Guidelines for teachers on the use of the Climate Box toolkit in schools
The Climate Box is an interactive learning toolkit on climate change addressed at secondary and primary school students and their teachers of natural sciences and environmental studies. The materials have been prepared by the UNDP with the support of the GEF, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia, and the Coca-Cola company. Climate Box continues the series of toolkits for school students, which have already been prepared and presented by UNDP and its partners: Black Sea Box and Baikal’s Little Treasure Chest.
Objectives of the Climate Box:
- to inform students about the world around them, the interrelations between a man and the environment;
- to promote the ideas of conservation and respect for nature;
- to instill an environmental culture of responsible consumption in the younger generation, to develop energy- and resources-saving skills among young people;
- to assist teachers in preparing and conducting lessons on themes directly or indirectly related to climate change.
The Climate Box interactive toolkit contains:
- An illustrated textbook for students with learning materials, interactive and individual tasks, and questions on the theme of climate change;
- Guidelines for teachers on how to use the toolkit in lessons with children of different ages; – the Climate Quiz – a set of game cards;
- A map entitled ‘Climate change: The negative impacts on the environment and human beings, unless we do all we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions’;
- A poster entitled ‘Climate change: how to reduce your carbon footprint’;
- A disc with all of the textbook materials in electronic form
The Climate Box textbook
The textbook consists of three sections: ‘The problem of climate change’; ‘How climate change affects the natural world and human beings. Can we adapt to the inevitable consequences of climate change?’; and ‘How to prevent dangerous climate change’. The book helps students to develop knowledge and skills for distinguishing different types of climate and natural zones; explains the relationship of the geographical components of natural systems; teaches how to distinguish, describe and explain the essential features of geographical features and weather phenomena and how they can change as a result of natural and manmade impacts; explains the use of alternative energy sources; teaches rules of conduct in case of extreme weather; and teaches the sparing use of resources in the home, at school and outdoors. The information in each section of the textbook can provide a useful supplement to many aspects of educational programmes.
Charts on pp. 241–252 indicate how to link the Climate Box to national curricula. These guidelines clearly have a focus on the Russian educational programme, however they contain valuable information that would be useful for other countries’ curricula, many of which are similar in format to the Russian one.
The textbook contains many interesting and informative facts about natural anomalies, examples of the consequences of climate change impacts on coastal, mountain and Arctic regions, forests,cities and countries, and gives students the opportunity to independently analyze the information and to build hypotheses and forecasts about natural processes and phenomena of relevance to the region where they live.
The guidelines will help teachers to give their pupils a scientific understanding of the world around them, to develop their intellectual abilities and desire for knowledge. The textbook helps students to view the world from the point of view of an astronomer, geographer and ecologist. Colourful and attractive illustrations, charts and graphs help to consolidate an understanding of evolution (by reference to climate change events in the past and the shape of our planet today), spatial differences in the processes of climate formation, geographical features of the natural complexes of different continents and oceans, conservation practices, natural and manmade causes of environmental problems, measures to preserve the natural world and protect people from natural and man-made disasters, the greenhouse effect and biodiversity, and the carbon footprint of human beings on Earth.
Questions and tasks provided in the textbook offer an opportunity to use all of this knowledge in practice.
The textbook can be used in work with students from 8 years old, but is particularly suitable for students aged 10–13 years old, both as part of the main curriculum and for extracurricular activities.
Teachers are advised to use the textbook materials taking account of what their students are currently focused on, and their needs, interests and abilities. Some children will find the whole of the text to be of interest, while others may be attracted by specific facts, illustrations or ideas for experiments. We are optimistic that every student will find something new and interesting in the textbook. We suggest that teachers take a creative approach to the toolkit, using the materials in activities outside the classroom and in extracurricular activities: these may be outdoor activities, environmental actions, subject weeks, competitions and quizzes, and study circles.
The team of authors sincerely hopes that the Climate Box toolkit will encourage students, teachers and parents to alter their lifestyle towards greater environmental awareness.
Educational programmes
Primary education
- The School 2100 educational programme. The world around us. Authors: A.A. Vahhrushev, D.D. Danilov, A.S. Rautian and others.
- The Harmony educational programme. The world around us. Author: O.T. Poglazova.
- The Russian School educational programme. The world around us. Author: A.A. Pleshakov.
Secondary education
- Natural Science. Class 5. Authors: A.A. Pleshakov, N.I. Sonin
- Biology. Classes 6–9. Authors: N.I. Sonin, V.B. Zakharov, E.T. Zakharova
- Biology. Classes 10–11. Authors: I.B. Agafonov, V.I. Sivoglazov
- Geography. Classes 6–9. Authors V.P. Dronov and others
- Geography. Classes 10–11. Author: V.P. Maksakovsky
- Chemistry. Classes 8–11. Authors: O.S. Gabrielyan
- Physics. Classes 7–9. Authors: A.V. Peryshkin, E.M. Gutnik
- Physics. Classes 10–11. Author: L.E. Gendenshtein
- Environment, Health and Safety. Classes 5–9. Author: I.K. Toporov
Refer to the book page number 252 to 255 for Credits for the Illustrations.
Vladimir Berdin, Yulia Dobrolyubova, Ekaterina Gracheva, Pavel Konstantinov, Natalia Ryzhova,
Elena Smirnova, Dmitry Zamolodchikov
Climate Box
An interactive learning toolkit
on climate change
Textbook
Approved for printing in 2018. Format 60×84/8. 6.7 standard print sheets.
27.9 conditional print sheets.
Offset paper. Offset printing.
1,000 copies. Order № 1257
RA ILF publications
Office 1, Building 1, 10 Bolshoi Kondratyevsky Lane, 123056, Moscow
