ClimateWatch School Programme

www.earthwatch.org.hk

School Programme (2012-13)


ClimateWatch School Programme

• Supported by the British Council• To be launched in academic year 2012-13

Objective• To partner with local secondary schools on data collection for

global climate change research with the use of mobile technology• To encourage climate change education with relevance to the NSS

curriculum• To provide scientific research experience to local secondary school

students• To offer professional development opportunities for teachers on

field experiential learning

Target group• Local secondary school teachers

(priority will be given to teachers teaching Biology, Geography, Science and Climate/Environmental related subjects)


Join our Introduction Session for Teachers

Date: 2012 August 27 (Monday)Time: 5-7pmVenue: 14/F Breakthrough Centre, 191 Woo Sung Street,

Jordan, KowloonLanguage: Cantonese supplemented with EnglishMax capacity: 20 persons

In this session, we will introduce the ClimateWatch school programme, explain how schools can participate, and what kind of support Earthwatch Institute can provide.

The session will be wrapped up with a ClimateWatch Tree Hunt Challenge in the nearby Kowloon Park, where teachers can try using their smartphones to record observations of indicative species. Participation is Free of charge.

Registration or enquiries: Ms Adele Chiu at 28381114 or email [email protected].

School Programme (Sept 2012 – June 2013)

mailto:[email protected]


• Participation in global climate change research

• Add value to their classroom learning and SBA projects by collecting meaningful data

• Gain scientific research experience -selected teams can present their research findings at a mini conference in HK


Benefits to Students

• Lesson materials and experience sharing through the ClimateWatchTeachers’ Network

• Participation in one of Earthwatch’slocal research expeditions and various seminars with scientists

• Gain access to ClimateWatch data and resources, great for inquiry-based learning and hands on data analysis

Benefits to Teachers


How it works?

Date Activity

2012 late August and October Introduction session on ClimateWatch for interested teachers

2012 August – November Participating teachers develop ClimateWatch themed lesson materials/activities with support from Earthwatch

2012 September – 2013 March Professional development opportunities for participating teachers: seminars with scientists, guided tours, excursion experience, etc.

2012 September – 2013 April Participating teachers to pilot lesson materials with students

2013 April - May Mini conference for selected student teams to present their findings

2013 May - June Sharing session for all participating teachers on experience piloting their lesson materials

2013 July onwards Pilot lesson sample and resources showcased on the ClimateWatch website; Programme opens to a wider school network for academic year 2013-14



Creating ClimateWatchtrail in school campus


SBA tasks on Ecology for Biology students

Plant classification module for Junior Science Class

Any other suggestions relevant to the NSS curriculum

Environmental field trip experience

Extra-curricular activities for Biology

Club students

Geospatial analysis of data for

Geography students

Variety of ClimateWatch themed

materials/activities


What is ClimateWatch?

• Climate change triggers life cycle changes of plants and animals such as breeding cycles, established flowering times and migration movements with potentially severe consequences

• The United Nations has identified this large scale data gathering as a high priority to understand, predict and minimise the effects of climate change

• ClimateWatch is based on the Citizen Science model which enables the general public to be involved in collecting and recording such data that will help shape our scientific response to climate change.


How ClimateWatch works?

ClimateWatch Science Advisory Panel

confirms scientific methodology and selects

Indicative Species for public

to observe

1



Earthwatch develops ClimateWatch trails where indicative species can be observed and monitored

2



Participants visit ClimateWatch trails to get to know various indicative species and how they are affected by climate change

3

Participants record observations on the ClimateWatch mobile website

- access to resources like interactive trail maps and field guides

- submit observations by answeringa few simple multiple choice questions on species behavior

4



Data will be shared with scientists and academics for analysis.

In the long term, research results will be peer-reviewed and published, contributing to policy and decision-making around climate change and conservation management.

5

Science Advisory Panel

The ClimateWatch initiative was first established by Earthwatch in 2009, with the support from a Science Advisory Panel comprised of senior climate change biologists including contributors to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The Science Advisory Panel in Hong Kong & China includes:- Prof Chen Xiao-qiu (Peking University, ISB Phenology Commission)- Dr Melissa Hart (ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, The University of New South Wales)- Dr Kequan Pei (Earthwatch Institute) - Dr Andy Donnelly (Earthwatch Institute)


The Story so far…

• ClimateWatch was first introduced by Earthwatch in Australia • Launched in 2009 by the country’s deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard • Successfully mobilised people in Australia to observe and record data online • New trail recently developed at the Federal Parliamentary precinct in

Canberra with members of parliament signing up as ClimateWatchers

Program Partners:

Learn more at www.climatewatch.org.au

http://www.climatewatch.org.au/


About Earthwatch Institute

• International non-profit environmental organization

• Engages people in scientific field research and education

• Currently manages over 50 field projects in 40 different countries

• Supports research in four key areas: climate change, ecosystems, oceans and cultural heritage

• Founded in Boston, USA in 1971, with offices in the USA, UK, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and field offices in India, Brazil, China, Costa Rica and Kenya

More info: www.earthwatch.org

http://www.earthwatch.org/

Technology

ClimateWatch School Programme