top of page

CLIMATE CURRICULUM LEARNING OUTCOMES

image.png

KEY IDEAS: Scientific Background 

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

​

  •      Pupils understand that some human activity causes pollution in the air which is affecting the world’s climate / making the world hotter

  •     Pupils understand the distinction between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ 

  •     Pupils know that the climate is always changing but is changing faster today than it has before

  •     Pupils know that trees help to cool the world down.

  •      Pupils understand that burning coal, oil and gas has an impact on the climate and have a basic understanding of the scientific processes involved 

  •      Pupils are familiar with the terms ‘atmosphere’, ‘Climate Change’ and ‘greenhouse gas emissions’

  •      Pupils know that some natural processes like trees growing, healthy soils and oceans take greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

  •      Pupils can clearly articulate the link between burning fossil fuels and climate change using appropriate scientific vocabulary

  •      Pupils can name key carbon sinks such as forests, peatlands, oceans, algal blooms, and healthy soil

  •      Pupils know what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is and can discuss some recent findings

KEY IDEAS: Urgency of Need for Climate Action

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  • Pupils know that some impacts of our changing climate are happening now and others will happen in the future

  •       Pupils can explain why many institutions have declared a ‘Climate Emergency’, and what this means (see below re impacts of Climate Change)

  • Pupils know about some of the impacts that higher temperatures are having on people already

  •       Pupils can give examples of institutions that have declared a ‘climate emergency’ at different scales and are aware of synonyms such as ‘climate crisis’

  •       They are familiar with the concept of emissions reduction targets and can identify different targets and begin to connect these with current scientific estimates for degrees of warming

  •       Pupils understand that 2030 is a scientific estimate of a year by which global emissions must have peaked in order to give humanity a reasonable chance of controlling eventual warming levels, and that it is not a deadline for an end-of-the-world scenario

  •       Pupils know about current trends in total global climate emissions, i.e. whether they are rising, peaking or falling

  • Pupils begin to understand what climate tipping points are and can connect these with the urgency to act

KEY IDEAS: Impacts of Climate Change

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  •       impacts of our changing climate on some animals, plants and environments both in our locality and elsewhere

  •       Pupils know some of the impacts of our changing climate on people, both in our locality and elsewhere

  •       Pupils can identify a range of impacts of past and / or present climate change on plants and animal species, including extinctions, and on environments locally and across the world

  •       Pupils can identify a range of observed impacts of our changing climate on people locally and across the world the world

  •       Pupils understand how climate change is a factor in the current loss of biodiversity and can describe some future predictions in connection with this

  •       Pupils understand the impact of climate change on ecosystems locally and across the world, both in the present and a range of future scenarios

  •       Pupils can identify a range of impacts of our changing climate on people in the past and present, in their local area, in the UK, and also across the world

  •       Pupils can identify current impacts, and a range of predicted future impacts depending on levels of heating, including human migration.

KEY IDEAS: Responses to Climate Change

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  •       Pupils can name some actions which would have a positive impact on the climate and some ways in which we can stop having a negative impact

  •       Pupils can choose some actions they / their class / their school / their family could take to have a positive impact on the climate

  • Pupils can describe at least one simple / familiar example of how a group of people are taking positive climate action together

  • Pupils understand how using less energy can reduce emissions

  •       Pupils understand what renewable energy is and can explain why it is important in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

  •       Pupils understand the importance of trees for the climate and can explain why protecting / replanting forests is important for the climate

  •       Pupils can identify actions that they can take personally to reduce emissions / promote carbon sinks

  •       Pupils can identify actions that can be taken at the level of their school and locality

  •       Pupils understand that leaders of governments make agreements with each other about climate action and can identify some of the content of these agreements

  • Pupils can name different examples of how a group are taking climate action together and can talk about the outcomes.

  • Pupils are familiar with a range of different climate action strategies including reducing consumption, using renewable energy and protecting/ restoring carbon sinks

  •       Pupils begin to discuss what makes some strategies more effective than others

  •       Pupils can identify actions they can take personally and with a group of which they are part

  •       Pupils are familiar with actions that are being taken locally, nationally; and with key content of international agreements

  •       Pupils begin to form their own opinions on these responses

  •       Pupils can describe a range of examples of how a group have taken climate action together, both locally and across the world, and can talk about the outcomes

  • Pupils can discuss what makes for effective climate action

KEY IDEAS: Consumption and Climate Justice

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  •       Pupils know that many of the choices they and others make have an impact on the environment / climate

  •       Pupils begin to be able to rank human activities they are familiar with e.g. how they travel to school, according to how much of an impact they have on the environment / climate.

