<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-07/climate-change-education-school-teachers-students/104183462>
'In a primary school on Melbourne's outer suburban fringe, a group of grade six
students is teaching children from a local kinder about marine pollution.
"What is this?" asks one of the older students, holding up a plastic bottle.
"A bottle?" replies one kinder-aged kid.
"Yes and what is it now?" the older student asks, throwing it on the ground.
"Rubbish!" the younger children chorus back.
Harkaway Primary School has a strong sustainability focus.
The school is in a leafy, fire-prone area and students work on their own
bushfire preparation plans.
They learn about native wildlife and monitor the health of nearby creeks, and
play board games with climate change themes.
Principal Leigh Johnson is passionate about environmental education, which he
says can help students develop strategies to manage and respond to climate
threats.
"We want our kids to have amazing ideas about things they can do to help their
environment to help the future of the planet," Mr Johnson explains.
"To gain that understanding, but then to do stuff with that, that actually
makes them excited and hopeful."
Deakin University associate professor Peta White is exploring how climate
change education can be taught in Australian science classrooms, as part of a
global research project for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD).
She says climate change can not only be incorporated within "traditional"
subjects like biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space science — but
across subjects.
"I think climate change education fits into all disciplines," Dr White says.
"How could [teachers] infuse learning about our climate crises in the context
of mathematics, numeracy or literacy, or as an art piece?"'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
