planet Earth or with the school, WWF panda or WWF’s a ‘turn down the thermostat and wear a smart, warm hat’ Earth Hour logos. event. • Create an Earth Hour feely-bag competition – place two • Design and build a cold frame out of empty plastic bottles or three objects in a bag and invite pupils to try to identify – use it to grow your own vegetables. them by touch. Award points for a) correctly identifying the • Use junk modelling materials to make models of animals objects b) explaining how they’re associated with WWF’s that are threatened by climate change. Earth Hour and climate change. See: www.animalsarenotrubbish.co.uk • Use old clothes and newspaper to create a life-size model of an Earth Hour character e.g. Mother Earth, the Green Man, Gaia, a tree or a giant panda or polar bear. • Create a model to test the greenhouse effect – you might build a model greenhouse using plastic bottles or plastic wrap. You might create carbon dioxide using baking powder and vinegar and use a thermometer to compare temperatures.

Getting in touch with nature • Plant some seeds or bulbs that will spell out an Earth Hour message, or grow some trees or vegetables. • Make something for the wildlife in your school grounds. For example, build bird feeders, bug boxes, log piles or compost bins, or introduce some wildlife-friendly plants. • Hold a Tree Dressing Day – tree dressing can be used as a way to encourage people to understand, value and celebrate trees: visit www.thegrowingschoolsgarden. org.uk/downloads/Tree-Dressings-Make-It.pdf • Make a mask of an animal that is threatened by climate change – decorate one side of the mask to look like the animal and the other side with images connected with climate change. 11 Activity 1 Understanding climate change

Plenary Age range: 7-16 Invite students to share their ideas and suggest their own Curriculum links: English, Science, PSHE/Citizenship advice about cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Ask them Time needed: 40 minutes to use their diagrams to explain how these ideas work. Key vocabulary: Climate change, fossil fuels, global warming, greenhouse effect, Follow-up greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, CO2 Ask students to create their own way of explaining how climate change works and/or explore some of the reasoning Learning outcomes: behind the advice about tackling climate change at: • To understand the causes of climate change. www.bbc.co.uk/bloom • To understand some of the actions that can be taken to combat climate change.

Resources needed: Access to film or animations explaining climate change (see below), copies of Resource Sheet 4, pens, scissors, glue and large sheets of paper.

Procedure Explain the causes of climate change. You might like to use one or more of the following approaches: • Film: Power Down at www.green.tv/powerdown • Animated guide: 7-11 year olds www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/global_warming_ version2.html 11-14 year olds http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/04/ climate_change/html/greenhouse.stm

Whole class Ask pupils to contribute ideas for ‘Doing your bit to stop climate change’. Ask them where they’ve heard or seen this advice. © istockphotos.com

Group work Explain that most of the advice is about cutting the amount of the carbon dioxide that we create. Carbon dioxide is made when we burn fossil fuels – things like coal, gas and oil. Each person in the UK is responsible for about

9.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. It’s not always easy to understand how we create these emissions or how we actually make a difference by following the advice that surrounds us. Hand out copies of Resource Sheet 4. Ask them to look at the examples of advice about cutting CO2 emissions and try to explain how these actions are linked to fossil fuels – the main source of our carbon dioxide emissions. 12 Activity 2 The consequences of climate change

Plenary Age range: 7-16 Invite pupils to share their work. Curriculum links: English, Science, PSHE/Citizenship Time needed: 40 minutes Group size: Pairs or small groups Follow-up Key vocabulary: Climate change, biodiversity, habitat, Jamila Bibi, a climate witness from says “I am drought, witness witnessing the changing climate over the years but have absolutely no clue why it is happening and how to combat it.” Ask students to write to Jamila and explain why climate Learning outcomes change is happening and how they are trying to combat it. • To understand that climate change affects people, wildlife They might also write a letter to their family explaining the and places (such as forests and oceans). consequences of climate change and/or look at the following • To understand the concept of interdependence. report about climate change around the world: http://news. bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/6528979.stm

