At-home and at school learning resources from Learning for a Sustainable Future
Week 16: A Call to Learning for Climate Education
The world is struggling with COVID-19, but young people are still finding a way to act on climate change. Activist groups are hosting virtual rallies instead of live events. This week’s LIO focuses on young climate activists who are joining others in the fight for their future and making their voices heard. Many incredible young people are standing up and fighting for our planet. Knowing about and hearing from young people who resonate with your students will help motivate and inspire them to be part of the change.

The activities below will help students identify issues facing our climate and introduce them to various aspects of developing an action plan to organize within our communities and improve our climate resiliency!
This inspiring picture book retells the story of Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world's climate crisis. This picture book makes this important topic accessible to young children. Greta is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by the Giants. When the Giants first came to the woods, they chopped down trees to make houses. Then they chopped down more trees and made even bigger homes. Greta knows she has to help the animals who live in the woods, but how? Luckily, Greta has an idea; she believes that no one is too small to make a difference and change the world.


Activities
  • Listen to Greta and the Giants based off the story of climate activist Greta Thunberg
  • I am One: A Book of Action addresses climate change and community activism calling on younger students to become activists. Read two stories of Climate Changemakers. Brainstorm different ways activists help teach others about climate change
  • What is Climate Change? is one of the big question's students can investigate using the Climate Kids website
  • Empower students to be leaders for change by introducing them to the Climate Action Superheroes. Begin with the Truth Talker mission students learn the facts about climate change and share them with others
  • Create a climate action message sign and hang it in your window
  • Get the students outside to participate in a Climate Change Scavenger Hunt
What did you think of Greta and the Giants?
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Be inspired by twelve children from around the world stepping up to raise awareness against climate change. This informational picture book encourages students to look at their communities and act to make a difference. Learn more about the difference these activists are making through their work and the challenges they face. Students will be inspired by these young activists doing amazing things to save the planet.



Activities
  • Listen to Old Enough to Save the Planet to learn more about 12 student activists who are working on climate change in their communities
  • Use this lesson plan to discuss the role of a climate change activist
  • Discuss ways students can make changes in their communities, starting in their schoolyard
  • Have students research a younger climate change activist and present their findings to the class
  • Visit Kids Against Climate Change for ideas on how you can make a positive change in your community. Check out the What Can Kids Do? Tab for action ideas
  • Have students investigate What is Climate Change? using the Climate Kids website. This lesson explains the science behind why our climate is changing and why it is important.
What did you think of Old Enough to Save the Planet?
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In this climate education activity, students look at how young people are protecting our planet.
They discover more about the role of a Climate Activist and learn about how they are supporting Global Goal 13. Students use Google Earth tools to explore our natural world and learn more about youth activists for climate change worldwide. They discuss different actions they can take to tackle climate change.



Activities
What did you think of Earth: It's Everybody's Home?
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Grades 9-12
Students learn about climate change and its impacts before taking action to improve climate resiliency within their communities. The Y-Adapt resource is an interactive, game-based curriculum that educates, engages and inspires youth to act in their communities to adapt to climate change.



Activities
  • Learn more about some of Canada's leading young climate activists
  • As a group activity in class, complete the Climate Change People Search together. Have the students summarize their collective feelings about climate change and what they can do about it as a class
  • Test your knowledge on the causes of climate change and how it impacts the lives of people 
  • Use these worksheets to help you choose and plan a project idea
  • Submit a letter to the Write2Know letter-writing campaign that allows you to ask federal ministers and scientists questions that matter to you. Read some of the questions asked by fellow students
  • Design a t-shirt that effectively communicates the importance of climate change. The design could include a slogan and illustrations or icons that reflect the importance of being informed about climate change
  • Organize a Climate Strike online with the help of the Fridays for Future digital toolkit
What did you think of Y-Adapt?
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About Learning Inside Out

Above you will find a selection of activities, broken down by various grade levels. These guides will be released weekly and archived on our Learning Inside Out page, so you can always access the full catalogue.

All activities have been modified from resources on our R4R database, simplified and adapted for both outdoor learning in the school yard or at-home as needed. The activity descriptions above should contain all the information and links that you need!

If you'd like to view the full original resource on R4R, including curriculum connections for every province/territory, click the activity title.

We want this guide to work for you, so your feedback is invaluable to us.
Use the feedback button at the bottom of this Guide, or email us at info@LSF-LST.ca. We would also love to see photos of students engaging in the activities, please e-mail us any pictures or videos you have!
Let us know how this helped your learning and teaching from home or at school indoors and (hopefully) outdoors and what you'd like to see more of by filling out our brief feedback form!
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Please share widely with any parents and teachers in your life!
Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) is a Canadian charity with over 25 years of experience working within the education system. Our Resources for Rethinking (R4R) database is an award-winning collection of resources that are peer-reviewed by certified teachers and connected to curriculum in all provinces and territories. R4R is recommended on many Ministry of Education websites.
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