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LLeeaaddeerr’’ss PPrrooggrraamm SSeettuupp

The Click on Climate Program

Why is the Click on Climate Program Important?

Using the Click on Climate Program

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The Climate Change Challenge!The Climate Change Challenge!

Click on Climate is an action-based program forchildren aged eight to thirteen. It helps themunderstand the causes and impacts of climate changeand what they can do about it.

The goal of the Click on Climate program is todevelop conservation practices and otherstewardship behaviour in children that reduce

human impact on climate. The main event of thisprogram is a field trip that takes place in yourcommunity.

By examining the connections between human andnatural systems through a series of fun-filled activities,Click on Climate stimulates the participant’s interest in climate change issues.

Earth’s natural systems do not have infinite capacitiesto absorb the impacts from human activities. Recentglobal warming is thought to be mainly the result ofenergy and resource usages that add additionalgreenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

The effects are being felt right now in many parts ofthe world. Ocean levels are rising; glaciers are meltingfaster than they are forming; extreme weather eventsare more frequent; ecosystems are changing.

It is important that children’s misconceptions andfears about climate change are replaced by

understanding and feelings of hope andempowerment. They need to know that theirlifestyle choices make a difference to the earthsystems that provide us with clean air, clean water,fertile soils and a somewhat predictable climate.

After the field trip, we hope that children will sharetheir new-found knowledge and feelings with those at home. Children cannot make final decisions aboutenergy-efficient appliance purchases, home insulationneeds, or vehicle use and maintenance. However, they can influence the significant adults in their liveswho make these decisions.

This booklet, Leader’s Program Setup, will familiarizeyou with the program content and guide you as youplan activities for before, during and after the field trip.The accompanying Leader’s Field Guide contains theinstructions for leading the activities on the field trip.

The actual field trip requires minimal onsite setuptime and can be conducted in a variety of locationsand during seasons from late spring to early fall.

Time requirements are also flexible. You may use thisprogram for a Scout or Guide group, a class, a camp, a watershed group, a special event or with children in your family. Whether you have an afternoon or afew days to run the program, this Leader’s ProgramSetup booklet will help you plan your event.


About the Click on Climate Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Program Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Program OutlineAdditional ActivitiesCarbon Credits

Program Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Selecting Time of Year and Day for the Field TripField Site RequirementsLegal ResponsibilitiesAdditional SuppliesSafety First!Rethink!

Program Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Program LengthThe Program OrganizerGetting StartedThe Field Trip

Assembling the Logbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

The Climate Change Challenge! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

When to Take the ChallengeHow to Take the ChallengeAnswers

Climate Change Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Additional Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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Table of ContentsTable of Contents


This kit, designed for one leader and five participants, contains the following supplies:

1. 1 - Leader’s Program Setup✹ information on how to plan a Click on Climate program

✹ instructions for additional activities that you may wish to do before, during or after the field trip

2. 1 - Leader’s Field Guide✹ contains the pages of the participant’s Logbook paired with instructions for leading activities,

tips for success, and additional information✹ Program Organizer (at the back)

3. 5 - Information Files✹ information about climate change, data collection and stewardship

4. 5 - Logbooks✹ the participant’s Logbook contains journal pages, data sheets and information links

5. 1 - Masters Envelope, containing:A. LOGBOOK MASTERS (6 DOUBLE-SIDED SHEETS)

✹ the participant’s Logbook masters that can be photocopied, or scanned and printed

B. CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE MASTER (1 DOUBLE-SIDED SHEET)✹ the Climate Change Challenge, a set of brainteasers that helps participants learn about

climate change before the field trip

C. PROGRAM EVALUATION (1 SINGLE-SIDED SHEET)✹ a form for feedback that lets us know what you thought about this program

6. Field Trip Supplies✹ 2 thermometers

✹ compass

✹ white plastic bag

✹ 3 clear plastic bags

✹ 3 twist ties

✹ green, red and blue pencil crayons

✹ “Idling is Killing Our Environment” pamphlets (Government of Canada)

✹ yellow dot stickers (for awarding Carbon Credit points)

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About the Click on Climate Kit


The Program Outline

Guide your participants through this four-step process:

FOCUS! (before the field trip activities)✹ Record a journal entry in the Logbook before the program.

✹ Learn about climate change from the Information Files.

✹ Complete the Climate Change Challenge.

EXPLORE! (on the field trip)✹ Participate in field trip activities and record data.

REFLECT! (after the field trip activities)✹ Participate in the Earth Options discussion (page 17 of the Logbook).

✹ Record a journal entry in the Logbook after the program.

APPLY! (after the field trip)✹ Make pledges to adopt conservation practices that reduce the effects of climate change.

