Year 7 participated in Green Day activities as part of a Green Week. Green Day is an initiative that helps to make schools sustainable. http://www.cabe.org.uk/greenday

1. Green Day 2010 Birley Community College, Sheffield 29 June

5. Activity one Students calculated their school’s carbon footprint using a range of information about their buildings and behaviour that they’d gathered before the lesson. Take a look at the activities ‘Find out your school’s footprint’ on page 11 and ‘Work out your class’s footprint’ on page 17 of the Green Day teachers’ activity kit. These will help you to do something similar at your school.

8. Activity two Students played a game of top trump cards to improve their understanding of countries around the world affected by climate change. Among other things, these cards encouraged them to compare the CO2 emissions, relative wealth and mortality rates. To see a lesson plan and resources for this activity take a look at the Engaging Places website: http://www.engagingplaces.org.uk/teaching+resources/art83009

11. Activity three In groups students chose one of the countries that featured in the top trumps game. They researched some key facts about the country and made a to-scale carbon footprint which represented its carbon emissions. In turn, each group stuck their key facts and carbon footprint on to a large global map summarising their learning for the rest of the class. To see a lesson plan and resources for this activity take a look at the Engaging Places website: http://www.engagingplaces.org.uk/teaching+resources/art83009

15. Activity four Birley Community College has developed its own grounds to grow some fruit and vegetables. Students harvested their produce and tended the plants. Take a look at ‘Grow your own lunch’ on page 24, ‘Bottle greenhouse’ on page 34, and ‘Design and create’ on page 41 in the Green Day teachers’ activity kit for more ideas about how to develop the environmental credentials of your school grounds.

18. Activity five In the afternoon students were treated to a talk from a Kenyan Maasai. The Maasai are traditionally nomadic pastoralists looking after herds of animals, but climate change is endangering this traditional way of life, as changing rain patterns have led to many of the cows dying. The activities Reading photos (page 30) and Partner up (page 41) of the Green Day teacher’s activity kit will support you and your pupils to further consider the global effects of climate change.

22. Thanks to staff and students at Birley Community College Sheffield