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Jody Childs

Olivia Dransfield

Emily Enoch

Johanne O'Brien

McKenna Wood

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The series of lessons are based on the book There ’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom.

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A girl finds an orangutan in her bedroom. The orangutan teaches her about how the rainforest is being destroyed for palm oil, to create items such as chocolate.

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Introduce students to orangutans and their natural habitat.

1. Reading Excerpts from the Book - Read aloud select passages from "There's an Orangutan in My Bedroom" that introduce the main character's encounter with an orangutan and describe its natural habitat.

2. Show pictures or videos of orangutans in the wild, swinging from trees, eating fruit, and interacting with each other. Highlight the lush rainforest environment where orangutans live.

1. Engage students in a discussion about orangutans and their habitat. Ask questions such as:

- Where do orangutans live?

- What do they eat?

- How do they move around?

- Why are rainforests important for orangutans?

4. Activity - Provide materials for a simple craft activity where students can create paper plate masks of orangutans. As they work on their craft, discuss additional facts about orangutans and their habitat.

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Mask making

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1. Storytime with Discussion: Begin by reading more of the book. After reading, facilitate a discussion about what climate change means. Encourage students to share their thoughts and observations.

2. Utilize visual aids such as posters, diagrams, or simple infographics to explain the concept of climate change. Highlight key points such as the greenhouse effect, rising temperatures, and changing weather patterns. Use everyday examples to illustrate these concepts, such as melting ice caps or extreme weather events.

3. Conduct a hands-on demonstration to help students understand the greenhouse effect. Use a clear container filled with water to represent the Earth's atmosphere. Place a heat source (e.g., lamp) above the container to simulate the sun's energy. Cover the container with plastic wrap to represent greenhouse gases trapping heat. Observe how the temperature inside the container increases over time.

4. Discuss the causes of climate change in simple terms. Explain that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and cutting down trees, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Encourage students to think about actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprint.

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Climate change is one of those important topics that can be hard to tackle in the classroom. Some teachers face opposition from parents, communities, or even school curriculum requirements that deny the existence or importance of climate change. But it's vital to give kids the facts by using climate change activities that help them understand what's taking place-and why it matters. Try some of these ideas with your students, accompanied with discussion about what kids can do to help keep our planet healthy for years to come.

1. Take part in the World's Largest Lesson

In partnership with Unicef, World's Largest Lesson promotes use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all. Learn more about their videos, lessons, and resources here.

2. Understand the difference between climate and weather

One common refrain you might hear is, "It snowed 20 inches today, so explain how global warming is real?" That's when it's time to tackle the difference between weather (the current conditions) and climate (the average of those conditions over time in a particular region). Make an anchor chart like this one from Hayley Taylor on Pinterest. Then try a sorting activity to help kids understand the difference between the two. You can make your own cards, or find them on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers.

3. Measure temperatures to learn about the greenhouse effect

Global warming is a key component of climate change, and it's caused in part by an enhanced greenhouse effect. Climate change activities like this one show kids just what that term means. Place two thermometers side-by-side in a sunny spot. Put one inside a covered glass jar, and leave the other one outside. Observe the temperatures after about 20 minutes to see which is higher. Learn more about this activity at Kid Minds.

4. Meet the greenhouse gases

Now that kids have seen the greenhouse effect in action, introduce them to the gases that make it happen. These fun trading cards of the six major atmospheric gases teach students what they are and where they come from. Each card has two sides, showing the positive and negative effects of that gas. Get the free printable cards from NASA here.

5. Make edible greenhouse gas models

Dive deeper into the chemistry of greenhouse gases by making edible models from toothpicks and gumdrops. Science Sparks has all the details.

6. Do a climate change word search

Try this free printable word search to reinforce the terms kids are learning during climate change activities. It's part of this larger free lesson plan from Woo Jr.

7. Eat some Earth toast

Show kids how too much heat can make things (like deserts and other inland areas) hotter and drier with this fun edible experiment. Kids use milk paint to create a bread "Earth," then bake it in a toaster oven to see what happens. Learn more from Left Brain Craft Brain.