Resources needed: Internet access or a downloaded copy of the film, copies Differentiation of Resource Sheets 5 and 6, a world map, pens and large 5-7: Students look at ‘Anna’s story’ (Resource Sheet 6) and sheets of paper. decide how she can cut her greenhouse gas emissions and/or find out how the animals plan to save the planet and Procedure think about what they can do to help them: Read the true stories on Resource Sheet 5: Climate Witness. www.fartingcow.com Use a world map to emphasise that climate change is a 14-16: Ask: Could technology beat climate change? global problem. Explain that this activity is designed to help pupils think about the ways climate change will affect http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8338824.stm people, places and wildlife. Watch the following animated film – you may need to watch it more than once: www.oxfam.org/en/video/2008/face-music

Discussion What is this film trying to tell us about climate change? Why is there more and more happening on the screen as you get further into the film? What are the differences between what’s happening on the left and right of the screen? What does this represent? Think about the victims of climate change shown in this film: How are people affected – why are some affected more than others? How is wildlife affected? How are places affected? (Places might include forests, oceans, rivers and mountains.)

Group work Invite students to use Resource Sheet 5 to create their own story map, a large narrative picture or a set of storyboards for an animated movie. Each of these pieces of work should be designed to explain how climate change will affect the people, places and wildlife of this planet. 13 Activity 3 Actions and impacts

Group activity Age range: 7-16 In this activity students try to identify the activities that are Curriculum links: Science responsible for the greatest percentage of greenhouse gas Time needed: 40 minutes emissions when they’re in school. Each of the ‘actions’ on Group size: Pairs or small groups Resource Sheet 7 has been given a ‘secret’ numerical value Key vocabulary: Percentage, emissions, greenhouse which is related to the share of greenhouse gas emissions gas, carbon dioxide, CO 2 for which it is responsible (see the score card below). Students choose the five most important activities. Do not give them the numerical value at this stage! Once they’ve Learning outcomes made their choices, they decide where the school should • To understand a range of actions that can be taken to focus its efforts by placing the actions in the Action and combat climate change. Impact Table. The ‘action’ with the greatest impact should • To take practical action in school to combat climate be placed at the top of the column – your total score will be change. calculated by multiplying the numerical value of each ‘action’ by the number given to each ‘effort’. The highest score Resources needed: possible is 251. Each group needs a copy of Resource Sheet 7. Internet access is required for the follow-up activity. Plenary Invite pupils to discuss their results and think about why Procedure certain activities have a greater impact than others. Which Introduction: Explain that there are lots of different things of the actions would take longer to introduce/cost more/be that we can do in our schools to cut our greenhouse gas unpopular/cause other problems? Which of these actions emissions. This activity is designed to help students explore could be introduced as part of your Earth Hour event? some of these actions and discover which ones are likely to Create a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from have the greatest impact on emissions in your school. your school.

Follow-up activity Score card The above activity is based on data from the following (not to be shown to pupils until they have discussed the options website – www.carbondetectives.org.uk/thelab and made their selections) Pupils might explore the data to find out more about the impact of different actions aimed at reducing the school’s Plant trees in school grounds 0.1 carbon footprint. Encourage more walking and cycling to school 5 Differentiation Reduce waste 10 5-7: Students watch the film and then find places in your Encourage more recycling 2 school that are linked to climate change: Close outside doors 4 www.managenergy.net/kidscorner/animations/ec_ cartoon_an.html Fix leaking taps and pipes 0.1 14-16: Students help a local primary school to identify their Encourage more local food in school and packed lunches 15 greenhouse gas emissions. Buy recycled goods 5 Buy renewable energy 9 Turn down heating 5 Source: carbondetectives.org.uk 14 Activity 4 Finding a place for forests

