Explore Step 2.2 
Picturing climate change – using a global perspective

Suggested Subject Area: Visual Literacy

Purpose
To provide students with opportunities to:

• Become familiar with some of the values, viewpoints and different perceptions of climate change from a range of places globally
  
• Become familiar with art as one way of crystallising and communicating values.
  

Preparation
You will need:

• Access to the Internet or a colour print out of a few student work samples from the internet site 

Procedure
Explore how young people globally see climate change. Present students with a sample of artwork from the 18th International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment at http://www.unep.bayer.com/en/International-Children_s-Painting-Competition-18.aspx

View artwork from Russia, India, China, Iran, Brazil, Ukraine, USA, Japan, Australia, Germany, Qatar and Brunei.

Also, check out the regional winners from Portugal, China, Bahrain, Egypt, Chile and USA.

Discussion
Discuss how climate change messages about adapting to changes are being communicated within the artwork, asking students to focus on what they think the artists are trying to say. What are some similarities between the images? What are some differences? Do the artists seem optimistic about the future or concerned? Note the student ideas of actions that can be implemented to adjust and adapt to the uncertainties of a changing climate. Discuss these.

Follow up
Students can imagine, either as individuals or in small groups, that they can commission one of these artists to design a poster about their own school and its activities that produce greenhouse gas emissions. Which artist would they approach first? Which next?

Or, invite students to draw, paint or create their own artworks sharing their local stories about what is changing in their community.

Next - STEP 2.3: Explore continued