Climate of Concern - A Search for Effective Strategies for Teaching Children about Global Warming

Recent research suggests that the issue of global warming is one of great concern for
Australian children. This point to the need for effective teaching about this issue. Children
should be properly informed about actions that help reduce carbon emissions as this may
give them a sense of empowerment and go some way to alleviating concerns. This study
followed the development in the knowledge of global warming of 29 primary school
students in year 6 (the final year of primary) from two regional Australian schools over
one school term. A hands-on science unit dealing specifically with global warming was
prepared and taught over a period of eight weeks. A mixed methods approach was
adopted and data was gathered through pre- and post-testing, through post intervention
interviews. The findings of the study indicated that after the unit, students had a clearer
understanding of the science of climate change, with the largest improvement in student
knowledge occurring where the students had engaged in hands on activities or had effective
visual aids. The data also indicated that an increase in knowledge was accompanied
by an increase in levels concern in some cases. However, there was also an overall increase
in students’ belief about their ability to make a positive impact in relation to global
warming and climate change.