Plenary Age range: 11-16 Invite each group to make their statement about the Curriculum links: Geography, Science, PSHE/Citizenship proposal. Ask: Time needed: 40 minutes Group size: Small groups ‘Do you think it would be possible to manage forests in a way that would satisfy all of the interested parties listed on Key vocabulary: Biofuels, FSC, carbon sink, Resource Sheet 9? Should the interests of some of these deforestation, carbon neutral, renewable energy, sustainable forestry, groups be seen as more important than others? Can we biodiversity, habitat, greenhouse gas agree on a new law that explains how we think forests should be managed?’ emissions, carbon dioxide, CO2

Follow-up Learning outcomes Encourage people to take action to support the International • To understand the importance of forests. Year of Biodiversity and/or look at the following images of • To understand that forests are important to different groups climate change around the world: for different reasons. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_ gallery/05/sci_nat_how_the_world_is_changing/ Resources needed: html/1.stm Each group needs a copy of Resource Sheets 8 and 9, and internet access or a downloaded copy of the film. Differentiation Procedure 5-7: Students build a forest habitat using materials found in Watch the film about forests: wwf.org.uk/forests the school grounds. 14-16: Ask: ‘Is wood a carbon neutral fuel?’ Discussion: ‘The film ends with a statement about the importance of forests for businesses, consumers, wildlife, you and me. In what ways are forests important to you?’ Students might talk about timber for furniture, paper, foods or materials like rubber, the water cycle or forests as a source of oxygen, the role of forests in combating climate change, recreation and/or a place for wildlife. The film also talks about forests being important to businesses. What do you think this means?

Group work Each group needs a copy of Resource Sheets 8 and 9. Explain that you are going to hold a meeting to discuss the following proposal and that all groups will be asked to make

a short statement explaining their views and whether or not © Edward Parker / WWF-UK they support the proposal: ‘Forests are vital to life on this planet – deforestation needs to stop!’ 15 Resource Sheet 1 What’s it all about?

Text for 7-11 year olds As the climate changes, storms are becoming more violent. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch was one of the deadliest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic. Here is a view from the air of one of the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras after Mitch © WWF-Canon/Andrew Kerr The temperature of the Earth is increasing because had passed through. of waste gases produced by people’s activities. This is known as global warming. The most widespread waste gas is carbon dioxide. Much © WWF-Canon/Nigel Dickinson larger amounts of this gas are now being produced by people burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and This is a glacier in the gas to produce energy. As the Earth becomes Swiss Alps. Global warmer, our climate is changing. warming is melting many glaciers throughout the world causing sea levels to rise. Global warming also changes the flow of cold and warm sea currents, thereby affecting weather patterns. These changes can lead to floods, droughts and shortage of drinking water, causing © WWF-Canon/Adam Oswell danger and hardship for © Pro Natura Zentrum Aletsch/ Laudo Albrecht The Earth’s changing climate is bringing problems millions of people. around the world. In some places less and less rain means people are facing such bad droughts it’s not possible to grow crops. This picture shows lifeless farmland in New South Wales, Australia, where there was a severe drought in 2003. © WWF-Canon/Soh Koon Chng As glaciers melt and water in the seas becomes warmer and expands, sea levels will rise. Small islands, like the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, could lose large areas of land or even © WWF-Canon/Yifei Zhang © WWF-Canon/Yifei completely disappear under the waves. Large Other parts of the world are getting too much rain areas of the UK are likely to be threatened by rising and are suffering from floods, such as in Hunan sea levels, such as East Anglia, coastal towns and Province in central China in 2002. cities, and even London. 16 Resource Sheet 2 What’s it all about? continued

Text for 12-16 year olds As the climate changes, storms are becoming more violent and occurring more often. In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch developed in the Caribbean and became one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes ever

