1.5 to Stay AliveCognizant of the threat Climate Change poses to the region’s survival and continued development, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre launched the 1.5˚ to Stay Alive campaign ahead of COP15 in December 2009. The two tiered campaign sought to sensitize citizens across the Caribbean Community about the impact of Climate Change on livelihoods in the region, and make a convincing case at the global level for the reduction of GHG emissions to a level not exceeding 350 ppm (parts per million) as an effective means of stabilising global warming.

Owing to the region’s vulnerability to climate change and variability and its particularly youthful population, the Centre seeks to engage this significant demographic to shape a robust and appropriate range of responses to ensure climate resilience and safeguard livelihoods. In light of this, the Centre supported a Youth Forum on climate change aimed at high school students in Belize in 2010. Through this initiative, students were engaged about how their individual actions contribute to the broader challenge of climate and the ways in which they can both adapt and mitigate such amidst a changing and variable climate. The project also engaged teachers to examine ways in which climate change education may be mainstreamed into the education sector, and resulted in the creation of a climate change toolkit.

Intended Audience

The Centre has since broadened its effort through the crafting of curricular resources designed for Caribbean children ages 12 to 16. These resources, crafted by educators in collaboration with the Centre’s technical team, forms part of the Centre’s thrust to embed Climate Change in the region’s education sector
beginning in Belize. The four unit curriculum (The Warming Climate, Sea Level Rise, Pine Forest and Social Impacts of Global Warming), includes classroom face to face interaction, field trips, workbooks and varied assessments, has a total of 46 wide-ranging lessons with supporting resources and several videos.

The 1.5 to Stay Alive Curriculum Units

The teaching and learning activities can be modified to suit local situations and the ages of the students. A variety of extended
activities have been included, which should be viewed as suggestions and so other activities can be substituted. The intent is an attempt to teach complex concepts with uncommon terminologies to young people. If they are to appreciate what is being taught, the terminologies must be clear to them. It is imperative that today’s youths are made aware of what the impacts of Climate Change and Global Warming could be, and so that knowledge would assist in making them appreciate the ramifications.

The students need to know who will be vulnerable and in what ways. Armed with the necessary information, it is hoped that awareness will be developed and spur changes in habits, practices, and values. Such would contribute to understanding mitigation and adaptation measures suggested.

The resource comprises teaching and learning activities and a range of supporting materials including worksheets, photographs, posters, suggestions for power point presentations, videos and field trips. Most importantly there is much resource information for the teachers who need to understand the concepts they are expected to teach. The prepared, well informed, confident teacher will always succeed in teaching effectively and as a result, students will learn.

In the references listed, there are numerous websites and books. Comprehensive glossaries are included. Word search and crossword puzzle are suggested assignments which should assist the students in comprehending the vocabulary used throughout. There are also a few
appropriate poems and songs which can be used to encourage self-expression and facilitate student involvement.

The cross-curricular approach used in most lesson plans is in accordance with accepted philosophies and principles of education. While students learn in groups, they will be encouraged to investigate, observe, question, predict, test, collect, record, analyze data, draw
conclusions, and think critically.

Below is an outline of the four units, associated lessons and videos. Each of the four units containing the curricular resources are hyperlinked and may be downloaded for perusal. The videos associated
with each lesson are hyperlinked for viewing.

Unit Lesson # Tittle of Lesson Video of Lesson
The Warming Climate 1 Global Warming Global Warming
2 Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere
3 The Stratosphere (Ozone Layer) The Stratosphere (Ozone Layer); The Layers of Earth’s Atmosphere
4 Effects of Global Warming on Coral Reefs Ecosystems Effects of Global Warming on Coral Reefs Ecosystems
5 Impacts of Global Warming on the Fishing and Tourism Industries Impacts of Global Warming on the Fishing and Tourism Industries
6 Symbiotic Relationships that Exist within Marine Ecosystems Symbiotic Relationships that Exist within Marine Ecosystems
7 Mangroves Mangroves
8 Ocean Acidification Ocean Acidification
9 The Carbon Cycle The Carbon Cycle
10 Social Impacts of Climate Change Social Impacts of Climate Change
11 Review: The Warming Climate (Jeopardy Game) Review: The Warming Climate (Jeopardy Game)
Sea Level Rise 1 Water Cycle #1 Water Cycle #1
2 Water Cycle #2 Water Cycle #2
3 Sea Level Rise Sea Level Rise
4 Causes and Effects of Flooding #1
5 Causes and Effects of Flooding #2
6 Alternate Lesson for Causes and Effects of Flooding #1 and #2 Causes and Effects of Flooding #1 and #2
7 Erosion #1
8 Erosion #2
9 Alternate Lesson for Erosion #1 and #2 Erosion #1 and #2
10 Migration from Inundated Areas Migration from Inundated Areas
11 Salt Water Intrusion into Aquifers Salt Water Intrusion into Aquifers
12 Salinization of Agricultural Soil Salinization of Agricultural Soil
13 Review: Sea Level Rise (Who wants to be a millionaire Game) Review: Sea Level Rise (Who wants to be a millionaire Game)
Pine Forest 1 Importance of Pine Forests Importance of Pine Forests
2 Threats to Pine Forests Ð Forest Fires
3 Threats to Pine Forests Ð Erosion
4 Alternate Lesson for Threats to Pine Forest- Forest Fires and Erosion Threats to Pine Forest- Forest Fires and Erosion
5 Effects of Mountain Pine Beetles in the Western Pine Forest Effects of Mountain Pine Beetles in the Western Pine Forest
6 Impact of Climate Change on Mountain Pine Beetles and Western Pine Forest Impact of Climate Change on Mountain Pine Beetles and Western Pine Forest
7 Deforestation Deforestation
8 Carbon Sources and Carbon Sinks Carbon Sources and Carbon Sinks
9 River Silting River Silting
10 Differentiate between Land & Sea Resources Differentiate between Land & Sea Resources
11 Forest Degradation on Slopes Forest Degradation on Slopes
12 Effects of Pine Forest on Bio-Diversity Effects of Pine Forest on Bio-Diversity
The Social Impacts of Global Warming 1 Water Consumption and Health #1
2 Water Consumption and Health #2 Water Consumption and Health #1 and #2
3 Renewable Forms of Energy #1
4 Renewable Forms of Energy #2 Renewable Forms of Energy #1 and #2
5 Proper Uses of Natural Resources #1
6 Proper Uses of Natural Resources #2 Proper Uses of Natural Resources #1 and #2
7 Reduction of Carbon Emissions
8 Waste and Pollution Management Waste and Pollution Management
9 Effects of Mitigation and Adaptation on Population Density and Displacement #1 Effects of Mitigation and Adaptation on Population Density and Displacement #1
10 Effects of Mitigation and Adaptation on Population Density and Displacement #2 Effects of Mitigation and Adaptation on Population Density and Displacement #2

Download your copy of the 1.5˚ to Stay Alive Education Initiative.