✹ Follow links to more information and activities.

Additional Activities

A table on page 12 summarizes some additional activities that you can incorporate into the program. Read “TheOrange Story” to the participants as a sensory motivational activity before the field trip. Play the game, “Heat, Heat,Heat”, to burn off excess energy between field trip activities or try the challenge of cooking hot dogs on a solar cookerthat your participants build!

Carbon Credits

Many of the activities on the field trip, as well as the additional activities in this Leader’s Program Setup provideopportunities for your participants to earn Carbon Credits points. These points are awarded for actions that:

✹ increase knowledge about climate change

✹ decrease greenhouse gas emissions directly or indirectly

✹ reduce the impact of climate change

Leaders print the value of the credits on yellow dot stickers provided in the Click on Climate kit. Participants attach the stickers on the Carbon Credit chart in the Logbook. It is not recommended that prizes be given for top individualscores; rather the GROUP TOTAL should be celebrated.

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Program Structure

LLeeaaddeerr’’ss PPrrooggrraamm SSeettuupp 5

Selecting Time of Year and Day for the Field Trip

The field trip can take place outdoors from late spring to autumn. There should be some green plants growing on thesite. At least a little sunshine should be predicted for the day.

PLANTS AND HEAT FROM THE SUN are important components of some of the field trip activities.

Field Site Requirements

This program is designed for a site in cities, towns, farms or camps. IT MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING FEATURES:

✹ at least one building that has electricity and is heated by wood, propane, natural gas or oil

✹ a road

✹ at least one parked vehicle that can be accessed

✹ areas with a variety of plant cover (lawn, flower beds, trees, weedy areas, cropland, natural lands) where participants can look for insects

✹ a place where soil can be sampled without disturbing growing plants

The size of the field site should be about 60x75 metres (about 200x250 feet). As a reference, four 15x33.5-metre(50x110-foot) lots with a street in the front and a lane in the back could be used as a field site. If you wish, you can usepacing to measure your site. Just measure your pace with a tape measure so that you can convert paces to metres.Learn how to pace on page 11 in the Leader’s Field Guide.

YOU NEED A SAFE SITE. Always conduct a pre-field trip inspection. Check for broken glass, holes, open water, traffic orother hazards that might be encountered by your participants. While you are conducting your inspection, take a fewmoments to visualize the field trip taking place. Where will all the activities take place? This will help your planning.

The four corners of the field site should be marked so that participants can see the boundaries for a mapping activity.

Legal Responsibilities

If the field trip is taking place on private land, you need permission from the landowner.

You, as the leader, are expected to exercise a standard of care for the participants that is expected of a reasonableperson having any special knowledge or qualifications possessed by the person. Negligence is the failure to dosomething that should have been done or doing something improperly. Find out what insurance policies cover yourfield trip.

For schools, church groups or other interest groups, a permission form signed by parents is important. Parents need toknow the location and purpose of the field trip. Perhaps some of them would like to come along and help!

Program Basics


Additional Supplies

The goal for the participants in this program is to adopt conservation practices that reduce the effects of climatechange. This is the reason you are asked to provide a few simple supplies from home. Examples of reusing, recyclingand reducing consumption provide lessons in Earth care.

SUPPLIES FOR YOU TO PROVIDE FOR THE FIELD TRIP:✹ site markers, as needed, to delineate the four corners of the field site for the “Mapping” activity. Reuse

things from home to make these markers. They can be as simple—reused grocery bags filled withsomething heavy so they don’t blow away or a scrap of material tied on a branch. You could be creative andmake elaborate flags from found items.

✹ reusable or recyclable supplies from home for each participant or pair of participants if you are doing the“Zoom in on a Soil System” activities (Leader’s Field Guide, page 9):

✹250 ml plastic food container

✹450-500 ml clear plastic drink bottle with top

✹1 or 2 litre plastic drink bottle containing exactly 1 litre of water

✹small trowel or metal spoon

✹ a watch for timing experiments

✹ a pencil for each participant

✹ an orange for each participant, if you are reading “The Orange Story” (page 13)

✹ if needed, bring Earth-friendly snacks, drinking water, sunblock, bee-sting kit, cell phone

Safety First!

✹ Provide adequate supervision for the number of children on the field trip.

✹ Find out if any of the participants are allergic to bee sting, grass, pollen, etc. and be prepared. Bring a bee-sting kit if necessary. Review medical histories.

✹ Inform other leaders and participants about any minor hazards that may be encountered.

✹ Watch for traffic.

✹ Establish physical boundaries and keep everyone in sight. Use the buddy system.