© WWF-Canon/Andrew Kerr recorded. Here is a Human activities are increasing the concentration of view from the air of the waste gases in the atmosphere. This is causing the devastation that Mitch world to heat up and is known as global warming. caused in Honduras. The most widespread waste gas is carbon dioxide. © WWF-Canon/Nigel Dickinson Much larger amounts of this gas are now being emitted by people burning fossil fuels such as This is a glacier in the coal, oil and gas to produce energy. As the Earth Swiss Alps. Global becomes warmer, the world’s climate is changing. warming is melting many glaciers throughout the world causing sea levels to rise. Global warming also changes the flow of cold and warm sea currents, thereby affecting weather patterns. These changes can lead to floods, droughts and shortage of drinking water, causing © Pro Natura Zentrum Aletsch/ © WWF-Canon/Adam Oswell danger and hardship for Laudo Albrecht The Earth’s changing climate is bringing problems millions of people. around the world. In some countries, millions of people could face worse drought and problems with water supplies. This picture shows lifeless farmland in New South Wales, Australia, where there was a severe drought in 2003. © WWF-Canon/Soh Koon Chng Sea levels are predicted to rise as the seas become warmer and expand, and as glaciers and ice © WWF-Canon/Yifei Zhang © WWF-Canon/Yifei sheets melt. By 2050, sea level rise is predicted Other parts of the world, such as North America to threaten coastal areas where many large cities and parts of Asia, are predicted to receive more have been built, such as Mumbai, New York and rain than they do now and to suffer from floods. Tokyo. Low-lying islands in the Pacific Ocean like This picture shows floods in Hunan Province in the Solomon Islands could lose large areas of land central China in 2002. or even completely disappear under the waves. 17 Resource Sheet 3 What’s it all about? continued

Millie’s story Millie is eight years old. She lives in Godalming. Here’s a story about her getting ready for school.

Millie is woken up by the radio alarm clock – the local radio is playing her favourite song.

It’s cold and dark outside.

She gets up and turns on the light. The house is lovely and warm.

She goes into the bathroom and has a wash, and then she gets dressed. She wears a jumper knitted by her mum but some of her favourite clothes were made in countries far away – her trainers for example. So they had to be transported to this country in a boat.

Millie then goes downstairs and has breakfast – toast and tea.

She goes back upstairs to clean her teeth, and then she picks up her packed lunch and races to the car to be driven to school. © istockphoto.com 18 Resource Sheet 4 Understanding climate change

You need large sheets of paper, scissors, glue and pens.

Use the statements below to create a mapping diagram to explain how each piece of advice is linked to the use of fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect.

Walk or cycle Use low energy light to school bulbs

Don’t leave electrical Don’t waste items on stand-by food

Keep heat in and Recycle things like drafts out glass and paper

Turn the heating Turn the tap off when down you brush your teeth 19 Resource Sheet 5 The consequences of climate change People – climate witness stories

Mbiwo Constatine Ann Daniels, Kusebahasa,

© WWF-UK Farmer, Uganda © Ann Daniels © Explorer, UK

“For the past 12 years I have been travelling “We used to have two planting seasons. The and working in the polar regions. The first was in March-April and the second arctic sea ice could disappear in the summer was in July-August. Now we start planting in September. We have been forced to sometime between 2013 and 2040… species adapt to cope with the changing weather like narwhal, hooded and ringed seals, patterns. When I was young, this area was walrus and polar bears are very dependent on very cold… now the area is much warmer. particular ice conditions. The loss of arctic Before the 1970s, we did not know what ice jeopardises the very survival of these ice- malaria was. The mosquitoes that spread dependent species.” malaria are thriving due to the higher temperatures.”