8. Learn about conditions affecting ice melt

The accelerated melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers is of huge concern to climate change scientists. This simple experiment shows how ice in water melts faster than ice on land. Find out more from Science Learning Hub.

9. Explore how melting ice affects sea levels

The North Polar Ice Cap sits on water, while the South Polar Ice Cap is on land. Learn which of these two can cause sea levels to rise with this experiment, perfect for a science fair project. Get the how-to from Science Buddies.

10. Simulate melting polar ice caps and icebergs

Ice melting experiments are very helpful climate change activities for seeing sea level rise in action, so here's another one to try. If you're unable to perform this one in person, show the video National Geographic made instead.

11. Discover how melting sea ice affects animals too

Humans aren't the only ones affected by global warming and sea ice melt. In this experiment, kids try to help model polar bears stay afloat as the ice around them starts to melt. Learn more from Kitchen Counter Chronicles.

12. Trap particles to learn about air pollution

Particulates in the air are another cause of global warming and climate change. This experiment uses Vaseline and index cards to capture visible particulates from indoor and outdoor spaces, so students can compare them. Get the details at Education.com.

13. Water plants with acid solutions

Acid rain isn't in the news as much these days, thanks to the incredible effectiveness of the Acid Rain Program. It's still good for kids to learn about, though, since when unchecked, it can do real damage to plants and the environment. Try this experiment, in which kids water plants with regular water and a lemon juice-water solution, to see the effects. Learn how it works from Education.com.

14. Play the Carbon Cycle Game

Carbon is another big contributor to global warming and climate change. Learn how the natural carbon cycle works, and how too much carbon throws the cycle off, with this free printable game from COSEE.

15. Track your carbon footprint

Good climate change activities should include action items kids and their families can take. Explore the term "carbon footprint" and then brainstorm ways to reduce it with this cute idea from Kitchen Counter Chronicles.

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15 Meaningful and Hands-On Climate Change Activities For Kids

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Help kids understand important topics like global warming, sea level rise, air pollution, and more with these climate change activities.

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There are three species of orangutans in the world - The Bornean, the Sumatran and the recently confirmed new species (as of 2017), the Tapanuli.

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The name orangutan means "man of the forest" in the Malay language. In the lowland forests in which they reside, orangutans live solitary existences. They feast on wild fruits like lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and slurp water from holes in trees. They make nests in trees of vegetation to sleep at night and rest during the day. Adult male orangutans can weigh up to 200 pounds. Flanged males have prominent cheek pads called flanges and a throat sac used to make loud verbalizations called long calls. An unflanged male looks like an adult female. In a biological phenomenon unique among primates, an unflanged male can change to a flanged male for reasons that are not yet fully understood.

Bornean and Sumatran orangutans differ a little in appearance and behavior. While both have shaggy reddish fur, Sumatran orangutans have longer facial hair. Sumatran orangutans are reported to have closer social bonds than their Bornean cousins. Bornean orangutans are more likely to descend from the trees to move around on the ground. Both species have experienced sharp population declines. A century ago there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, but the Bornean orangutan is now estimated at about 104,700 based on updated geographic range (Endangered) and the Sumatran about 7,500 (Critically Endangered).

A third species of orangutan was announced in November, 2017. With no more than 800 individuals in existence, the Tapanuli orangutan is the most endangered of all great apes.

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Protect endangered species, including the orangutan, at World Wildlife Fund. Learn about the ways WWF works to conserve a future where people live in harmony with nature.

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When it comes to our environment, it is so important that our children learn about the effects of climate change. One way we can start to educate them on environmental sciences is through a simple science experiment that creates the Greenhouse Effect in a jar. This activity is fantastic as a homeschool experiment, science fair project, classroom demonstration, and most importantly, as part of Earth Day lessons.

Climate Change Science Experiment

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In recent years the climate crisis has become one of the most important challenges facing Earth and all of Earth's inhabitants. Understanding how the greenhouse effect works is a fundamental lesson we need to be teaching all of our students. Throughout their lifetime they are going to witness massive environmental changes. Many of which, we have already seen in our lives. I can only imagine what is to come, and I know it weighs heavily on my tweens and teens. But through education and changing our practices and lifestyles, there are things we can all do to make a difference and protect our planet.

