Describe how the picture makes you feel. What do you imagine to be the story of this picture?

1. Describe how the picture makes you feel. • What do you imagine to be the story of this picture? • The picture shows the effects of drought in Kenya, where villagers say that drought now occurs more often and more severely. What is your own experience of the awesome beauty and power of the created world? Thank you, God, for the gift of creation and all its beauty. Teach us how to be good stewards of creation, so that everyone can enjoy its benefits. Amen Pause for reflection

2. Heat from the sun shines onto the Earth. It passes through a blanket of gases in our atmosphere.

3. Some of the heat energy is reflected back into space. Some of the heat energy gets absorbed by the blanket of ‘greenhouse’ gases.

4. Human activities are creating more greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, CO2. As we burn more fossil fuels, for example, the blanket of greenhouse gases becomes thicker.

5. More greenhouse gases in the atmosphere mean that more heat energy is absorbed. This increase in the temperature of the earth, or ‘global warming’, is what causes climate change.

6. “The plight of the earth demonstrates that… materialism cannot be allowed to drive out responsibility and love… care for those in need, and respect for the rights of future generations...” The Call of Creation, Catholic Bishops of England & Wales, 2002 Section Three Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching …and action!

7. If you attended a Catholic school, you will have studied Creation and Stewardship in Key Stage 3. • Here is a quick reminder of what you may have learned: • Nothing exists that does not owe its existence to God. • The creation story in Genesis is a theological, not a scientific, truth. • Because God is infinitely good, creation reflects that goodness. • God created humankind in God’s own image and likeness. • Adam and Eve represent humankind, appointed as stewards of creation, but rejecting original holiness. • Yet God does not abandon creation, but loves and sustains it. • In love, God sent Jesus so that everyone might have life to the full. Revision

8. “ Never will I forget the impression the sea made upon me; I couldn’t take my eyes off it, since its majesty, the roaring of its waves, everything spoke to my soul of God’s grandeur and power. St. Therese of Lisieux ” “ Life is not a simple product of laws and the randomness of matter, but within everything and above, there is a personal will, there is a Spirit who in Jesus has revealed Himself as Love. Pope Benedict XVI Pause for reflection ”

9. Research the causes and impacts of climate change, using • the library, the internet, newspapers, and local experts. • Prepare a ten-minute talk for your class or for a younger class. • Your presentation should include: • introduction to the issue • where it occurs • who it affects most and how • possible ways forward • at least two differing viewpoints on the issue • your own viewpoint (with reasons) • summary and conclusion. • TIPS • Remember to use your own expertise too! • If you are studying English Literature you could take a literary angle, if you are studying science you could research the scientific viewpoints, etc. • Remember to include scripture and Catholic Social Teaching. Assignment ideas

10. Comics sessionA campaigning session for young people in schools andyouth groups. cafod.org.uk/greatgeneration

11. Drawing faces • You can draw a face with just the letters O and T. • Keep the O the same, then change the position of the T to give different expressions. • Plan the faces of the characters in your story. Add moustaches or hair styles so that each character is recognisable.

12. Icebreaker What’s on your face? Happy Worried Confused Angry

13. Input World Comics • A way to campaign. • Used by CAFOD partners in Sri Lanka. • Look at a comic, what message is the artist trying to get across? • What are the benefits of putting your message across through a comic? • What are the drawbacks?

19. What’s the story? • It should have a message to get across. • Choose a theme, a specific area of the theme and a target audience. • It should have four parts: an introduction, development, a twist and a conclusion. • It should be between four and nine sentences long. • For example: My story is on the theme of climate change. It will show the benefits of sustainable energy for a community overseas to persuade politicians solar power is useful and we should use more of it. It is based on Veronica’s story from the One Climate, One World Action guide for young people.

20. Example story Veronica lives on a farm in a beautiful area of rural Kenya with lots of sunshine. She wants to be successful when she grows up, so she studies hard at school. But there is no electricity in her area, so she cannot see her books to do her homework in the evening. She won a solar lantern at school, for doing well at school. This means she can now study in the evening. She is pleased as she has some big exams coming up so she will be fully prepared.

21. Climate change droughts melting glaciers more intense weather events: hurricanes, altered monsoons, etc melting ice caps rising river levels rising sea levels landslides floods land losses homes and businesses destroyed water sources contaminated water shortages crops destroyed livestock die vulnerability, hunger, conflict, displaced people, poverty Are these outcomes inevitable? Create a mind map showing positive responses to the challenges of climate change. Effects of climate change in less economically developed countries

22. Make a World Comic • Plan what your characters look like on scrap paper. • Draw your cartoon in pencil in the comic template. • Add in speech bubbles or captions. • Check you are happy with your story, go over the pencil lines in ink, and rub out the pencil when the ink is dry. • Add a catchy title. • Share your comics with others in your group.

24. Plan your panels • Draw your characters in the bottom of the panel and their speech in the top. • Comics are read from left to right and from up to down. • Use foreground and background features to add detail to the story.

25. Drawing bodies • A body is equivalent to the height of seven heads. • Try drawing a body in different postures, maybe ask someone to act out the posture so you can draw them. • Add clothes to make a complete body. • Try adding distinctive characteristics such as a hat so each character is recognisable.

26. Speech balloons • Use different types of balloons for: • normal speech • thinking • shouting • whispering • crowds. • Put the balloon for the person speaking first at the top of the panel. • Write in capital letters.

27. Follow up Share your comics • You need to share your comics to get your message out there! You could: • hold an exhibition in your school or parish. • email a copy to your local parliamentary candidates, if your chosen theme was climate change, so they know you want them to stop climate change pushing people deeper into poverty. • take photos of any comics on a climate change theme and share them through social media, tagging @CAFOD #OneClimateOneWorld. • evaluate the impact of your comics.

28. World Comics India • We thank World Comics India for allowing us to share and adapt their Grassroots Comics advocacy method for this session. • Find out more about World Comics India and download a detailed comic making guide at worldcomicsindia.com