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Protecting Wildlife for the Future

A Natural Understanding

Devon Wildlife Trust 2007

Put the natural environmentat the heart of citizenship education

A toolkit for a ‘whole-school’ approachfor teachers at key stages 3 and 4

A toolkit to put the environment at the heart of citizenship

‘Fostering environmental citizenship is one of thegreatest challenges of the 21st century’ (DFES)

Introduction

Devon Wildlife Trust, along with many others, believes that tofoster environmental citizenship is one of the greatest challengesof the 21st century.

Contact with the natural environment and an understanding ofour place within it is vital for the upcoming generation if theyare to find solutions for the increasing number of environmentalproblems. We believe that citizenship is the best way to put theenvironment at the heart of the curriculum.

Young people often feel very strongly about environmental issuesbut find it difficult to think about their own roles andresponsibilities. Citizenship education that offers informationand guidance is still being inadequately taught in many schools.

This document presents several flexible and tested schemes ofwork that aim to bring the environment to the fore. It will alsohelp towards attaining government targets for ‘SustainableSchools’.

You are welcome to use any of the ideas. Please contact theCommunity Biodiversity Officer at DWT if you would likeadditional guidance. See page 8 for details.

Early purple orchid


Why citizenship?

There are four main reasons why citizenship is a natural subject to includeenvironmental care.

Citizenship discusses the rights and responsibilities of students andtheir relationship with the world.

The subject is flexible and can include many themes. The outcomesare based on the understanding of issues, rights and responsibilities.

It is cross-curricular and links well with the similar recommendationsfor teaching sustainability. Thus citizenship can go hand-in-hand withthe government’s sustainability agenda for schools.

It strongly promotes student action, both within schools and theirlocal communities. Students can inspire changes, however small, withintheir school and in the local area. This can give them confidence andthe ability to work with others.

Citizenship became a statutory requirement at secondary level in 2002.It is a complex subject and is often difficult to ‘fit in’. Frequently, it istaught piecemeal within another subject and using existing staff. Theseshortcomings present an opportunity to make improvements.

Since 2005 Devon Wildlife Trust has been gaining unique experience inenvironmental citizenship with several schools in Torbay, Devon. Thishas led to the approach presented here - a new and innovative catalystfor change in school structure and ethos that spreads much wider thanjust the curriculum.

There is not yet a strong consensus about the aims ofcitizenship education or how to incorporate it into thecurriculum (Ofsted 2006)

Common blue


Why wildlife?

The basis of this new approach to citizenship is to use biodiversity as atool for two crucial purposes:

To provide a measure of the effects that local environmental changeis having on the natural environment. Biodiversity provides a keytest of our attempts at sustainability - if we are losing local habitatsand species we cannot claim to be furthering sustainability.

To provide relevant incentives for students to effect change byunderstanding the links between daily activities and the eventualimpacts on wildlife. Students should be aware of the potential impactof leaving a computer switched on with the consequent increase ofgreenhouse gas. This, and the fortunes of a local dormouse population,for example, can be a more powerful concept than a generalunderstanding of climate change and its effect. ‘Ecologicalunderstanding’ is vital for students to care and take action.

The diagram represents principles discussed.

‘Biodiversity is our main indicator for sustainability’

Keeled skimmer

Six-spot burnet on black knapweed

Glow worm

Marsh fritillary

Bee orchid


The missing link

Many schools use established methods to encourage students to effectchange by, for example, recycling more materials or putting up signspromoting switching off lights and not leaving computers on stand-by.

Although these initiatives are worthy, it is often difficult to establishwhether they are making a worthwhile difference. There are two mainreasons for this:

The majority of schools do not set effective and realistic targets forenvironmental performance.

There is usually little attempt to put positive changes within the schoolinto the context of those in the wider world.

We have to reappraise our efforts constantly to protect the globalenvironment in the light of big changes elsewhere in the world.

Citizenship in practiceAn environmental citizenship curriculum offers great opportunities tohelp students to prepare for life after school. They will learn to motivatepeople in the local community and business and to negotiate with them.