David Tobar Franco, Jamila Bibi, Accountant,

© Agan Mana / WWF-India © Mother, India © WWF-Carpo Guatemala “I still remember the moment when we lost our “We have noticed in the last 20 years the house, goats and important documents when the increasing of rains, storms and cold winds embankment was breached all of a sudden [by the that we never had so frequently before. There sea] and we lost everything in a short span of time. have been lots of frequent and extreme weather It was a moment of absolute panic and terror for changes leading to more illnesses in the us. The sea level has risen over the years and so community and the dramatic decline in has the temperature. The waves rise very high as native plants, trees and animals in the woods the tide comes in. The water level during floods is and the sea. We used to have citrus fruit trees, also very high. It is dangerous. The cyclones bring grapefruit and the ‘pomelas’ which no longer heavy rainfall which devastates many villages on exist in this area. We used to have a native this island. I am witnessing the changing climate type of lemon that we called ‘limón real’ that over the years but have absolutely no clue why it is has disappeared completely from our area.” happening and how to combat it. My father-in-law used to tell me that there used to be forests in this More climate witness stories can be found at the following region and a lot of birds but now most of it is either website: www.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/ destroyed or disappeared.” people_at_risk/personal_stories 20 Resource Sheet 6

Anna’s story Anna is five years old. She lives in Europe. Here’s a story about her getting ready for school.

Anna is woken up by the radio alarm clock. It’s cold and dark outside. She gets up and turns on the lights and the TV. She opens the window because the house is too warm. She leaves everything switched on while she has a nice hot bath. She gets dressed and goes downstairs for her breakfast – pineapple juice, yoghurt and tea. These things come from far away and had to be transported to this country in ships and planes. She throws the uneaten food into the bin. She goes back upstairs and uses her electric toothbrush with the tap turned on. Then she picks up her packed lunch, takes a can of fizzy drink from the fridge and gets in the car to be driven to school. © istockphoto.com 21 Resource Sheet 7 Actions and impacts

Work as a group. Decide which actions will have the greatest impact on a school’s carbon emissions.

Cut up the actions and glue them on the Action and Impact table – the actions that will have the greatest impact on emissions should be placed at the top of the table.

Action and Impact table

Effort Action Impact 10 x

5 x

4 x

2 x

1 x

Total

Actions

Plant trees in school grounds Fix leaking taps and pipes

Encourage more walking Encourage more local food in and cycling to school school

Reduce waste Buy recycled goods

Encourage more recycling Buy renewable energy

Close outside doors Turn down heating 22 Resource Sheet 8 Finding a place for forests

Forests (especially tropical rainforests) are the If local people can’t make money from the forests world’s richest ecosystems – home to two- themselves, they may decide to chop all the thirds of the world’s land-based plant and animal trees down to use the land to grow crops or raise species. cattle.

Deforestation feeds climate change: one-fifth of Global wood consumption is projected to greenhouse gas emissions are caused by increase 50% by the year 2050. Organisations

deforestation. CO2 is produced by the fires used like the FSC and WWF believe that it’s OK to cut

to clear the trees, and soils release CO2 as down trees to make things like furniture, building they dry out. materials and paper – as long as the forests are being properly managed for the benefit of people and nature.

About 33% of the world’s forests are likely to be damaged by climate change. Across the globe, timber exporting countries like Indonesia, Brazil, Kenya and Cameroon lose an estimated $10-15 billion through illegal logging each year. Rainforests are cleared for soya production, cattle ranching and to create palm oil plantations. Palm oil is increasingly used to make biofuels which are used to replace fossil fuels. The world is currently losing around 13 million hectares – an area the size of England – of forest each year. Forests are being removed at a rate 10 times higher than any possible level Wood is a renewable resource – making a of regrowth. UPVC window requires 8 times more energy than a timber one; manufacturing a steel girder requires 4,000 times more energy than their timber equivalent. Forests support up to 1.6 billion of the poorest people in the world – providing things like food, jobs, medicines, fuel and materials used to make Many people claim that burning wood as a fuel homes and household goods. is carbon neutral – it’s used in homes, school boilers and power stations.

