Factsheet: Climate change and children
Prompts for discussion
- Ask someone older than you if they have noticed any changes in the weather since they were younger. What changes did they notice?
- Do you have or know anyone with a farm, a garden or a fruit tree? Do the plants produce the same amount every year? Can you guess why?
- Do you remember a time when it didn’t rain for a very long time? Do you remember what kinds of things happened (ie: crops/plants drying up, water supply/river/lake getting smaller)
- Do you know anyone who grows some of their own food? What will happen to their food if big droughts and floods become common every year? What if they have money for a small scale irrigation system or can easily buy food from the local grocery store? What if they don’t have that option?
- How do weather changes affect your daily life? (heavy rains, hot temperatures, storms, droughts, etc…).
- How do weather changes affect children’s health? Make a list of the illnesses that you know of and how weather might relate to them.
For more information:
http://www.un.org/climatechange/youth.shtml
http://www.ecokidsonline.com/pub/games_activities/index.cfm
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/games/index.html |