Unit 03
6—11 | Unit 03

European Landscapes in a Changing Climate

The role of landscapes in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Get aware of the fact that landscapes are shaped by climate, but on the other hand landscapes also are key actors when it comes to developing strategies to cope with climate change.

Age
6—11
Time requirement
5 lessons (45 min each)
Historical sciencesNatural Sciences

Content

The Unit highlights connections between landscapes and climate. It discusses how climate is and has been shaping landscapes, but also how climate has been influencing humans in shaping their environments and adapting to them. The concepts of “adaptation” and “mitigation” are introduced to pupils. They receive information on how landscapes may contribute to climate change adaptation/mitigation and are encouraged to reflect on – and engage in – landscape-related strategies and measures for climate-fitness in their own home-landscapes. By introducing basic knowledge and raising awareness for the challenges of climate change the unit prepares the ground for further discussion of the topic in following EduScape-Units. The first section introduces to the concept of climate as an ever changing phenomenon and discusses the role of climate on shaping landscapes and influencing human life. Starting from basic knowledge on climate (in contrast to weather), activities raise awareness for the geographical and historical dimensions of climate and its changes in space and in time. Additional materials provide information on the greenhouse effect and on the chemical-physical backgrounds and consequences of human-induced climate change. The second section lays a focus on historic changes in the European climate and its influences on landscapes and human societies. This section creates understanding for the deep connections between climate, landscapes and human societies from a historic perspective. This forms the groundwork for comprehension and contextualisation of the current climate crisis. The third section deals with the question, how landscapes – on the other hand – influence climate on the micro- and meso-level, and how we can actively contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation by shaping and designing landscapes. Pupils learn about strategies and measures already identified and they discuss which of them might be of importance in their home landscape.

Pupils are able to:

  • explain how climate change might impact their home landscape
  • explain the concept of adaptation by an example
  • describe selected strategies for adapting to climate change and know measures to apply the strategies to their local landscape

The Unit provides an problem-orientated overview on the field of climate change and the key role of landscapes in that field regarding questions of climate-related adaptation and mitigation.

Activities

The activity raises awareness of extreme weather events and their impact on children’s home landscapes.

The activity will create an understanding of how the climate shapes the different landscapes of Europe and thus determines people's living conditions.

The activity provides basic knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms of the greenhouse effect and global warming with regard to the global energy balance and the global carbon cycle.

The activity provides simple experiments through which basic mechanisms of the greenhouse effect, climate change and its consequences can be demonstrated.

Organised in station learning, the activity provides information that allows pupils to get a comprehensive overview on the historic interrelations between climate, landscapes and the development of human societies and cultures.

In the activity the concepts of “mitigation” and “adaptation” as strategies for dealing with global warming and climate change are introduced and possible measures are discussed.