✹ Provide clean water and soap for hand washing before eating.

✹ Check for sunburn.

✹ Bring a cell phone or have access to a phone in case of an emergency.

Rethink!

The most important thing to teach children (and adults, too) is to RETHINK how we use resources and energy. We tend to view that our consumption of energy, water and consumer goods is without limits and constrained mostly by the amount of money that we have to spend. RETHINKING results in choices that add to the quality of life—choices that protect the natural systems that provide us with predictable, healthy and sustainable living spaces.

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SAFETYFIRST!


Take a couple of hours to familiarize yourself with the contents of the Click on Climate kit. The Information Files can help you, as well as your participants, learn about climate change.

Program Length

Decide how you how long you wish to spend on this program. There are several options, depending on how manyactivities you choose to incorporate:

HALF DAY✹ Omit the Information Files and Climate Change Challenge.

✹ Follow the Sample Field Trip Schedule on the next page.

FULL DAY✹ Incorporate the Information Files and Climate Change Challenge in the morning.

✹ Follow the Sample Field Trip Schedule on the next page.

✹ Include Earth-Friendly lunch or snacks (page 16). Use a previously constructed solar oven to heat lunch items.

SEVERAL EVENINGS OR PARTS OF DAYS✹ Break up the activities listed for a half or full day to fit your time slots.

✹ Add additional activities from this booklet if you have time.

The Logbook contains an Energy Audit that can be conducted at home after the field trip.

The Program Organizer

The Program Organizer is located at the back of the Leader’s Field Guide. It can be used to organize the sequence ofactivities to suit your needs and to note things that you wish to remember.

Make photocopies of the Program Organizer for other leaders on the field trip.

Getting Started

Use this sequence to focus your participants before the field trip:

✹ Assemble Logbooks. This may be done by you before the program, OR the participants may assemble their own. Instructions are on page 9.

✹ In the Logbook:

✹Have participants record the first journal entry.

✹Show participants how to collect Carbon Credit points. (Collect the first Carbon Credits for walking,biking or car-pooling to the field site.)

✹ Read the Information Files and take the Climate Change Challenge, if you have time. Instructions are onpage 10.

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Program Planning


The Field Trip

If you wish to deliver the program to a larger group, you can divide the participants into smaller groups and rotatethem through the following sets of activities. You may wish to organize these sets as stations on the field site. Each group of participants should have a leader or a leader could be assigned a station that different groups visit. The Program Organizer contains a handy scheduling table for rotating smaller groups through the activities.

These sets may also be used as independent units for shorter time frames. Allow about 30 minutes for each set,depending on the number and age of participants in a group.

Sample Field Trip Schedule for a Half Day

All these activities, as well as instructions for leading them, pointers to success and some additional information arefound in the Leader’s Field Guide, unless otherwise noted.

Entire Group:Motivational Activity: The Orange Story (this booklet, page 13)Setup for Monitor the Greenhouse Effect

Activity Set 1 Activity Set 2View the Weather Zoom in on a Soil SystemFollow the Carbon TrailWater and Carbon Keepers

Activity Set 3 Activity Set 4Mapping Zoom in on an Ecosystem

Entire Group:Earth Options (discussion)Select PledgesAward Carbon CreditsRecord the second journal entry

If you have time, incorporate the game “Heat, Heat, Heat,” (this booklet, page 15) into the field trip activities ORsubstitute this game for the “Zoom in on a Soil System” or “Mapping” activities.

The instructions for leading the activities on pages 5-17 of the Leader’s Field Guide may be photocopied for olderparticipants or other adults leading groups.

Reminders

You may need to send home permission slips for the field trip. Include information about:✹ dressing for the weather

✹ opportunities to earn Carbon Credits for walking, biking or car-pooling to the field site

✹ bringing supplies or Earth-friendly snacks

Remind everyone to save recyclable items on the field trip. After the white plastic bag in the Click on Climate Kit hasbeen used for the Zoom in on an Ecosystem activity, it can be reused to collect these recyclables. Decide how theseitems will be transported to recycling depots after the field trip.

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Each participant needs a Logbook.

The masters for the Logbook may be photocopied, or scanned and printed. The masters are formatted as shown in the following figure. Use six sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch paper, printed on both sides for each Logbook.

A sample assembled Logbook is included in the Click on Climate kit.

Depending on your time frame, you can assemble the Logbook beforehand or your participants can do so as an activity:

✹ Arrange the sheets in a stack, so that the paging is sequential.

✹ Fold along the dotted line to form the booklet.

✹ The Logbook does not need to be stapled, but if you choose to do so, make sure it is close to the fold. The center of the book, pages 11 and 12, is a map grid so it should lie flat.

