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Description
The goal of this activity is to inform and encourage students to take individual and community action to address climate change. It assumes students have an understanding of global warming and the major ways in which humans are impacting our climate.
The lesson begins with an introduction to the concepts of the carbon footprint and ecological handprint. Using the handprint tool (provided) and background information on six positive actions that can impact climate change, students create a visual record of the steps they are already taking and those they would consider taking going forward.
With their handprints completed, students share individual results, look for commonalities and assess opportunities for next steps. A number of suggestions for related inquiries have been included.
General Assessment
Strengths
The activity does an excellent job in connecting the issue of climate change to the student's own experience.
Recommendation of how and where to use it
The practical nature of the lesson and the tool students use in its completion make this a valuable climate change learning experience across a range of courses and grade levels.
This activity would be most effective if carried out in combination with the carbon footprint activity from the same publisher.
Relevant Curriculum Units
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
- Step 1Select a province
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 7
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 7: Earth and its climate have changed over geological time
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth Science 11: The transfer of energy through the atmosphere creates weather and is affected by climate change
- Science for Citizens 11:Scientific processes and knowledge inform our decisions and impact our daily lives
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Physical Geography 12: Interactions between human activities and the atmosphere affect local and global weather and climate
- Manitoba
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Weather
- Grade 10
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- Science
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- Senior 2 Science: Weather Dynamics
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- World Geography: A Human Perspective - World Resources, Energy, and Environment
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Interdisciplinary Topics in Science 40S: Science, Technology, Society and the Environment
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Citizenship and Sustainability: Area of Inquiry: Environment
- Global Issues
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Nova Scotia
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- Grade 5
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 5: Weather
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Citizenship 9: Engaged Citizenship
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 10: Weather Dynamics
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 7
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth and Space Systems: Heat in the Environment
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Exploring Canadian Geography: Liveable Communities
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science (Academic):Earth and Space Science: Climate Change
- Science (Applied)::Earth and Space Science: Earth's Dynamic Climate
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Forces of Nature: Physical Processes and Disasters (Univ./College Prep.): The Physical Environment: Sustainability and Stewardship
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Living in a Sustainable World (Workplace Prep.) Ecosystems and Human Activity
- The Environment & Resource Management (Workplace Preparation): Human-Environment Interactions
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (College Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (Univ. Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- Prince Edward Island
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Weather
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Interdependence: Atlantic Canada in the Global Community: Environment in the Global Community
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 431A: Earth and Space Science, Weather Systems
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Geography 621A Global Issues: Introduction- What is a global issue?
- Geography 631A Global Issues: Introduction - What Is a Global Issue
- Quebec
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- The Contemporary World: Environment
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Contemporary World: Environment
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 7
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 7: Earth and its climate have changed over geological time
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth Science 11: The transfer of energy through the atmosphere creates weather and is affected by climate change
- Science for Citizens 11:Scientific processes and knowledge inform our decisions and impact our daily lives
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Physical Geography 12: Interactions between human activities and the atmosphere affect local and global weather and climate
Themes Addressed
Air, Atmosphere & Climate (1)
- Climate Change
Citizenship (2)
- Ecological Footprint
- Sustainable Consumption
