Living things & the processes of life - Interaction of living things with their environment - Our environment - G21 - LT-D3.1

1. The children could try to find old maps or books of their local area and ask older relatives of changes they can remember. They could build up a book of the changes over time looking at roads, schools, housing etc. that may have been changed within the lifetime of their families.

Try to get the children to discuss whether these changes have been a good or bad thing for their area. They may take into account such things as jobs, amenity, facilities and environment.

Satellite picture of oil spill off Spain's North-West coast

3. Some of the environmental changes which could be considered here are disasters such as oil spills. The children may find this type of environmental change easier to engage in than a world conference on greenhouse gases. The environmental disaster unfolding on the North west coast of Spain (November 2002) is a case in point.

If possible show the class a video about an oil spillage or similar disaster since these are not frequent enough for the children to have any knowledge.

Contact the RSPB who may be able to help with materials and information about cleaning oiled birds etc.

Reports in the press about pollution are not that regular and so it might be useful for the class teacher to build up a collection over a year or so, particularly as many children come from homes where newspapers are not available or if they are, they are not ones which are likely to report on environmental issues.

Contacting environmental groups such as Greenpeace can yield useful information and resources.

Other changes which could be considered are the change from the use of coal to gas in Britain and the cessation of the development of nuclear power. If we do not build any more nuclear power stations then we are likely to face a power shortage in the foreseeable future when our present reactors reach the end of their lives. (UKAEA)

Insufficient resources are being put into place to develop alternative supplies which are considered to be more eco-friendly and with oil and gas having a limited supply we could face a real crisis.

Would the children be prepared to sacrifice all the comforts they take for granted which rely on electrical power to save the environment?

Is the present generation of governments doing the right thing?

Some interesting class debates here!

4. Primary 6 pupils from Bruntsfield Primary School worked with digital artist Trish Miller on the Conservation and Pollution aspect of Environmental Studies. The pupils approached the project as investigative scientists, roving the local area for evidence of pollution. A Case Study was produced by Collecting samples, Creating slides & Shooting videos.