This is the part that students find most difficult. One example from ourwork is that of a small group of KS4 students assigned to tackle one ofthe major waste issues in their school - food packaging. The students didan excellent job of researching environmentally-friendly alternatives tocurrent plastic food packaging. To encourage the change from one typeof packaging to another, they needed to obtain samples and prices bycontacting manufacturers.

Students were very nervous about doing this - as one student said “theywon’t listen to us - we’re just kids”

An environmental citizenship curriculum will try to change the perceivedlack of empowerment. It will give students confidence and the capacityto make a real difference.

“. . . they won’t listen to us - we’re just kids.”

The point being that theynever made the’phone calls- if they had, the manufac-turers would, no doubt,have paid them as muchattention as they wouldanyone else.


The student voice

The approach needs to be inclusive to work, and the whole schoolcommunity (students, parents, teachers, head teachers and governors)needs to feel a sense of involvement and empowerment. In addition toworking directly with citizenship groups Devon Wildlife Trust has foundthat best results are achieved by a group of students and staff who settargets for sustainability. We call these Sustainable Futures Groups.

Sustainable Futures Groups work in a democratic way, a little like schoolparliaments, involving students who represent each year group. The diagrambelow shows the ways in which the group links with other school fora. Small heath


Using the toolkit 1

The following sections form the toolkit that you are free to use in yourschool. These consist of practical ideas that have been tested in a schoolenvironment and can be used as the basis for citizenship lessons.

There are three major strands in the citizenship programmes of study:

knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens;

skills of enquiry and communication;

skills of participation and responsible action.

The citizenship curriculum is prescriptive on the basis of learning outcomesand is relatively flexible on the subject matter. The statutory outcomesfor key stages 3 and 4 are as follows - the numbering in this and the nextsection refers to that in the toolkit. This will help you to design into yourown syllabus.

Key stage 3

At the end of the key stage 3 students should:

3.1 Have a broad knowledge andunderstanding of the topical events theystudy; the rights, responsibilities and dutiesof citizens; the role of the voluntary sector;forms of government; provision of publicservices; and the criminal and legal systems;

3.2 Show how the public gets information andhow opinion is formed and expressed,including through the media; and how andwhy changes take place in society;

3.3 Take part in both school and community-based activities, demonstrating personaland group responsibility in their attitudesto themselves and to others.

Key stage 4

At the end of key stage 4 students should:

4.1 Have a comprehensive knowledge andunderstanding of the topical events theystudy; the rights, responsibilities and dutiesof citizens; the role of the voluntary sector;forms of government; the criminal and civiljustice, legal and economic systems;

4.2 Obtain and use different kinds ofinformation, including the media, to formand express an opinion. They evaluate theeffectiveness of different ways of bringingabout change at different levels of society;

4.3 Take part effectively in school andcommunity-based activities, showingwillingness and commitment to evaluatesuch activities critically. They demonstratepersonal and group responsibility in theirattitudes to themselves and others.

Common spotted orchid


Using the toolkit 2

These are designed to give a more specific framework to the curriculumoutlined above. Schools are not required to teach each element but shouldchoose those which most fit the needs of their school and community.

The programme of study covers the following areas:

U1 What’s it all about?U2 Crime.U3 Human rights.U4 Britain – a diverse society?U5 How the law protects animals – a local to global study.U6 Government, elections and voting.U7 Local democracy.U8 Leisure and sport in the local community.U9 The significance of the media in society.U10 Debating a global issue.U11 Why is it so difficult to keep peace in the world today?U12 Why did women and some men have to struggle for the vote inBritain?U13 How do we deal with conflict?U14 Developing skills of democratic participation.U15 Crime and safety awareness – a whole school multi-agency approach.U16 Celebrating human rights.U17 School linking.U18 Developing your school grounds.U19 Assessing progress and recognising achievement.U20 What’s in the public interest?U21 People and the environment.At KS4 the following topics are considered.U22 Human rights.U23 Crime – young people and car crime.U24 Challenging racism and discrimination.U25 How and why are laws made?U26 How the economy functions.U27 Business and enterprise.U28 Taking part – planning a community event.U29 Producing the news.U30 Consumer rights and responsibilities.U31 Rights and responsibilities in the world of work.U32 Europe – who decides?U33 Global issues, local action.