Let's start with this science experiment that demonstrates the greenhouse effect.

Check out our video of this climate change experiment exploring greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect.

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

First off, we need to explain the term: Greenhouse Effect. A greenhouse is a building with glass for the walls and roof. That glass structure traps heat inside, making it a great place to grow plants where it stays all warm and cozy, even after the sun goes down or it is cooler outside.

Instead of glass, our planet is surrounded by an atmosphere made up of gases. Like a great big puffy coat of gas wrapped around the entire planet. The atmosphere traps the sun's heat on the Earth's surface making our planet perfect for living organisms.

The balance of those gases is delicate, and due to a number of different factors, in particular the burning of fossil fuels, that balance is being disrupted and it is affecting the quality of that protective layer around our Earth.

One of the most important greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide. When we drive our cars and burn fossil fuels like gas and oil, we are putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This in turn causes more heat to be trapped on the Earth, leading to an increase in the average temperatures. This affects all living organisms, including humans.

The Greenhouse Effect Science Experiment

Now we know about the greenhouse effect, let's do some science! For this experiment we are going to use our much beloved and simple, baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction.

Supplies

5 Jars - Using all 5 jars provides an opportunity to apply scientific theory and the scientific method.
Vinegar - White, standard vinegar is best.
Baking Soda - Also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarb. Don't use Baking Powder! It is a completely different chemical formula. You can learn more here about the differences between baking soda and baking powder.
Measuring cups and spoons - Important for accuracy during testing.
Plastic Wrap - Also known as clingfilm. It must be clear and able to seal tightly without tearing. I know we don't want to use plastic, but in this case it is what we need for this science experiment. You can try it with other materials, but we struggled to get the desired results. You can always save the plastic and reuse it!
Elastic bands - Large enough to fit over the mouth of the jar to secure the plastic wrap.
Heat Source - You can use a sunny window sill if you live somewhere with lots of hot direct sunlight, or use a heat lamp, space heater, or in our case we used a heat vent/radiator. It just needs to provide lots of heat evenly between the jars.
Thermometer - We have a non-contact infrared thermometer that worked perfectly. The kids LOVE using this type of thermometer in their science experiments but you can also use standard dual scale thermometers. If you use standard thermometers you will need one for each jar and a small knife or sharp scissors.
Masking Tape and Sharpie - For labeling the jars

Directions

Prepare the Jars

Start by labeling the jars. You will want:

The fifth jar does not need to be labeled, that one you will also be doing the reaction in, but without the plastic covering. However, if you want to label it, go ahead!

The reason we are doing all of these controls, is that we want to show that it is not just the vinegar or just the baking soda, or just the chemical reaction causing our result. We want to prove it is the trapped carbon dioxide gas.

Prepare a piece of plastic wrap big enough to cover the mouth of the jar with a bit of extra down the sides so it can be sealed completely. Repeat for 4 jars. Also add an elastic band for each piece of plastic wrap.

Place plastic wrap on the air jar and secure it with an elastic.

Add 1/4 up of vinegar to the vinegar jar, then cover with plastic wrap and secure with an elastic.

Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to the baking soda jar, cover with plastic wrap and secure with elastic.

Reaction Time!

This next step is easiest with two people. Have one person read with the plastic wrap and elastic. The other person will add the baking soda to the jar, then add the vinegar. VERY QUICKLY place the plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar and secure it with an elastic. We need to capture the gases from the reaction, so work fast!

Here comes the sun

Now place the jars in front of your heat source. Ensure they are positioned so they will all be heated evenly. We used a heat register/radiator to evenly apply heat. A windowsill in the bright sun would work well too. Leave the jars with the heat for 5 to 10 minutes. We tested at both the 5 minute and 10 minute mark.

This heat source is replicating the warming effect of the sun.

Chemical Reaction Comparison

While the four jars are warming, take your fifth jar. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Watch the bubbly reaction! After about 30 seconds take a temperature reading. What do you notice? Baking soda and vinegar is an endothermic reaction! This is extremely interesting in the context of this greater experiment.

