HASS · Year 10

Active learning ideas

Climate Change: A Global Challenge

This topic tackles one of the most defining challenges of the 21st century, empowering your students to become critical thinkers and informed global citizens.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC: Geography (Year 10) - Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability

• 60–120 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Socio-Scientific Issues
• 60 min · Pairs

Greenhouse in a Jar

Students create a simple model of the greenhouse effect using two jars, two thermometers, and a plastic wrap cover for one jar. By placing both in the sun, they can measure and graph the temperature difference, visually demonstrating how trapped heat increases temperature.

Explain the greenhouse effect and the role of human activities in enhancing it.

Facilitation Tip

Ensure the jars are placed in direct sunlight and that students record temperature readings at regular intervals for a clear trend.

What to look for

An exit ticket where students must draw a diagram of the greenhouse effect and label the key components, including the role of anthropogenic gases.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Socio-Scientific Issues
• 90 min · Individual

Climate Data Detectives

Using real-world data sets from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) or CSIRO, students analyse and graph long-term trends in temperature, rainfall, and sea levels for a specific Australian capital city. They then write a summary of their findings, identifying the long-term climate trend.

Analyse data to identify trends in global temperatures and sea levels.

Facilitation Tip

Provide students with a scaffolded worksheet to guide their data interpretation and graphing.

What to look for

A data analysis task where students are given graphs of global temperature, CO2 concentrations, and sea levels, and must write a report analysing the trends and correlations.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Socio-Scientific Issues
• 120 min · Small Groups

Pacific Islands Summit

In small groups, students research the specific impacts of sea-level rise on a chosen Pacific Island nation (e.g., Tuvalu, Kiribati, Fiji). They then participate in a simulated international summit, presenting their findings and proposing solutions from their nation's perspective.

Evaluate the potential consequences of climate change for a specific region like the Pacific Islands.

Facilitation Tip

Assign roles within the group (e.g., researcher, spokesperson, diplomat) to ensure equitable participation.

What to look for

A research-based persuasive essay or presentation evaluating the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement in addressing global climate change.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Socio-Scientific Issues
• 90 min · Small Groups

Climate Action Plan

Students work in groups to develop a climate action plan for their school or local community. They must identify key sources of emissions, propose practical mitigation and adaptation strategies, and present their plan to the class.

Explain the greenhouse effect and the role of human activities in enhancing it.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage students to consider the economic and social feasibility of their proposed actions.

What to look for

Students use a rubric to evaluate their own contribution to a group project, such as the 'Pacific Islands Summit' activity, reflecting on their research and collaboration skills.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start by establishing the core science of the greenhouse effect using simple models before introducing complex data. Use powerful case studies, like those from our Pacific neighbours, to connect the data to real people and places. Facilitate structured debates to help students explore the different economic, political, and ethical perspectives on climate action.

Students will move beyond the headlines to analyse scientific evidence, understand the human dimension of climate impacts, and evaluate the complex solutions being proposed.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• The hole in the ozone layer is the cause of global warming.

  The ozone hole and global warming are two separate issues. The ozone hole allows more harmful UV radiation to reach Earth, while global warming is caused by greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere.

• Weather and climate are the same thing.

  Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific place (e.g., today's temperature and rainfall). Climate is the long-term average of weather patterns over decades or longer.

• Climate change is just part of a natural cycle, so humans aren't responsible.

  While Earth's climate has natural cycles, the current rate of warming is unprecedented and scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows it is caused by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases.

• A single cold winter or cool summer disproves global warming.

  Global warming refers to the rising trend in average global temperatures over a long period. Individual weather events, like a cold spell, do not negate the overall long-term trend of a warming planet.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Socio-Scientific Issues