Forests help to keep our climate stable – trees and plants store carbon from the atmosphere. 23 Resource Sheet 9 Finding a place for forests continued

Interest groups

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Promotes Indigenous rainforest people: Uses the forest to the responsible management of the world’s provide all of their basic needs. forests.

Timber Supplier to the Building Industry: Secures Wildlife: Survive and flourish. a regular and affordable supply of timber.

Paper Manufacturer: Secures a regular and WWF: Safeguards the natural world and tackles affordable supply of wood and pulp. climate change.

Government of timber-exporting country: Illegal logger: Secures income by supplying wood Secures income by supplying wood and pulp and pulp products. products.

Landless farmer: Clears forest, builds a house Consumer: Secures regular and affordable and plants crops. supply of wood, fuel, paper and other forest products.

Biofuel manufacturer: Secures a regular and Wood-burning Power Station: Secures a regular affordable supply of palm oil to create ‘carbon and affordable supply of wood to create ‘carbon neutral’ fuels. neutral’ electricity. 24 Climate change games

You will need the following equipment for each game: CO2 relay race Tea towels, a bag and objects linked to climate change. Items You will need one hoop and about 20 balls or bean bags. Divide might include: light bulb, clothes peg, food item, packaging, toy the players into two uneven teams – a large emissions team car, electrical item, section of draught excluder, clothing, plastic and a smaller forest team. Explain that the balls/bags represent molecules of CO . The emissions team stand shoulder to bags, paints, cleaning liquids – manufactured items will have an 2 impact on climate change via energy used in their manufacture, shoulder in a line about 10 metres from the hoop containing the transportation, use and waste. balls/bags. These players take turns to: run to the hoop; select one ball or bag; hurl it out into the atmosphere; join the end Images might include: polar bears, penguins, icebergs, glaciers, of the line furthest from the hoop; shout ‘GO’. The next player forests, drought, flooding, aircraft, ships, cars, consumer goods, starts on the word ‘GO’. The forest team have to collect the oil wells, rivers, energy efficiency labels. CO2 and place it back in the hoop. The game ends when there is more CO in the atmosphere than there is in the hoop. Memory game 2 Before you play, look at all the items and images – discuss how they’re linked to climate change. Hide a number of items and/or images under the tea towel. Remove the towel to reveal the items for 15 seconds. Replace the towel and ask players to remember what’s there. You might remove each item from Online games and investigations under the towel as it’s listed. Under 7s Earth Hour Kids – a selection of games about Earth Hour: Treasure hunt www.earthhourkids.org Label each of the objects with a number and place them around the classroom or school. Tell the children to find the I’m alright, Jack – help Jack choose the climate-friendly options: objects and explain that they should not touch them. They www.bbc.co.uk/climate/adaptation/jack.shtml should record the number of the object; its name and how it’s linked to climate change. WWF Canon Kid’s Zone – a selection of games and resources about polar bears and climate change: Climate expert www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/europe/ Invite pupils to secretly select one of the items or images from what_we_do/arctic/polar_bear/kids_zone/index.cfm the covered tray. Explain that they must not name the item but can explain how it’s linked to climate change. Place the item Lights out – race around the world and switch off the lights: back on the tray and remove the tea towel cover. Invite the http://lightsout.earthhour.org/lightsout/ class to identify the item that was described. Energy Hogs – selection of games about energy saving: In my bag www.energyhog.org/childrens.htm One pupil is given a bag containing one of the items or images. The rest of the class have to try and identify the contents of the 7-11s bag using 10 questions, which can be answered only with a Electricity calculator – decide how the UK should generate its ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. electricity: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/06/electricity_ Dragons’ den calc/html/1.stm Groups are given an item or image. Their task is to sell their ‘perfect product in the battle against climate change’ to the EfficienCity – ideas for greener towns and cities: dragons – played by the rest of the class. www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/efficiencity/index.html