Temperature check

After your jars are warmed, it is time to take temperature readings.

If you are using a non-contact infrared thermometer, have your students take temperature readings from each jar, we found it best to aim straight down into the jar.

If you are using a standard thermometer, make a small slit in the plastic top of each jar, just big enough to slip the thermometer in without letting too much air escape. Place a thermometer in each jar. Wait one minute, then remove the thermometer and check the temperature readings.

What do you notice about the temperature readings? Record your results!

Greenhouse Effect Results

The chemical reaction in the enclosed jar is warmer than all the other jars with plastic covering. Those control jars are all about the same temperature. The coldest jar is the chemical reaction with no plastic covering. So cool!

The Greenhouse Science

The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar is an acid-base reaction. Baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. When we combine them, they react in a bubbly, endothermic reaction. Endothermic means it becomes colder during the reaction.

Here is the chemical formula of this reaction
C₂H₄O₂ + NaHCO₃ -> NaC₂H₃O₂ + H₂O + CO₂(g)
vinegar + sodium bicarbonate -> sodium acetate + water + carbon dioxide(g)
The carbon dioxide is a gas, just like it is in the atmosphere, where it is one of the greenhouse gases.

In this experiment we are trapping the carbon dioxide gas in the jar. When heat is applied, the carbon dioxide traps more heat in the jar than our controls.

Where this became really interesting for us, was when the kids realized the reaction was endothermic, as demonstrated in our open chemical reaction jar. That means our jar with the trapped carbon dioxide not only trapped heat, but it trapped enough heat to counteract the endothermic reaction, and still make that jar warmer than the controls.

That is one powerhouse of a greenhouse effect!

Troubleshooting

If you have problems with this experiment there may be a few things to look at.

First, make sure your jars are being evenly heated. Depending on how you heat your jars, certain jars my be getting more heat than others. If you are using heat lamps, you may want to ensure you have one heat lamp per jar and place them equal distances from each jar.

If you used a standard thermometer, make sure your slit is not letting too much of the carbon dioxide out of the jar, it will take the heat with it.

When the reaction is triggered, make sure you act fast to get that plastic wrap on there and trap those gases!

Learning More About Climate Change

We really enjoy learning from NASA's incredible resources. They have an entire site dedicated to climate and kids called Climate Kids that is packed with learning resources.

If you have Netflix, definitely look for any documentaries by David Attenborough. My tweens and teens have watched many of his documentaries and learned so much.

Tackle more Earth Day and Environmental Sciences projects with your kids, with our collection of Earth Day Activities.

Bookshelf on Climate Change and the Greenhouse Effect

Climate Change and Environmental Sciences Worksheets

Enjoy learning about our planet and start putting your lessons to work to protect our home. The more we know, the better we can all work to project our Earth.

More Educational Resources

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The Greenhouse Effect Experiment and Lesson for Kids

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The Greenhouse Effect - What is it? How does it work? Learn the answers to these questions and more with this science experiment for kids.

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Orangutan Habitat Map | SEEtheWILD Wildlife Conservation

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Click to view a simplified orangutan habitat map and to learn more about both the Sumatran Orangutan and the Bornean Orangutan.

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Climate change is one the greatest challenges humans have had to face. This post gives an overview of what climate change is, what can be done and contains lots of fun and FREE climate change resources for kids of all ages.

What is Climate Change?

The Earth's climate has changed many times over the last 4.5 billion years or so, and while some climate change is natural, the changes we are seeing at the moment are the result of human activity.

Man made gases from factories, power stations and cars are building up in the atmosphere where they trap heat from the sun like a greenhouse. This is why we call them greenhouse gases. We need some greenhouse gases, as without them the planet would be much colder, but too many greenhouse gases mean the Earth will get too hot!

Greenhouse gases mostly come from burning fossil fuels ( coal, oil, natural gas, petroleum ) for energy.

What will happen?

As the Earth warms up, dangerous weather such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires become more likely. Sea levels will start to rise as the ice caps melt and large areas of land could flood. Some areas of the world will become so dry nothing can grow and others will be waterlogged. These effects are called climate change.