Each of the schemes of work presented here can contribute to one ormore of these themes.

Kingfisher


The toolkit

The toolkit is laid out in the following sections as schemes of work to fulfil the majority of theelements of citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Devon Wildlife Trust sees this as an evolving programme,and would welcome feedback and ideas to increase the value of the process. Please contact ourCommunity Biodiversity Officer with your experiences.

Devon Wildlife TrustCricklepit MillCommercial RoadEXETERDevonEX2 4AB

Telephone: 01392 279244Website: www.devonwildlifetrust.org Email: [email protected]

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The concept of sustainability and environmental responsibility

Ways of expressing and promoting environmental issues

CitizCitizCitizCitizCitizenship elementsenship elementsenship elementsenship elementsenship elements

3.1, 3.2, 3.3, U1, U3, U4, U9, U10, U14, U19, U21, U29, U33

Example tExample tExample tExample tExample teaceaceaceaceaching activitieshing activitieshing activitieshing activitieshing activities

Students undertake a poster campaign based on the ‘glocal’ concept,producing posters that highlight relevant issues of local sustainability.

Students are selected for the group on the basis of depth of theirunderstanding as demonstrated in posters.

The group is set up through a day of activities that focus on ‘footsteps’,undertaking facilitated discussion and research to draw up a timeline of pastschool activities that have contributed to sustainability

A brief audit is undertaken to assess the current situation (see examplesbelow)

Realistic targets are set through an exercise to envisage how the school mightbe in a set period of time e.g. three years, ten years.

LearLearLearLearLearning outcomesning outcomesning outcomesning outcomesning outcomes

Students:Three

are aware of the definition of sustainability.

understand the wider context in which local issues operate.

are able to communicate complicated messages through a simple formatssuch as posters and timelines.

understand the concepts of target setting and action planning.

ResourcesResourcesResourcesResourcesResources

WWFs pathways techniques are particularly useful - see:

www.wwflearning.org.uk/wwflearning-home/pathwaystochange/

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School leadership team should be involved in this process and show acommitment to it.

SFG should have clear and sustainable links to other decision-making bodies inthe school e.g. school parliament.S

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LearLearLearLearLearning objectivning objectivning objectivning objectivning objectiveseseseses

Students should learn:Scheme of work 3 Greening your school grounds

methods of auditing energy use and CO2 emissions.

methods of assessment of water use.

waste audit techniques.

methods of biodiversity assessment.

the importance of biodiversity as a measure of sustainability.


3.3, 4.3, U14, U19, U21, U33


Having made a basic assessment of the school’s footprint, students now need toadd the detail.

Divide the group into subgroups covering key areas e.g., energy, water, food,waste (note that biodiversity is covered separately below). Each group is set aninvestigative challenge to find out just how much resource the school is using ineach area. Energy consumption figures can easily be converted to CO2 outputsusing a simple formula.

Each group now investigates how impacts from these types of resource useimpact on the natural environment and biodiversity, coming up with examples ofspecies and habitats affected by issues like climate change.

This is now related to wildlife in the school grounds through a biodiversity audit.This can focus on a variety of habitats and the species they contain. Plants,invertebrates and birds form a good basis.


Students will:

learn how resource use affects us and the natural environment on whichwe depend.

understand the importance of quantitative as well as qualitative measures ofsustainability and how to obtain these.

ResourResourResourResourResourcescescescesces

Audit techniques can be found at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk (energy)Southwest water will visit your school and undertake a water audit - for moreinformation see: http://www.swwater.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=683DWT can provide information on biodiversity audits.


Relevant staff e.g. kitchen or grounds, should be prepared for students toapproach them for information.