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Assembling the Logbooks

BackCover

FrontCover

SIDE ONE

Page1

Page22

SIDE TWO

Sheet 1

Page21

Page2

SIDE ONE

Page3

Page20

SIDE TWO

Sheet 2

Page19

Page4

SIDE ONE

Page5

Page18

SIDE TWO

Sheet 3

Page17

Page6

SIDE ONE

Page7

Page16

SIDE TWO

Sheet 4

Page15

Page8

SIDE ONE

Page9

Page14

SIDE TWO

Sheet 5

Page13

Page10

SIDE ONE

Page11

Page12

SIDE TWO

Sheet 6

(BLANK)


Materials: - Information Files booklets- photocopies of the Climate Change Challenge master for your participants

The Climate Change Challenge is a set of brainteasers. It’s always open-book, so participants use the Information Files to solve these word puzzles.

WHEN TO TAKE THE CHALLENGEParticipants should have assembled their Logbooks (if applicable), recorded their first journal entry and understoodhow to collect Carbon Credit points.

HOW TO TAKE THE CHALLENGEDecide if your participants will work individually or in groups. Photocopy sufficient copies of the Climate ChangeChallenge for your needs.

There are several ways to complete the Challenge:

✹ Complete it as a group. Discuss and read the Information Files. Find the answers to the Challenge together.

✹ Create teams of two to four participants who collectively search for answers to the puzzles. See which teamcan complete the Challenge in the shortest period of time.

✹ Complete the Challenge individually.

Answers to the Climate Change Challenge

1. (see puzzle)

2. changes3. ground level ozone, methane, halocarbon and SF6, carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxide4. CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION, INFORMATION, ACTION5. stewardship

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The Climate Change Challenge!


Climate: an average of at least 30 years of weather data. Weather changes so much from day to day and from one year to the next that a long timeframe is needed to determine the average weather that can be expectedthroughout a year.

Climate change: as popularly used, refers to changes in climate due to human activities that cause recent globalwarming.

Conservation: the wise use of our energy and resources so that we are able to provide a sustainable lifestyle for future generations.

Global warming: an increase in temperatures caused by extra heat being trapped on Earth.

Greenhouse effect: the warming of Earth’s surface by heat-trapping greenhouse gases. Natural greenhousegases keep Earth’s temperature in a pleasant range for life; human-generated greenhouse gases trap additional heatthat contributes to recent global warming.

Greenhouse gas: certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour, halocarbons andSF6, and ground level ozone, that are very good at trapping heat radiated from Earth. With the exception of watervapour, which varies greatly, greenhouse gases make up less than 0.04 per cent of the total gases in the atmosphere.

Ecosystem: the set of living and non-living things in a location. Earth can be viewed as one large ecosystem or we can break it up into smaller, connected systems. A grassland, a city or even a decaying log can be studied as anecosystem. It depends on your frame of reference.

Fossil fuel: any carbon-containing fuel derived from the decomposed remains of plants, animals and micro-organisms. Petroleum, natural gas, coal and peat are examples.

Stewardship: caring for the land, air and water, and sustaining the natural systems that support life.

System: a set of things that works together in a process. Large systems can contain smaller ones. Some are naturaland humans create others. A car is a system of parts powered by gasoline; a leaf is a system of cells, gases and waterpowered by the sun. The systems concept helps us understand how things are CONNECTED (another important word).

Weather: a system of air and water powered by the sun. Weather is a daily event.

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Climate Change Glossary

Climate is what you expect.Weather is what you get!

Climate is what you expect.Weather is what you get!

Reinforce the learning experiences of your participants by incorporating activities from this list. There are many sourcesfor information about conducting climate change experiments in a classroom setting. Use library and internetresources to find additional program activities, if you wish.

LLeeaaddeerr’’ss PPrrooggrraamm SSeettuupp12

Additional Activities

Activity Description Duration Find it When to doon page

The Orange Story Motivate participants with an 30 minutes 13 Start of field tripEarth/orange metaphor

Earth-Friendly Bring lunch or a snack 15 minutes 15 Before and duringSnacking without producing wastes the field trip

The Secret Life See how water can store 1.5 hours 15 Before or after of Water and release heat energy the field trip

Heat, Heat, Heat! Play a game that shows 30 minutes 16 Before, during or how plants remove carbon after the field tripdioxide from the air

Solar Cooking Construct and use About 2 hours 17 Before and duringsolar cookers to build the field trip

Home Energy Natural Resources Canada’s About 1 hour 17 After the field tripAudit home inspection investigates

energy use

Looking Near, Explore how climate change 30 minutes 18 After the field tripLooking Far could affect you and

your community

Use your Field trips to water treatment Variable 19 After the field tripLocal Resources plants, landfill sites,

weather stations

Recycling Info Blitz Share recycling information Variable 20 After the field tripin your neighbourhood

Anti-Idling Stop unnecessary idling in Variable 20 After the field tripCampaign your community with help

from Natural Resources Canada

Plant Some Plant trees or flowers Variable 20 After the field tripCarbon Sinks!

