Secondary workshops
back to basics series
In celebration of this year’s Climate and Nature Summit, we’ve designed a special series of back-to-basics workshops. These sessions offer a comprehensive overview of key topics such as climate change, energy, fashion, waste, and biodiversity. Each workshop is tailored to help you take meaningful action within your schools.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
ENAGING WORKSHOPS: Five new workshops with fresh content, expert guest speakers, and engaging activities.
INTERACIVE LEARNING : Each session comes with worksheets and activities for your class.
ACTION ORIENTATED: Learn practical steps you can implement to make a difference in your school.
HOW IT WORKS:
CHOOSE one of the five workshops below.
DOWNLOAD the teacher resources, student activity sheet, slides and walking debate questions
CLICK play and enjoy
COME BACK TOMORROW to try another workshop.
FEEDBACK- Don’t forget to let us know how your class found the workshops.
Workshops Description. This session will help students deepen their understanding of climate change by exploring key concepts like greenhouse gases, the drivers of climate change, and the meaning behind the global temperature rise of 1.2°C. They will also examine the impacts of climate change, the most effective actions to address it, and engage in a walking debate to reflect on their personal feelings about the issue.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, Walking Debate, Powerpoint Feedback
OTHER RESOURCES: Environmental Influencer Course, GCE Environmental and Resource Booklets with Workshops, Climate alarm clock podcast, Yellow Dot Studios @weareyellowdot
Workshops Description. Ever wondered what happens to our plastic waste after we put it in the recycling bin? You might be surprised! In this video, Alex Whyatt (Global Action Plan) explores the reality of recycling and the consequences of our consumption for human rights, and suggests ways we can act for better systems.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, Powerpoint Teachers Note Feedback
Workshops Description. Ireland is undergoing an exciting transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. In this workshop students will explore: where we currently get our energy from; the target we have set ourselves; the benefits of renewable energy; the challenges we face in increasing the number of wind farms in Ireland; and what we can do as individuals to help.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, Walking Debate, Presentation Feedback
OTHER RESOURCES: Educational videos from Wind Energy Ireland and SEAI.
Workshops Description. In this workshop, students will explore the importance of biodiversity and its vital role in maintaining ecosystem health. They will examine the threats to biodiversity, such as habitat loss and climate change, and understand the far-reaching impacts these changes have on the planet. Through interactive activities and discussions, students will also learn about the actions they can take to help protect and preserve biodiversity.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Walking Debate. Teacher Resources. Student Worksheet. Slides. Feedback
Workshops Description.This workshop will guide students through the environmental and social impacts of the fast fashion industry, highlighting issues such as resource depletion, pollution, and exploitative labor practices. Students will learn about the lifecycle of clothing, from production to disposal, and explore sustainable alternatives. Through group discussions and critical thinking exercises, they will gain insights into how their consumption habits can contribute to a more sustainable fashion future.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Walking Debate. Student Worksheet. Teacher Resources. Slides.
MONDAY OCTOBER 16TH. celebrating WORLD FOOD DAY.
WORKSHOP: DOES THE WAY WE FARM MAKE SENSE?
DELIVERED BY: The Irish Schools Sustainability Network
FEATURING: Kenneth Keavey from Green Earth Organics , Darragh Wynne from GOAL, John Kelly Dairy Farmer
DESCRIPTION: We consume food every day. Farming is arguably the most important industry we have. More and more we hear about farming in the news and its impacts on climate and biodiversity loss. The issues are complex and they can be difficult to understand. In this session students will better understand what the issues are and the root cause. We explore how land is used in Ireland, whether or not Ireland can feed itself, and we help students to connect the dots between farming, climate breakdown, feeding ourselves, and biodiversity loss. At the end of the session we hope that students will develop empathy for farmers and the challenges they face.
LESSON PLAN: 1) Watch the video & use the associated worksheet (2) Do the walking debate (10-15mins)
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, walking debate, powerpoint slides that are used in the video.
OTHER RESOURCES: John Kelly Dairy Farmer on farming & emissions, Article on how dairy farming is harming grain growers, the demise of the vegetable farmers.
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: As a teacher you can complete this brief survey (takes 1-2mins) and / or at the end of the workshop use the jam board to write down some comments from your students.
RELEVANT SUBJECTS: All subject areas, Agricultural Science, CSPE, Economics, English, Geography, Politics, Science, SPHE, Wellbeing
Monday 27th November. UN Climate Change Conference COP28
WORKSHOP 1: Climate psychology: How we can spark social change
DELIVERED BY: Dr Eoin Galavan, Psychological Society of Ireland, Dr Patrick Kirwan, The Irish Schools Sustainability Network
DESCRIPTION: Climate change is finally attracting people’s attention but there is still a wide gap between knowledge and action. Knowledge does not necessarily lead to action because we as humans find all sorts of arguments not to take action. Our personal short-term interests and long-held habits appear to us as being more important that paving the way for a liveable future. So we need to spark social change. In this workshop, Psychologist Dr Eoin Galavan explains how we can do this.
Sparking social change involves inspiring and mobilizing individuals to address and transform societal issues. In this workshop we explore the concepts of social norms, social contagion, social comparison, social tipping points, social movements, and leadership.