Links to mathematics.

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Making yMaking yMaking yMaking yMaking your scour scour scour scour school grhool grhool grhool grhool grounds grounds grounds grounds grounds greenereenereenereenereener


Students should learn:

the importance of ecological networks as a way of helping biodiversity toadapt to climate change.

how to involve the local community in school events.


3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3, U18, U21, U28, U33


Using the information from the biodiversity survey above, students undertakeresearch into the needs of species and design appropriate habitatimprovements.

These improvements are marked on a map of the school grounds, andopportunities identified for linking existing features through effective ecologicalcorridors to develop a school grounds blueprint.

Students develop and promote a number of wildlife gardening days, invitingmembers of the local community to join in with these events.

For those schools with larger areas, school grounds can become a focus for moreexciting activities such as bushcraft, demonstrating how to live in differentenvironments.


Students:

are familiar with practical land management.

know how to organise and promote a community event.

understand how local conservation action can help solve global problems.


A good guide to school grounds development is available at:www.bbowt.org.uk

DWT can supply a variety of other advice on these issues.


Links to biology, geography.

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the links between waste and the natural environment.

the role of local authorities in waste management.


3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, U7, U14, U20, U21, U27, U30, U31, U33


Students investigate the links between waste and wildlife e.g., shrews stuck inplastic bottles to turtles with stomachs full of plastic bags.

Cleaned waste can be used to make a mural or sculpture of one of the creaturesaffected by rubbish. This can be kept in a prominent position to highlight theproblem.

Much of the problem is that of poor use of existing bins. D & T students can becommissioned to design individual recycling points for each classroom.Compost and wormeries can also be made in-house.

Contact with your local authority is vital to ensure that you are recycling allpossible waste.

Reducing waste through good procurement policies is the number one priority -food packaging can be a good place to start.

Having demonstrated what’s possible, local businesses can be approachedthrough a leafleting campaign to come and visit the school.


Students:

understand the complexities of waste management and the importance ofwaste reduction at source.

their role in helping to improve local business practice.

how to work with local authorities.


Many Local authorities have a recycling officer, Devon Community RecyclingNetwork has officers who can visit your school to help. See:

www.dcrn.org.uk/


Links to art, D & T.

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The Big SwitchThe Big SwitchThe Big SwitchThe Big SwitchThe Big Switch



about the links between energy use and global political issues.

how to debate an international issue and present a view on this to others.


3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, U3, U6, U9, U10, U11, U13, U17, U21, U26, U27


Undertake an energy audit to find out how much the school uses, and convertto CO2 output.

Use facilitated discussion and research to prepare an energy reduction strategy,using a proforma such as that provided by the Energy Saving Trust (EST).

Students undertake research into the links between energy and wildlife, focusingon direct pollution and climate change, as well as the debates surrounding fossilfuel use and world conflicts.

An assembly is presented to the whole school, linking the above issues andlaunching the Big Switch campaign to reduce energy use (this will often bethrough simple measures such as closing doors and switching off monitors).

Students initiate a programme of change within the school with the help ofresearch of other schools that have successfully reduced energy use.


Students:

understand the environmental impacts of climate change, especially onwildlife, and the links with their daily activities.

form an opinion on long-term fossil fuel use and links with world conflict.

learn to form a campaign.


Links to geography, media studies.

ResourcesResourcesResourcesResourcesResources

Sustainable Schools initiative now has a fantastic new resource for auditingyour school’s carbon - chech out:

www.carbondetectives.org.uk/

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to understand their role as food consumers and the difference they canmake through food choices.

the direct links between consumer choice and the welfare of people inother countries.


Find out where school kitchen food comes from and identify those products withthe most food miles.

For these, identify whether there are more local sources, perhaps visiting localfarms to investigate food production methods.

Work out costs for more local sources and work with kitchen staff to look atchanges in buying.

Examine the potential for school grounds to act as a location for foodproduction, particularly fruit and vegetable growing. Consider setting up agarden group to manage this. Some schools are even going for livestock!