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THE ORANGE STORY

Collect 5 Carbon Credits for learning about how Earth works.

Participants use an orange as a metaphor for Earth to learn about greenhouse gases and the carbon cycle.

How?Materials: A small orange for each of your participants (mandarin oranges are easy to peel).

Participants’ hands must be clean! Find a location in which the participants can sit comfortably in a circle,without any distractions. Spend a couple of minutes relaxing with eyes closed and taking slow deep breaths.Participants should be relaxed.

Hand out the oranges. You will be using a combination of sensory stimulation and guided imagery as you leadyour participants through this activity using the following dialogue. It is important to speak slowly and steadilywith pauses so that participants have time to form rich mental images.

When you are finished this activity, collect the orange peels. Explain to yourparticipants that the peels will be put in a compost pile where they decayand turn into carbon-containing humus which is another part of thecarbon cycle.

THE ORANGE STORY…TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT YOUR ORANGE. Study the markings carefully.Notice how there are little dimples, bumps and scars. The Earth isround, just like the orange. The Earth’s surface is covered with deepoceans and tall mountains, and with mighty rivers scarring across theplains and forests. From outer space, the Earth’s surface would look like the orange—just little dimples and bumps as it would be so far away.

THE ORANGE HAS TWO POINTS, JUST LIKE EARTH. Place your index finger on one end of the orange and yourthumb on the other. Imagine the orange is Earth. Your index finger is on the North Pole and your thumb is onthe South Pole. With your other hand, rotate the orange to the right. Keep rotating your orange and find onespot on your orange that you can remember. Watch it disappear to the right and reappear to the left. Eachtime you see it, a day has passed on Earth. You can see only one half of the orange at a time, just like the suncan shine only on one side of Earth at any time.

CONTINUE ROTATING YOUR ORANGE AND IMAGINE A LINE DRAWN AROUND THE MIDDLE. This is the equator whichreceives a lot of the Sun’s energy. Imagine the heat from the Sun building up at the Equator. Blow air towardsthe middle of your orange. Think of the great global winds and giant ocean currents that carry away the Sun’sheat from the equator towards the North and South Poles. If this didn’t happen, it would be too cold to live inCanada.

SMELL YOUR ORANGE. The orange scents that you smell are gases produced by the orange. Notice that thegases are more concentrated close to the orange and more diluted farther away from the surface, just like thegases in Earth’s atmosphere. Some of the gases around Earth are called greenhouse gases because they trapsome of the heat from the Sun, just like a greenhouse does. This also helps make the climate in Canada warmenough so that we can live here.

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HOWEVER, THERE IS A PROBLEM. People produce greenhouse gases when they do things like drive cars and heathomes. This EXTRA greenhouse gas traps EXTRA heat, causing Earth to warm up too much. The EXTRA heatchanges our climate.

SCRATCH THE RIND WITH YOUR FINGERNAIL, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BRING THE ORANGE UP TO YOUR NOSE. Breathedeeply. Keep your eyes closed. Picture a tree covered in oranges. The tree is not tall but it is very bushy. There are lots of branches covered with shiny dark green leaves with pointed tips. Nestled amongst the leaves arebeautiful round oranges glistening in the sun. The entire area smells like oranges. Breathe in deeply.

THERE IS A BREEZE RUSTLING THE LEAVES. Feel yourself becoming smaller and smaller. You are becoming so smallthat the breeze can pick you up and send you through the air to a leaf on the orange tree. You can see thatthe underside of the leaf is full of tiny holes through which gases move in and out of the leaf.

CARBON DIOXIDE TRAVELS INTO THE LEAF FROM THE AIR. Sun energy changes this carbon dioxide into the carbonframe that makes up the tree’s body, including those delicious oranges hanging from the branches all aroundyou that now look as big as planets. The wood of the tree trunk stores lots of carbon that once was in the air.

CARBON DIOXIDE IS A GREENHOUSE GAS THAT TRAPS HEAT AND HELPS KEEP EARTH AT A COMFORTABLETEMPERATURE. When we burn gas and oil while driving cars or heating our homes, we add EXTRA carbondioxide to the air so Earth heats up too much.

BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. The gases that you are breathing in contain some carbon. The gases you arebreathing out contain more carbon. Most of the carbon that you breathe out came from food you have eatenin the past. All food contains carbon that was once part of the carbon dioxide in the air. The energy we getfrom food is trapped sun energy.

CARBON IS A BUILDING BLOCK OF LIFE. Carbon is found in every part of the orange, and is found in every part ofyou. This means that you are part of the great carbon cycle, just like the orange.

KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED FOR TWO MINUTES. Open your eyes. Who would like to share what they were thinking?

NOW PEEL YOUR ORANGE. Pay attention to how the orange feels. Eat one section of the orange. Close your eyesand concentrate on the taste. Notice how the little juice sacs in the orange sections burst in your mouth whenyou bite into them. The water in them was once part of the soil water that was sucked up by the roots of anorange tree. It will become part of you now, just as the carbon in the orange will become part of you.

KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED. Eat two more sections of orange. Take your time. With each bite you take,concentrate on the taste and the texture of the orange. Open your eyes.

PASS A SECTION OF ORANGE TO THE PERSON ON YOUR RIGHT. Eat the new orange section that you have received. Close your eyes again and concentrate on the taste. Who would like to share what they noticed about thetaste of the two orange sections? Do they taste the same?

FINISH EATING YOUR ORANGE. The orange is unique, just like you. Sun, Earth, orange, you—all unique. Sun,Earth, orange, you—all connected. This is something that we don’t think about very much. Perhaps if we did,we would take better care of our planet Earth, the only home that we have.

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EARTH-FRIENDLY SNACKING

Collect 10 Carbon Credits for bringing Earth-friendly snacks.

Many small actions add up to big changes. Practice stewardship by minimizing waste products. This is also agood way to reduce junk food as most of it is wrapped in non-recyclable materials.

How?✹ Use a lunch box or nylon bag instead of a paper or plastic bag to carry your lunch.

✹ Keep your drink in a thermos or other reusable container. Recycle any bottles or other drink containers.

✹ Pack your food in reusable containers instead of plastic bags.

✹ Look for alternatives to individually wrapped or over-packaged items. Buy in bulk when ever possible. For example, raisins, cheese or crackers can be bought in bulk and then brought in small containers.

✹ Fruit and vegetable scraps can be composted.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WATER

Collect 10 Carbon Credits for learning about water as a heat carrier and for recycling the tin cans afterwards.

Weather depends on the amount of water and heat available in the atmosphere. Find out how these twothings are related.

Background Information:Water is a heat carrier. Due to its structure, water is able to store great quantities of heat without thetemperature rising as it changes from a solid to a liquid to a gas. In the reverse direction, this heat is released aswater changes from a gas to a liquid to a solid.

This property of water plays a key role in weather systems. When water evaporates from warm oceans, itcarries heat into the atmosphere. The fury of a thunderstorm is provided by the energy released when watervapour in the clouds condenses into rain. Global warming adds more heat to weather systems.

How?Materials: 2 tin cans of equal size, 2 thermometers from the Click on Climate Kit, enough black paper to coverthe tin cans, 2 rubber bands, water, soil, sunshine

Cover the outside of the tin cans with the black paper and secure with a rubber band. Fill one with soil and theother with water. Place a thermometer in each can. Keep the cans in a shaded place until the temperatures areequal.

Place the cans in direct sunlight. Record the temperatures at 10-minute intervals for 30 minutes. Then place thecans in the shade and take 3 more temperature readings at 10-minute intervals.

You should find that the soil temperature increased more rapidly in the sun and decreased more rapidly in theshade when compared to the water temperatures.

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HEAT, HEAT, HEAT!

Collect 5 Carbon Credits for learning about carbon cycles.

Participants identify a sink (trees) and a source (smokestacks) for carbon dioxide. They learn to appreciate theeffect of increased industry on the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and the value of trees (plants) inreducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The activity is an active illustration of the fact carbon dioxide will accumulate in the atmosphere unless it istaken up by plants for photosynthesis. Be prepared for a great deal of noise as participants representingcarbon dioxide molecules chant “heat, heat, heat.”

How?Materials: 3 large hula-hoops

Clear the area to be used ahead of time so participants can freely move around the play area. May be playedindoors or outdoors with a group of 20 to 30 participants (will work with as few as ten participants) in about30 minutes.

Situation #1✹ Four participants represent trees.✹ One participant holds a hula hoop representing a smokestack.✹ The remainder of the participants will be carbon dioxide molecules.✹ The smokestack (hula-hoop) is held near the front of the play area, on its edge for the carbon dioxide

molecules to move through. The carbon dioxide molecules line up behind the smokestack and go throughone by one. As they get into the air (area in front of the trees), they chant “heat, heat, heat.” The soundthey make represents the amount of heat carbon dioxide would trap in the atmosphere.

