STAGE 4: ELABORATE & WORK ON A PROJECT FOR CHANGE

The ‘Elaborate’ phase provides opportunities for students to apply what they have learned to new situations and so develop a deeper understanding of the concept or greater use of the skill. It is important for students to discuss and compare their ideas with each other during this phase.

Elaborate Step 4.1: 
Presenting ideas, campaigns, projects or designs 

Suggested Subject Area: Environmental Education/ Literacy

Purpose
To provide students with opportunities to:

• Make choices and develop the belief that they can be an agent of change and create a more sustainable school, conserving resources, adapting to climate challenges and reducing greenhouse gas emissions 
  
• Understand the meaning of a range of actions to improve sustainability, adapt to climate change and reduce their carbon footprint
  
• Present their learning through a dedicated presentation
  
• Learn how to discuss sustainability concepts 
  
• Develop public speaking and leadership skills.
  

Preparation
You will need:

• Access to the students’ ideas, campaign ideas, projects or designs for change 
  

Procedure
Talk with the students about the need to bring their information and ideas together for a presentation to the class, so that the main components of how they envisage creating a more sustainable school can be communicated clearly.

Ask students to decide on a way of representing the processes and main messages, data and research collected from their investigations about schools, sustainability, adaptation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It could be a poster, a verbal presentation, a flow chart, a video or a drama piece like a role play or skit.

Invite students to make their presentations to the class.

Discussion
Explore the wide range of effects that can follow from actions, issues or their project ideas.

Follow up
Create a calendar illustrated with the various ways we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change for sharing with the community.

Invite local community members to the class to share actions they are taking to be more sustainable and adapt to climate change.

Encourage the broader community to shift towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to change and more sustainable practices.

Film or record students’ presentations and share with parents and other classes, or as evidence for assessment purposes.

Next - STEP 4.2: ELABORATE continued