Floating Garden Challenge
This challenge, from Practical Action, requires students to design and build a model structure that will enable farmers to grow crops even in an area that may become flooded. A floating garden, built on a base of aquatic weeds, is a cheap and sustainable way of allowing people to grow vegetables. The resource can be adapted to…
100 Small Things to Make a Difference
This brightly illustrated poster, from Practical Action, encourages students to think carefully about the effects of waste on the environment. It gives lots of ideas for ways to reduce the harmful effects of waste, showing that everyone can make a difference, and includes links to useful websites. It separates the issue into the…
Squashed Tomato Challenge
This Practical Action resource presents a fun hands-on and brains-on challenge for Key Stages Two to Five. The problem: In Nepal many farmers living on the mountainside grow fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes. To earn a living they need to sell these at the local market. The problem is getting to market involves a long,…
3/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Activity sheet
Small Is...Challenge
In celebration of its founder, Fritz Schumacher’s centenary year Practical Action have created Small Is...Challenge. Schumacher’s philosophy was based on the idea that even a small change can have a big impact on people’s lives. The challenge for students is to look at technologies from the last 100 years and invent…
Effects of Climate Change - Images
A number of images from Practical Action showing the effects of climate change and climate change adaptation. The images can be freely used by students and/or incorporated into teaching resources by teachers. The following text describes each of the photographs: • Drought in Kenya means there is little water left for herds…
Where Does My Food Come From?
These activities, from Practical Action, encourage children to think about where their food is produced. The interactive presentation shows children where some common foods are sourced. There is also an activity using food labels to illustrate the source of foods. It could be used as a homework activity to illustrate where the food…
Where Do Tomatoes Come From?
From Practical Action, this activity encourages children to think about food miles and the environmental impact of food production, supply and consumption. Children compare the impact of UK-grown and imported tomatoes.
Where Do Bananas Come From?
From Practical Action, this activity encourages children to think about food miles and the environmental impact of food production, supply and consumption. This activity tracks the issues associated with the supply of bananas to the UK .
- 4/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Activity sheet
Measuring the Weather
From Practical Action, this resource shows how to make a series of simple instruments to carry out weather recordings. They can be used to help children take and record measurements, understand the weather and also begin to think about climate change. Children then note weather forecasts and compare them to the actual weather to…
What Is Carbon Dioxide?
From Practical Action, a range of activities which explore carbon dioxide and climate change. Simple demonstrations show the presence of carbon dioxide gas and some of its properties. There are also presentations that can be used with an interactive whiteboard which look at sources of carbon dioxide and how cars make carbon dioxide.…
Investigating Climate Change
This activity, from Practical Action, allows children to gather information on people's perception of changes in weather during their lifetime. By interviewing older friends and relatives children can find out about recent changes to weather patterns. They can also think about the reliability of evidence and how data is collected.
Impacts of Climate Change
From Practical Action, these information sheets show the impacts of climate change on countries and real communities. They show how development projects are helping people to cope and adapt to their changing environment.
Comparing the Weather
Practical Action have produced these resources to help children understand that different parts of the world have different weather and to begin thinking about climate change. Children compare two sets of weather data (Bangladesh and the UK). This is also an opportunity to discuss the differences between life in two global locations.
Food from Source to Sale
This presentation, from Practical Action, is for whiteboards and explains the environmental impact of food production, processing and transport. It outlines different food sources and how choices can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and describes the benefits of growing your own food and choosing local or fair trade foods with…
Climate Change Card Games
From Practical Action, these colourful playing cards can be used for the basis of a range of games and fact-finding activities to help children understand climate change.
Hydroelectricity in Kenya
From Practical Action, this video clip illustrates renewable energy in action. It shows how a small hydro-electric generator has been installed in a village in Kenya to supply renewable energy.
- 3/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Video
Top Ten Reasons Why Renewable Energy is Cool!
This poster from Practical Action has ten interesting and, in some cases, amusing facts that will appeal to students. The poster is high resolution and can be used for display.
Renewable Energy Posters
From Practical Action, these posters show examples of how renewable energy sources are used in developing nations. They show how mp3 players can be powered by solar photoelectric cells, small-scale hydroelectric in Kenya, a wind turbine and biogas digested in Nepal.
Renewable Energy Wordsearch
From Practical Action, this wordsearch is an enjoyable way of engaging students in the subject of renewable energy.
Climate Change Floating Gardens
A hands on activity from Practical Action showing students show to make a model of the floating gardens used in Bangladesh to adapt to the effects of climate change. Instructions on how to build a model of a ‘floating garden’ using very simple material and more information on the project are provided. Further case…