✹ The trees grab the carbon dioxide molecules (one at a time), escort them off of the air area and direct themback into the smokestack line.

✹ The carbon dioxide molecules may move along the wall and back into the line to go through the hula-hoop again.✹ Stop after five minutes and discuss what the participants observed.

Situation #2✹ Play the game again but this time increase the number of smokestacks to three hoops. Divide the carbon

dioxide molecules among the three lines. Leave the number of trees the same.✹ Stop after five minutes and discuss what the participants observed. (There is more carbon dioxide in the air

as the number of smokestacks increases.)

Situation #3✹ Increase the number of trees. Leave the number of smokestacks the same.✹ Stop after five minutes and discuss what the participants observed. (There is less carbon dioxide in the air as

the number of trees increases.)

Extension: Play the game with participant suggestions for scenarios. Have them predict what will happen andthen discuss the results after to see if they predicted correctly.

Credit: This activity is copied with permission from the Climate Change Tool Kit,Teacher’s Guide. The original game appears in “Focuson Forests – Saskatchewan” as Taking the Carbon Dioxide Out, Department of Environment and Resource Management, 1994.

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SOLAR COOKING

Collect 20 Carbon Credits for each use you make of solar cookers that the participants can make themselves(with a little help and supervision).

Add an exciting component to your field trip. How about some hot chocolate on a cool day or hot dogs forlunch? Need a little warm water to wash hands before lunch? Go solar!

Background Information:The sun is the source for most of our energy. Plants harvest sun energy and convert it to chemical energy. Weeat plants and animals to get this energy to power our bodies. Fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas containthe chemical energy from plants and microscopic organisms that lived thousands or millions of years ago.When we burn fossil fuels we release this energy, along with greenhouse gases.

By using solar energy directly, we bypass the use of fossil fuels and so create no greenhouse gases. This is agreat example of how we can do something to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The children may knowsome applications of solar energy that are becoming common such as solar-powered calculators, outdoorlighting and watches.

In countries closer to the equator where sun energy is more available year round, solar cooking is a viablealternative to cooking with firewood which produces greenhouse gases when burned.

How?Materials are simple—cardboard, aluminum foil and some black tempura paint. Find all the information thatyou need at http://re-energy.ca/t_solarheat.shtml. This site will also link you to another site that shows otherdesign possibilities.

Safety First!Please heed the cautions about construction and use of the solar cooker. Utility knives should be used by anadult or under close supervision. Oven mitts and sunglasses should be used as directed.

HOME ENERGY AUDIT

Participants who report that three changes were made at home as a result of conducting this audit haveearned 30 Carbon Credits.

Have your participants become One-Tonne Challenge Energy Sleuths who track down energy wasting in their homes.

How?Natural Resources Canada provides a form for children to fill out with their parents. It investigates homeenergy use and provides tips that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Find out all the detailsat: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/calendarclub/oneTonne/oneTonne_homeAudit.cfm

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LOOKING NEAR, LOOKING FAR

Collect 10 Carbon Credits for learning how climate change can affect their community.

This is a reflective activity that encourages children to examine how changes in climate could affect thempersonally and then to broaden their focus to see how changes could affect their region and beyond.Remember GISMO’s Law #1—Everything on Earth is connected!

Background Information:Despite our grumbling about the weather, we expect a certain amount of climatic predictability: Summers arewarm; winters are cold. We expect certain seasons to be drier or wetter than others.

We base our economic, recreational and home activities on this predictability. What happens when thischanges? How will our lives be affected?

Here are some examples of our dependence on predictable weather patterns:✹ Farmers depend on predictable seasonal weather patterns when they select the type of crop to grow.

Different crops have specific tolerances to high and low temperatures, rainfall, drought and wind. ✹ Businesses based on tourism or recreation, such as theme parks, camping facilities or ski resorts need a

certain number of sun or snow days to make a profit. Supporting businesses like hotels and transportationcompanies are also affected by weather.

✹ Buildings are designed to withstand certain wind speeds or snow loads on the roofs.

✹ Urban and rural municipalities budget for snow removal or tree maintenance based on average snowfalls orwindstorms.

✹ Flood-control dams are designed for a maximum amount of runoff within a certain time period, and landuse around rivers and lakes is determined by likelihood that it could be flooded in any one year.

✹ Energy use for summer cooling and winter heating is based on seasonal averages when regional energyrequirements are determined.

