Climate Change in Schools

1. Climate Change in Schools SYD SMITH

2. 1 2 3 4 Through existing curriculum Through AuSSI Program Through Climate Clever Program Environmental Education Centres WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE CHANGE Company Logo

3. Existing Curriculum • Every state and territory has its own curriculum but Australia is going national • ACARAThe Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority is the independent authority responsible for the development of a national curriculum, a national assessment program and a national data collection and reporting program that supports 21st century learning for all Australian students. • To view the Australian Curriculum, the My Schoolwebsite or the dedicated website on the National Assessment Program click on the quick links. • . Company Logo

4. Syllabuses Available Now Syllabuses for 2013 English Maths Science History (Ready) Geography The Arts Physical Education Health and Personal Development (In development) Company Logo

5. How Climate Change Supports Syllabuses • English: Communication exercise; gathering information, investigate topics, convey understandings, report on significant findings, explore values and feelings through the analysis of issues and problems • Students helped to understand the complexity of issues, how values shape human viewpoints and how opinions are expressed from different perspectives Company Logo

6. Mathematics • Using maths to make informed decisions about present and future actions to take. • Climate change analysis develops student skills in measurement, modelling, data collection, representation and processes such as auditing • Explore and contemplate population growth concepts and issues and relationship to Climate Change Company Logo

7. History • Helps us see the problems we face today have usually been faced before and much can be learned from past experiences • Helps us to learn we need to conserve and preserve or protect items of value both natural and built. • Looks at any environmental issue, technological change and social condition in any era. Company Logo

8. Science • Exploring, investigating and understanding the physical world around us and how it works. • Reflects on the ingenuity of the natural world and its life cycles, growth and physical worth. • Focuses on changes in systems, their causes and consequences • Observation skills , making predictions and drawing conclusions based on a body of evidence Company Logo

9. Geography • Knowledge and values to understand structures, land surface features, global and local systems (weather and climate), physical forces and how they all interact to shape the Earth and where we live. • Helps us see where we are in relation to others in terms of distance, location, climatic regime, biodiversity and economic standing. • Environmental costs in economic analysis Company Logo

10. The Arts • Music, Dance, Visual Arts, Drama vehicles for creative expression of ideas, social commitment and events in time, past present and future. • Helps us to question ethos and methodologies of systems, institutions, organisations and other social constructs. • Encourage new ways of thinking like ‘What if’ scenarios Company Logo

11. AuSSI • The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) is a partnership of the Australian Government and the states and territories that seeks to support schools and their communities to become sustainable. Company Logo

12. AuSSI 2 • The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) involves a holistic approach to education for sustainability with measurable environmental, financial, educational and social outcomes. It implements improvements in a school's management of resources and grounds and integrates this approach into the existing curriculum and daily running of the school. Students participate in an action learning - or learning by doing - process Company Logo

13. AuSSI 3 • AuSSI does not replace other environmental education activities in schools; rather it links to and complements existing programmes such as Energy Smart Schools, WasteWise, Waterwatch, Waterwise, Landcare and the Reef Guardian Schools Programme. As part of the Initiative, teachers can receive much needed access to professional development in education for sustainability, delivered through supporting agencies and environmental education centres Company Logo

14. Started NSW and Vic National Program From Canberra 2 Govt departments AuSSI Over 300 schools Waste Water Biodiversity Energy AuSSI Program in Summary Company Logo

15. Achievements • Participating schools have reported reductions in waste collection of up to 80%, reductions in water consumption of up to 60%, and savings on energy consumption of 20% with commensurate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Schools are also achieving financial savings and broader social and educational benefits from increased school pride and interest in learning Company Logo

16. Climate Clever • Climate Clever Energy Savers program (CCES) is a $5 million program for primary and secondary schools over the calendar years 2010-2013. • The purpose of CCES is to support professional learning and student-directed energy saving and greenhouse gas reduction projects in NSW government schools. Company Logo

17. Schools Climate Change Initiative • The Schools Climate Change Initiative (SCCI) is an innovative program, funded by the Department of Environment and Climate Change 2007-2010. The program aims to develop teacher and student understandings of measures required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change in NS.W Company Logo

18. Schools Climate Change Initiative • Eleven learning communities across NSW worked to develop teaching programs and resources. • The SCCI was the first project in the DET to develop a curriculum integrated and cross schools or learning community approach to climate change education.  The evaluation, conducted by the University of Newcastle, has been particularly important Company Logo

19. Schools Climate Change Initiative • The Schools Climate Change Initiative (SCCI), a middle years (Year 5-10) action learning and teaching resource development Project, was implemented by the NSW Department of Education and Training (NSW DET) and funded by the NSW Government through the NSW Greenhouse Office. Company Logo

20. School Climate Change Initiative • The established Project goal was • to assist in the implementation of the NSW Greenhouse Plan by developing teacherand student awareness, understanding and environmental citizenship in regard to thelocal to global’ measures required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to future climate changes in NSW. Company Logo

21. The Initiative ran over a three year period, from 2007 to 2009, with the aims of the Initiative to be achieved by the production, trial and refinement of a series of teaching/learning tasks and an associated professional learning program addressing climate change and sustainable energy for students and teachers across the middle school years. Company Logo

22. SCCI • The Project was coordinated by the NSW DET Curriculum K-12 Directorate, the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change and 11 Climate Change Learning Communities. Each Climate Change Learning Community was comprised of one, sometimes two, NSW DET Environment Education Centres (EEC), at least one secondary school, two to three partner primary schools, their Local Council and in a few cases other associated agencies. Company Logo

23. scc • Each community had a Learning Community Coordinator appointed from within their EEC and over the three year period of the Initiative, three consecutive overarching Project Coordinators (PC) were appointed within the Environmental Education Unit of the NSW DET. • The Schools Climate Change Initiative will contribute to future implementation of education for sustainability in NSW schools, with particular emphasis on sustainable energy use and community action to adapt to climate change.

24. Thank You ! SYD SMITH