For more exotic products such as coffee and chocolate, students look into issuesof Fairtrade, perhaps linking with another school in a cocoa growing area, andtrying to promote more Fairtrade produce within the school.


Students:

identify, where appropriate, an area of the school grounds for foodproduction.

initiate changes in food purchase policy in the school.

work with students in other countries to find out how their lives are affectedby consumer choice in the UK.


www.fairtrade.org.uk has lots of information and activities.

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the links between production of illegal drugs and damage to the naturalenvironment.


3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, U2, U9, U10, U11, U13, U15, U21, U29


Students identify the production zones for the major classes of illegal drugs usedaround the world and match these against biodiversity hotspots - the richestnatural environments on earth.

Using biodiversity information, the types and variety of species in one of thesehabitats is described.

This is linked to patterns of illegal drugs use in the UK and the predicted loss ofspecies as drug production increases.

Students film a news article making links between the drugs trade and globalbiodiversity loss, with the message that buying drugs damages you and theworld’s wildlife.


Students:

understand that taking drugs is not just personally damaging but also has amuch wider negative context.

are aware of global biodiversity hotspots and patterns of extinction.


Lots of information at:www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19125674.400&feedId=drugs-alcohol_rss20

http://www.justthinktwice.com/costs/DamagetoEnvironment.cfm

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that environmental issues are often not clear cut and a personal stance onan issue needs to be well-informed and argued.

methods of forming an argument and presenting this during a debate.

the ways in which decisions are made at a European level.


3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, U2, U3, U5, U6, U7, U8, U14, U20, U21, U29, U32, U33


Students investigate the ecology and legal status (in the UK and Europe) ofbadgers in Devon, perhaps visiting a centre such as Secret World to see badgersin the wild.

An investigation is then undertaken into the control of tuberculosis in cattle andhow this is linked to the fate of badgers by political decisions, as well as theways in which badgers are used as part of rural sports which are now illegal.

Students are divided into pro-culling and anti-culling and form a case for theirside of the debate. Anti-culling groups should investigate the legal protectionoffered to badgers under European legislation and why this is not enforced toprevent culling programmes.

Now the whole group undertakes a role-playing debate, filmed by mediastudents, for a public audience invited from the local community. Communitymembers give their own views after the debate in a secret ballot.


Students:

understand the apparent conflict between badger conservation and theneeds of agriculture, and the ways in which this pits different areas oflegislation against each other.

develop their own opinion on the science and economics of bovine TB andbadgers.


Links to biology.

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Local enLocal enLocal enLocal enLocal envirvirvirvirvironmental issues & decision-makingonmental issues & decision-makingonmental issues & decision-makingonmental issues & decision-makingonmental issues & decision-making



about a local environmental issue.

about stakeholders with a variety of views on the issue.

methods of research.

how local decisions are made through a democratic process.

about the structure and functions of local authorities.

about the workings of the media, especially what makes a story newsworthy.


3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, U6, U7, U9, U14, U20, U21


Choose a local environmental issue such as a road by pass scheme which iscontentious and involves local democratic decisions. Investigate theenvironmental impacts of the scheme, particularly relating to biodiversity,through web-based and other research including interviews with stakeholders.

Research the benefits of the scheme to local people and, where relevant, theschool.

Find out where and how decisions are made and the national and internationalcontexts in which they are made.

Students plan press releases and write media articles on the issue.

Carry out a demonstration public enquiry with students representing people onall sides of the argument and involving local decision-makers and thecommunity.


Students:

are aware of the different interests of members of the community and thatthese interests may conflict or compete.

understand the wider context in which local policies are made.

know how to undertake an enquiry into an issue, and are aware of differentways of collecting information and evidence.

know how to approach and communicate with the local authority and othermembers of the community.

draw conclusions from a variety of sources and present these to others.


Your local authority may have publicly available resources, especially relating toplanning decisions. The local Community Strategy will have statements on thefuture of the area that will be relevant.

.


This scheme of work is likely to have links with geography.

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