Energy Hog – based on the wink murder game Bloom – helps you find how you can tackle climate change: One person is given the role of the Energy Inspector and asked www.bbc.co.uk/bloom to leave the room for a few moments. Everyone else should be Climate Challenge – policy decisions for the President of seated with their eyes closed while the organiser of the activity Europe: secretly chooses one person to be the ‘Energy Hog’ (e.g. by www.bbc.co.uk/sn/hottopics/climatechange/climate_ gently tapping their foot). The Energy Hog has to secretly wink challenge/index_1.shtml at the other players without being detected by the Energy Inspector. Ask the players to imagine that they are an electrical Adults/secondary level students item and explain that they should stand-up and act as if they’ve been switched on as soon as they receive a wink from the Online calculators to explore your own footprint: Energy Hog. The Inspector is invited to return to the room and footprint.wwf.org.uk play begins. The Energy Inspector has only four chances to www.ltscotland.org.uk/schoolsglobalfootprint correctly identify the Energy Hog. WWF’s Earth Hour 2010 Challenge Sheet

Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the people and wildlife of this planet. We all have a role to play in reducing that threat. People in the UK create a yearly average of 9.6 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each. Remember, that’s the ‘average’ – some create far more than 9.6 tonnes while others create far, far less. The challenge diary overleaf shows some of the larger causes of our greenhouse gas emissions.

If people say they will do something publically (orally or in writing) they’re more likely to do it. So we’re asking you to commit to action by taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour challenge!

Use the challenge diary overleaf to create a set of Earth Hour challenges – things that you can do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and help stop climate change.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Leisure – you could save around 50kg of CO2 emissions per year by not using the standby button.

• Staying warm – you could save energy by putting on a jumper, keeping out drafts and shutting doors.

• Travel – you could save around 1,400kg per year by using the car less often.

• Food – you could save up to 1,100kg by eating food produced locally and seasonally.

• Keeping clean – you could save around 300kg by drying clothes on a line.

We also want you to multiply the effect by persuading other people to join in with you – you could even give them a copy of the challenge sheet and tell them that you’ll collect it from them at the end of the week. WWF’s Earth Hour challenge diary

Leisure time 2.8 tonnes* Staying warm 2.1 tonnes* Travel 2.1 tonnes* Food 2 tonnes* Keeping clean 2 tonnes*

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

*average tonnes per person per year

Want to do more? Tell us how you are going to take part in WWF’s Earth Hour on 27 March. Working together, we can achieve more, so why not get together with friends and family, or as a school, to make a joint pledge? Write this here:

Spread the word! Tell other people about what you are planning to do, and help WWF spread the world about Earth Hour 2010. How many people have you told about WWF’s Earth Hour? Now take your completed form back to your teacher. A special downloadable certificate is available for all pupils that take part; ask your teacher for details. Many thanks for taking part! WWF’s Earth Hour – 8.30pm,2 7 March 2010. wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools Many thanks for taking part! WWF’s Earth Hour – 8.30pm, 27 March 2010. wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools

The mission of WWF is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by: • conserving the world’s biological diversity • ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable • reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF-UK Panda House Weyside Park, Godalming Surrey GU7 1XR Tel: +44 (0)1483 426444 Fax: +44 (0)1483 426409 Web: wwf.org.uk/earthhour/schools © WWF-UK, 2010 All rights reserved. This material may be downloaded, printed and photocopied by schools taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this material can otherwise be made without the prior written permission WWF-UK. Earth Hour. This material may be downloaded, printed and photocopied by schools taking part in WWF’s All rights reserved. © WWF-UK, 2010 Park, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XR. WWF-UK, a charity registered in England number 1081247 and in Scotland number SC039593 and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England number 4016725. Published by WWF-UK, Panda House, Weyside Activities developed by John Spooner. number 733 761821. VAT Trademark. Wildlife Fund) ® Registered Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Mark. Panda symbol © 1986. WWF World Trade One Planet Schools is a WWF Registered Cover image: © Michael Bosanko / WWF-UK