It’s a well-known fact that the worst impacts of the climate crisis will be felt the most keenly by future generations, including those who are children now.
Although it’s uncomfortable to think about, especially for parents, grandparents and others with children in their lives, it’s important to recognise this inter-generational aspect of climate change.
Climate change can feel scary and unknowable. That’s why most people choose not to think about it – it’s simply too big a problem to think about in the face of the day-to-day stream of ordinary worries and concerns.
But for children and future generations to have a liveable future, we need to act now, and put pressure on those in power to act now too – and this starts with thinking, and talking, about the problem.
Talking to children about climate change and its solutions is absolutely vital.
However, it’s easy to get bogged down in the doom and gloom, or to go the other way and make the climate crisis seem like a distant, abstract problem for others to think about. Neither of these approaches will lead to empowerment or action.
What does make work is making climate change feel real and relevant, but fixable.
That’s the truth – we’re already feeling the impacts of the climate crisis, with hotter summers, more frequent winter storms and flooding, and generally unpredictable weather patterns.
But we are currently in a window of time where it is still possible to reverse the damage that has been done and halt the warming of our planet – if we act now to cut emissions in all sectors of society.
Focusing on the local is a great way of making both climate issues and solutions feel real and possible to children.
That’s why Time for Change has put together a resource list which we hope will be helpful for primary teachers to support teaching of environmental issues and climate change.
Many of the resources will also be suitable for other youth groups.
The resource includes information and educational resources from organisations based in Argyll and Bute, some of which are also able to arrange school visits.
There is also information from national and international projects which produce education packs specifically for primary schools.
Resources will be updated as new materials become available, so please check the Time for Change website for the most up to date version.
We will be distributing this resource list to primary teachers across Argyll, but if you are a teacher or work with children and are interested in the resources, you can find them at https://timeforchangeargyllandbute.org/resources-for-schools/.
Please also get in touch at info@timeforchangeargyllandbute.org if you have any resources you think should be added to the list!
May 2023