LESSON PLAN: 1) Watch the video & use the associated worksheet (2) Do the walking debate (10-15mins)
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, walking debate, powerpoint slides that are used in the video.
OTHER RESOURCES: Ideas for brining COP28 into your classroom - all subjects, Al Gore on COP28, BBC The Climate Question Podcast - What has COP achieved?
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: As a teacher you can complete this brief survey (takes 1-2mins) and / or at the end of the workshop use the jam board to write down some comments from your students.
RELEVANT SUBJECTS: All subject areas, CSPE, Economics, English, Geography, Politics, Religion, Science, SPHE, Wellbeing
WORKSHOP 2: WHy aren’t we all activists? Climate activism and direct action
DELIVERED BY: Alex Whyatt, Global Action Plan Ireland
DESCRIPTION: In this workshop your students will: explore climate action and climate activism; identify different ‘types’ of activism; discuss the ethical implications of climate activism and of inaction, debating whether there is a moral imperative to engage in climate action; and formulate a way in which they could be activists. Please read teacher notes.
LESSON PLAN: Watch the interactive video and complete the student exercises. Students will need the worksheet. We recommend you use the differentiated worksheet. Please read the teacher notes. The workshop has a fantastic literacy activity which easily be given more time. You may want to carry the lesson over.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Teacher notes, Differentiated worksheet / Undifferentiated worksheet, Powerpoint used in the video, Walking debate
OTHER RESOURCES: Resources for writing to a politican (from the Environmental Influencer Course)
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: As a teacher you can complete this brief survey (takes 1-2mins) and / or at the end of the workshop use the jam board to write down some comments from your students.
RELEVANT SUBJECTS: All subject areas (see teacher notes), CSPE, Economics, English, Geography, Politics, Religion, Science, SPHE, Wellbeing
WORKSHOP 2 FOLLOW UP: Climate ACTIVISTS IN THE MEDIA
DELIVERED BY: Alex Whyatt, Global Action Plan Ireland
DESCRIPTION: This follow up video gets students thinking about how climate activists are portrayed in the media. Students compare different articles in the media and discuss how different organisations present climate activism and how they perceive the disruptive climate action talked about in the previous video. Teachers can watch the video with the class or they can use the video as CPD and use only the worksheet with the students.
LESSON PLAN: Watch the interactive video and complete the student worksheet.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: As a teacher you can complete this brief survey (takes 1-2mins) and / or at the end of the workshop use the jam board to write down some comments from your students.
RELEVANT SUBJECTS: All subject areas (see teacher notes), CSPE, Economics, English, Geography, Politics, Religion, Science, SPHE, Wellbeing
FRIDAY JANUARY 26TH INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLEAN ENERGY
Workshop: uNLEASHING OPPORTUNITIES WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY!
DELIVERED BY: Jodie Neary, Energia & Yvonne O’ Brien, Wind Energy Ireland
DESCRIPTION: Ireland is undergoing an exciting transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. In this workshop students will explore: where we currently get our energy from; the target we have set ourselves; the benefits of renewable energy; the challenges we face in increasing the number of wind farms in Ireland; and what we can do as individuals to help.
LESSON PLAN: Watch the interactive video and have a walking debate.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, Walking Debate, Presentation
OTHER RESOURCES: Educational videos from Wind Energy Ireland and SEAI.
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: As a teacher you can complete this brief survey (takes 1-2mins) and / or at the end of the workshop use the jam board to write down some comments from your students.
RELEVANT SUBJECTS: CSPE, Economics, English, Geography, Politics, Religion, Science, SPHE, Wellbeing
THURSDAY MARCH 21ST. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS
WORKSHOP: ROOTS OF CHANGE
DELIVERED BY: Dr Patrick Kirwan, Co-Director of the Irish Schools Sustainability Network
GUEST SPEAKERS: Amelia Dunphy & Aoife McMahon - ISSN Student Ambassadors, Brian O’ Toole - Wildacres, Catherine Cleary - Pocket Forests, Clive Bright - Farmer, Rachel Geary - LEAF, Ray Ó Foghlú - HOMETREE
DESCRIPTION: In this session students will: be encouraged to think about nature based solutions; examine the history of forestry in Ireland; take a quiz on the benefits of forests; and celebrate some of the great work that is taking place in Ireland. They will also be encouraged to take action.
LESSON PLAN: Watch the interactive video. If you have time walk around your school and note down the nature spaces you have and how they can be improved. Decide on an action that you can take next academic year. Try out the walking debate.
RESOURCES FOR THIS SESSION: Worksheet, Walking Debate, Presentation
TAKE ACTION: Plant a small forest in your school with the help of LEAF or Pocket Forests. Run the Plant a Planet Campaign in your school. Plant an orchard or a hedgerow in your school grounds.
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: As a teacher you can complete this brief survey (takes 1-2mins) and / or at the end of the workshop use the jam board to write down some comments from your students.
RELEVANT SUBJECTS: CSPE, Economics, English, Geography, Politics, Religion, Science, SPHE, Wellbeing
