Be a Zero Hero: Workshop plan for KS2Aim: To understand how climate change affects people around the world.

Themes: climate change, net zero, stewardship, sustainability, global neighbours, poverty, education, health

Time: 45-60 mins

Preparation:

Download the Zero Hero workshop PowerPoint Print and cut out multiple Workshop card sort PowerPoint slides Print out multiple large zero templates, enough for your class Print out the Zero Hero action return form Download the Zero Hero campaign guide for schools Take a camera, or use your phone to get the Zero Hero photo action

Further ideas:

Gather recyclable materials to create class zero, or for small groups to make a zero display

Introduction (5 mins)

Have you heard about how climate change is destroying our planet?

Have you ever seen fields flooded, or the ground so dry it is cracking up?

Can anyone think of a country they have seen on the news that has had a recent cyclone, drought or flood?

Climate change affects us all! It affects our health. It floods our sports fields. It’s warming the earth and changing the beautiful world God created.

But what is climate change? 

Does anyone know what a fossil fuel is? Most of this country’s electricity is made by burning fossil fuels, like coal and gas. This puts harmful gases into the atmosphere and makes the world get hotter. This changes our climate and these polluting gases warm our earth and change the beautiful world God has created. 

These changes in our world are much worse for people living in poverty overseas.More extreme weather makes it harder to make a living, and can lead to more and more disasters like droughts, floods and cyclones. 

Starter activity (20 mins)

In small groups, sort the words/pictures/photos into three piles. There is a blank square on each table in case you think of another example for any of the piles.

1 – things that cause climate change

2 – effects of climate change

3 – things we can do to stop climate change

Invite children up to select a few images on the PowerPoint and explain why they put them in piles 1, 2 or 3. Talk a little about the background of each segment.

Net Zero input (10 mins)

We need to make an urgent change to help our planet. We share this world with everyone, and it’s all of our responsibility to take care of it. Pope Francis calls it ‘our common home’.

We can change this in our area. We can also ask others to help make change happen throughout the country and around the world, for example by telling people who run the country to commit the UK to a target of ‘net zero’. But what is net zero?

Show the Net Zero explainer film - https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Primary-teaching-resources/Zero-Hero

The UK reaching net zero will mean that we no longer contribute to climate change.

So, if we take our first pile from the card sort activity (things that cause climate change), we need to make our third pile (what we can do to tackle it) balance it out to achieve net zero.

Quick quiz activity (5 mins)

To check what we’ve done so far, we’re going to do a quick quiz.

[Options on how to vote for answers – hands up, down, arms folded, hand on head; write on whiteboards; write on paper; stand in four corners of room.]

1. Which of these is not a fossil fuel? a) Coal b) The sun c) Oil d) Gas2. Climate change can cause the weather to be: a) Hotter b) Colder c) Drier d) All of the

above (explain it can even make the weather wetter)3. Who can make change happen? a) Politicians b) Teachers c) Adults d) Everyone

Case study – Zero Heroes in Peru (10 mins)

Together we can all be Zero Heroes for our common home. Zero Heroes are fighting against climate change all around the world.

Meet the members of the eco-brigade (another name for an eco-club or green team) from Lima in Peru. They live in an area called the Lomas de Carabayllo. In the district though there is an area called the Lomas de Primavera, part of a chain of hills and mountains which are known as Lima’s green lung.

The eco-brigade were formed in school and meet once a week. They have been learning about different topics like eco-systems and climate change. They have started work on a project in their area, planting small plants to help protect the land. They have also started clearing an area in the school where they will create and plant a garden.

This is Abigail. She is also 9 years old. She says ‘It’s important to protect the Lomas because they give us our oxygen, they help our wellbeing and help our planet.’

This is Rebeca. She is 9 years old. She says ‘I am learning about rubbish, to collect it, how to make/use rubbish bins for cardboard and glass so they don’t pollute the environment. To look after the environment, I gather up rubbish and I use a rubbish bin. I also show others in the town that they can also collect their rubbish.’

[Link back to cards from first activity, protecting and planting trees, reducing plastic usage.]

Zero activity (10 mins)

We can be Zero Heroes too. We are going to show how much we care for our common home by creating a zero display, and talking to those in power to ask them to be Zero Heroes too.

In small groups or as a whole class, make your own display in the shape of a zero.

Use the zero template and write or draw why you want to be a Zero Hero Stand in a circle and do a superhero pose, using our superhero cut-out masks

Other ideas

You could use recycled materials brought in from home to create a zero You could use plants if you have a school gardening club to make a zero collage You could make a display of all your decorated zero templates

Further activity: Write to your MP

Here are some Zero Heroes in the UK. These children from St Peter’s Primary School went to the UK Parliament to talk to MPs about climate change and net zero.

Members of Parliament represent all the parts of the UK, including in your area. You can find out who your local MP is here or here

Using the template letter to your local MP, why not fill in your school name, or class name and invite them along to see your display and talk to them about why net zero and climate change are important.