Although a sunny and hot summer might be considered great if you spend your day at the lake, farmers willhave a different perspective when they see their crops perish from drought.

How?Ask your group what would be the consequence of various climatic changes during different seasons. Howwould it affect them, their families and communities? Remember to discuss effects on infrastructure such asroads, electrical or drainage systems and waterworks. Brainstorm.

You may want to write down the responses so that an overview of the discussion can be viewed forreinforcement.

Some examples of climate change are:✹ More rainstorms or snowstorms ✹ Higher daytime temperatures

✹ Less rainfall or snowfall ✹ Lower daytime temperatures

✹ More clouds ✹ Higher wind speeds

✹ Fewer clouds

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A Sample Discussion:What would happen if we have higher wind speeds in the spring?

How would this affect my family and me?✹ Ball games could be cancelled more often.

✹ Our trees may lose branches or break.

✹ There will be more dust in the house so that it will need to be cleaned more often.

✹ Mosquitoes may not bother us as much.

✹ We won’t spend as much time outside.

How would this affect my community?✹ Farmers can’t get onto their fields to plant.

✹ Seed and soil may blow away.

✹ Farmers making less money will spend less, affecting other businesses.

✹ The number of dust particles in the air may rise, causing air pollution.

✹ Dust storms may make driving hazardous.

✹ Birds may have a more difficult time catching insects to feed their babies.

✹ Prices for certain crops might rise.

✹ Tourists may not want to visit at this time of year.

Categorize these affects as positive or negative. What adaptation would people need to make? Considermodifications to infrastructure and buildings, and changes in diet, dress, transportation or activities.

At the end of this activity, children should realize that climate changes affect people and their surroundingsin different ways.

Credit: This activity is adapted with permission from Is Climate Change Good for You? by Jackie Oblak in Teaching about ClimateChange. T. Grant and Gail Littlejohn, eds. Grabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers, 2001.

USE YOUR LOCAL RESOURCES

Participants can collect 10 Carbon Credits for learning about connections to climate change in their community.

Climate change causes change in water quality and distribution. Tour your water treatment plant and find outabout the water concerns in your area. Local watershed stewardship groups may be able to provide a speakeror a tour to highlight the water issues of the wider watershed area.

Landfill sites are filled with castoff products that were probably produced with fossil fuels. Trucks using fossilfuels are needed to transport this waste onsite. Take a trip to the landfill and discuss how to reduce our wasteproduction. Take a few minutes to visualize the methane gas entering the air as a greenhouse gas. It is releasedfrom the great mounds of rotting garbage in the absence of oxygen.

You could learn more about weather and climate by visiting an Environment Canada weather station. Look forother related field trip activities in your community.

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40RECYCLING INFO BLITZ

Collect 40 Carbon Credits for teaching others how wastes contribute to global warming.

Every day in North America we fill 70,000 garbage trucks. Over a year the trucks would stretch half way to themoon if they were lined up, bumper to bumper. All this management of wastes required lots of energy todrive the trucks and manage landfill sites. Landfill sites account for about 38% of Canada's total methaneemissions. Methane is 20 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

How?Get the word out! Have a recycling information blitz!

✹ Find out what types of materials are recyclable in your community and how they should be prepared forrecycling. For example, milk jugs may need to be triple-rinsed, labels removed from tin cans or paper sortedinto different grades.

✹ Find out where the recyclables are collected in your community.

✹ Include information about the values of home composting for yard and kitchen wastes.

✹ Have your participants design one or several pamphlets that contain this information and why recyclingslows down climate change.

✹ Make photocopies of the pamphlets for distribution. Develop a brief oral presentation to accompany thepamphlet distribution.

✹ You may wish the participants to go door-to-door (with adult supervision) in your neighbourhood or set upan information table in a mall, church or at a community event.

Environment Canada has more information about waste reduction at http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/udo/reuse.html

ANTI-IDLING CAMPAIGN

Participants can collect 40 Carbon Credits for reducing idling in their community.

Idling a vehicle for 10 minutes a day can produce one-quarter tonne of carbon dioxide each year (and wasteabout $70.00 of fuel). Stop unnecessary engine idling in your community.

How?If you want to organize an anti-idling campaign, you can get a FREE toolkit that includes downloadablegraphics and other materials at this Natural Resources Canada site: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/idling/home.cfm

PLANT SOME CARBON SINKS!

Collect 20 Carbon Credits for planting carbon sinks!

Is a carbon sink found in your kitchen or your garden? Have some fun with this concept as you plant trees orflowers to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Find out what plants are native to your area—these are theones that will be the most drought-tolerant and hardy, and so will be the best ones to plant.

Documents

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