KS3 Climate Change and Biodiversity

A day for students to learn about biodiversity, climate change, and sustainability, through hands-on practical activities.

Students will consider which human activities change the natural carbon cycle and what they as individuals and we can do collectively to take action to tackle the climate emergency. They will also learn about biodiversity and why it matters, and conduct a ecological survey of the forest during a BioBlitz.

Learning objectives:

To understand the science of climate change, its causes and its impacts
To use knowledge of the carbon cycle to be able to communicate the need for climate action
To understand the importance of trees in relation to the climate and ecological emergency
To understand what biodiversity is and why it matters for resilience to climate change
To understand the main threats to biodiversity and how the global distribution of biodiversity is impacted by climate change

National curriculum links
KS3 Science
Interactions and Interdependencies

The interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem, including food webs and insect pollinated crops
The importance of plant reproduction through insect pollination in human food security
How organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment, including the accumulation of toxic materials.

Genetics and evolution

Changes in the environment may leave individuals within a species, and some entire species, less well adapted to compete successfully and reproduce, which in turn may lead to extinction

Earth and Atmosphere

The production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the impact on climate

The carbon cycle

The composition of the atmosphere

KS3 Geography
Human and physical geography

Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems

KS3 PSHE guidance

Teaching should develop pupils’ understanding of democracy, government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Pupils should use and apply their knowledge and understanding whilst developing skills to research and interrogate evidence, debate and evaluate viewpoints, present reasoned arguments and take informed action.