Our first network meeting #EcoTeachMeet will take place on Tuesday 14 November 2023 – 4.00pm-5.30pm at Dobcroft Infant School, Pringle Road, Sheffield, S7 2LN.
The network meeting is an opportunity for practitioners in schools and education settings to meet up on an informal basis to learn about exciting projects, activities and events taking place both locally and nationally. Whether you are a class teacher, teaching assistant, premises officer, senior leader, or officer in a Multi Academy Trust – you are all very welcome.
The event will include an opportunity to look at the school grounds of Dobcroft Infant School, a number of short presentations, and informal time to speak to colleagues. Confirmed speakers will appear here shortly.
Confirmed Speakers
Lee Jowett, Climate Change Researcher, SHU – Climate Action Plans and National Nature Park, Tiny Forests & events taking place in the city.
Let’s Go Zero – information about the campaign, projects and competitions
Francis Hyland – Eco-Schools England, Keep Britain Tidy – all about the programme, projects and activities
The resource comprises an introductory activity, which launches the series and provides opportunities for self review, and five main tasks relating to key areas of activity that contribute to climate change:
Climate Futures, from the Centre for Science Education and the Comino Foundation, is a contemporary curriculum resource that focuses on unravelling the complexity of climate change and environmental issues for lower secondary and upper primary students (10-14 years old).
Titles in the series The series includes: * The Introductory activity * Green biker, on transport * Garbage guru, on waste * Food for thought, on food * Smart energy, on energy and electricity * Addicted to energy, on energy and materialism
Features Each Climate Futures activity follows an innovative format: 1. All of the activities are underpinned throughout by the development of personal capability skills promoting aspects of critical thinking, communication, self-belief, creativity and teamwork. 2. Dilemma activities provide students with problems to solve by posing quandaries. They are designed to promote discussion amongst students and to encourage them to think of creative solutions. 3. ‘Making a difference’ aims to focus students on how they can explore things further. It is a stimulus to further extended work and proactive involvement in engaging with the issues of climate change. 4. The review opportunity is based on a ‘smart grid’ where students can record their progress across a range of personal development skills.
The Climate Futures materials were developed by the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University with funding from the Comino Foundation.
Schools Climate Education South Yorkshire (SCESY) is hosting the 4th Annual South Yorkshire Schools Climate Conference at Niagara Conference Centre, Niagara Road, Hillsborough, Sheffield S6 1LU Thursday 29th February 2024 9:30am to 3pm Schools are invited to register an expression of interest for groups of up to 8 young people from Y5-Y10 with 2 adults using this link.
The conference is free to South Yorkshire schools.
Breaking new ground with an exciting and inspiring format, all conference attendees will participate in a Climate Fresk workshop. Using a set of age-appropriate cards with information from the latest IPCC report on climate change.
Participants will be taken through a process of sharing knowledge, increasing their understanding of the interactions between different aspects of climate change, reflect on how they feel and explore how to respond, developing possible plans for action.
Tiny Forests are dense, fast-growing areas of woodland planted with the aims of reconnecting people with nature, mitigating the effects of climate change and creating nature-rich habitat patches in urban environments.
Why do we need Tiny Forests
Environmental issues such as flooding, heat stress and loss of biodiversity are increasingly affecting urban areas.
Creating thriving and climate-resilient urban areas that support economic growth, whilst also enhancing livelihoods and wellbeing, is a considerable challenge.
Tiny Forest can play a part in facing this challenge. They bring the benefits of a forest – reconnecting people with nature and raising awareness, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, as well as providing nature-rich habitat patches to support urban wildlife – right into the heart of our cities and urban spaces.
Help mitigate the effects of the climate crisis, one Tiny Forest at a time.
What is a Tiny Forest?
A Tiny Forest is a dense fast-growing native woodland, based on an established forest management method developed in the 1970s by Dr Akira Miyawaki.
Environmental and social data is collected for every forest we plant, this helps us assess the benefits they provide over time and between different forests.
600 trees planted densely in a tennis-court size plot, maximising benefits per m2 of land
Planting method encourages accelerated forest development and uses no chemicals or fertilisers
Low management and maintenance requirements after the first two years
Rich biodiversity, capable of attracting over 500 animal and plant species within the first 3 years
A nature-rich accessible green space and outdoor classroom for people to reconnect with nature
Monitoring data gathered by citizen scientists to help understand how Tiny Forests develop, and quantify the climate benefits
Links to business sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and environmental, social corporate governance (ESG)
How can we use Tiny Forests in schools?
Tiny Forests are a fantastic way to engage young people with the environment. The school community can be involved in the planting and maintenance of the forest. There is a space left as an outdoor classroom to encourage further use of the Tiny Forest in years to come.
Would you like a Tiny Forest in your school or college grounds?
Tiny Forests are a fantastic way to engage young people with the environment. The school community can be involved in the planting and maintenance of the forest. There is a space left as an outdoor classroom to encourage further use of the Tiny Forest in years to come
We are currently identifying potential funding which would cover the cost of implementing Tiny Forests in school grounds. To help understand demand and capacity, if you would like to be considered for a Tiny Forest in your school or college please complete this short eForm.
We are developing case studies to highlight excellent climate change and sustainability education practice in schools and educational settings, authorities and Multi-Academy Trusts.
If you would like to participate in a case study please contact us via the contact page.
If you have agreed to participate in an interview for a case study please see the relevant documents below.
Carbon Literacy is an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.
The course is the equivalent of one days learning and is best delivered face to face, but can be done over half days or one full day.
At Sheffield Hallam we are using a teacher and governor course, and student course to help individuals to understand their carbon footprint and take action on climate change in an education setting context.
For more information or find out when the course will be launched for teachers and governors please see below
To find out what staff and students think about the course please take a look at these YouTube videos.
For more information please email Lee Jowett, L.Jowett@shu.ac.uk