  •       Pupils can name some of the things that they and others do that are responsible for climate change

  •       Pupils begin to explore alternatives to these activities which are less harmful

  •       Pupils understand that you can measure how much impact an activity has and know that different lifestyles have a greater or lesser impact

  •       Pupils understand that some individuals and countries are more responsible than others for greenhouse gas emissions to date

  • Pupils compare the carbon footprints of people with a different lifestyle to them, including in other countries.

  •       Pupils can clearly make the connection between climate change and things that they and others consume / activities they and others participate in

  •       Pupils understand that different lifestyles cause much lesser or greater carbon emissions

  •       Pupils can suggest a range of alternatives which might reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  •       Pupils can explain simply what a carbon footprint of an individual, a product, or an activity is

  • Pupils can explain how some countries are more responsible than others for producing greenhouse gas emissions and compare this with where the climate crisis has the most severe impacts. They can use this information to begin to develop their own ideas about rights and responsibilities now and in the future.

KEY IDEAS: Possible Futures

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  • Pupils begin to understand that the future will be different depending on what we do now.

  •       Pupils can imagine different futures within their own likely lifetimes based on different levels of heating, including optimistic scenarios

  • Pupils know that action or lack of it now will have an effect on these different futures.

  • Pupils can outline different possible future scenarios - typically in 2100 - depending on levels of heating

  • Pupils have an understanding of current scientific consensus on what these future scenarios may look like, including best-case scenarios

  • Pupils begin to understand the lack of certainty in future predictions

  • Students know that our scientific understanding is developing and being revised

  • Pupils are familiar with the 12 permaculture principles.

KEY IDEAS: Mindsets and Viewpoints

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  • Pupils are exposed to different viewpoints on the Earth, e.g. that of indigenous peoples.

  • Pupils have the opportunity to explore viewpoints on the climate crisis, including people of colour and / or people of the Global South expressing their view in their own words.

  •       Pupils reflect on different views of the relationship of humans with the Earth (This might include a variety of different perspectives from around the word including some spiritual / faith perspectives)

  • Pupils begin to identify the viewpoints which have influenced their own mindset, and which influence society more widely in the EU. They are given opportunities to think critically about these.

KEY IDEAS: Feelings and Behaviours

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

  • Pupils can talk about their own feelings about the earth, the natural world and the climate

  •       Pupils can talk about their feelings about the earth and the natural world, our changing climate and its impacts. They know that others have a range of different feelings, including anxiety and fear

  •       Pupils begin to understand how some people can feel less anxious when they take action with other people.

  • Pupils can talk about their feelings about the climate crisis and about their own future

  • Pupils are familiar with a range of methods people use to cope with anxiety about climate change including by taking collective action

  • Pupils begin to understand that awareness of the problem does not always lead to action and begin to explore some of the reasons why.

SKILLS FOR A NET CARBON ZERO FUTURE

*Food Growing *Clothes *Repair Skills *Cycle *Safety *Cycle Maintenance *Sustainable Cookery *Household item repair skills *Cutting down food waste

INTRODUCING KEY TERMS

BY THE END OF YEAR 2:

BY THE END OF YEAR 4:

BY THE END OF YEAR 6:

Weather and Climate

  •       Climate change

  •       Atmosphere

  •       Greenhouse effect

  •       Greenhouse Gas emissions ./

  •       Carbon emissions

  •       Carbon dioxide

  •       Fossil fuels

  • Renewable energy

  •       Carbon footprint

  •       Climate emergency

  •       Tipping points

  •       Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

  •       Ecosystems

  •       Climate justice

  •       Carbon sinks

  •       Biodiversity

  •       Permaculture

This climate curriculum is constantly in the process of being revised in the light of a changing situation, in collaboration with schools and with climate scientists. Feedback from schools to sarah@leedsdec.org.uk greatly appreciated.  

bottom of page