What can we do?

There is hope, but we need to act now. Emissions of greenhouse gases need to be drastically reduced as a matter of urgency. As a single person it can be hard to imagine how your actions can make a difference but to halt climate change we all need to make small changes that together add up to a huge change.

If you choose to not use a plastic cup for example, perhaps friends and family will do the same. This will ultimately save 100s of plastic cups from ending up in the ocean or landfill.

Actions to save the Earth

Walk or share travel where you can.

Educate friends and family about what they can do.

Turn off lights when you leave a room

Write to local governments and demand action.

Shop locally

Try to fix things rather than buy new

Buy and use less plastic

Avoid single use plastic

Plant trees

Buy less stuff - share or buy second hand.

Reduce Waste Printable Worksheets

Create your own plastic pledge and think of ideas for reducing waste and using less plastic with these FREE recycling worksheets. Click the image to print! Or scroll down to find a complete booklet.

I would love to see your ideas and plastic pledges so don't forget to share!

Climate Change Design Worksheets

FREE Climate Change Pledge and Activity Pack

Get all the resources in one easy document. Remember to print in black and white and only the pages you need.

Easy Climate Change Science Activities

Greenhouse Gas Activities

Learn about greenhouse gases by making models using sweets.

Find out whether cows REALLY contribute to global warming!

Effects of Rising Temperatures

Discover what will happen to sea water levels if the ice caps melt.

Renewable Energy Activities

Learn about wind power with these simple wind powered pinwheels.

Carbon Footprint

I also have some FREE printable carbon footprint resources full of ideas for reducing your carbon footprint!

Learn about hydroelectric power with my water wheel!

Nature Activities

Find out why bees are so important and why we need to look after them.

Insects and other small animals are vital for our future. Help keep them safe with a bug hotel. The one below is amazing, but Red Ted Art has a mini bug hotel for smaller spaces.

Great Climate Change Information Websites for Kids

The WWF has lots of useful information about the effect of climate change of different species.

Friends of the Earth is full of up to date articles and information about climate change. This is aimed more at adults and older children, but a great place research what you can do to help save the planet and how to do it!

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Climate change is one the greatest challenges humans have had to face. This post gives an overview of what climate change is, what can be done and contains lots of fun and FREE climate change resources for kids of all ages.

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Hands-on learning invites students to discover the world by engaging with it directly, something our brains are geared towards on a profound level. When you think over your time in school, what classroom activities do you remember the best?

I'd be willing to bet that for a lot of people, the answer involves building something, cooking something, taking something apart, planting something, pouring one substance into another...in short, getting your hands dirty. Hands-on learning invites students to discover the world by engaging with it directly, something our brains are geared towards on a profound level. Why not harness this powerful pedagogical method to teach students about one of the most pressing issues of today: climate change?

Of course, when selecting climate change activities for students, you want to make sure that they really complement the material you're covering. A well-chosen hands-on lesson can liven up class time, engage your students, and help them to understand the subject matter more deeply- plus, it's likely to be fun. Building climate literacy in your students can be a lot of work, but we're here to help. To start, check out these seven climate change hands-on activities.

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7 Climate Change Hands-On Activities to Keep Kids Engaged

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SubjectToClimate has gathered 7 climate change hands-on activities to keep kids engaged. A well-chosen hands-on lesson can liven up class time.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z2np6g8

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Climate change is the shift in the Earth's weather conditions over many years.

Our world has been getting hotter due to things humans are doing, like the way we make energy, farm and cut down trees.

This is dangerous for humans, wildlife and the planet.

But it's not too late! By working together, everyone can help.

What's the difference between weather and climate? Why is climate change bad for the planet? Watch this video to find out.

Video Transcript Video Transcript

Narrator: Some days it can be raining, or sunny, snowing, raining again! Rain, sun, snow, wind are all different types of weather. If we know what kind of weather a place has over a long time, we call that its climate.

Somewhere hot and dry, won't have the same type of plants and animals plants and animals as somewhere hot and wet.

You couldn't find a fish living up a tree, or could you? There is a huge layer of gases around the planet called the atmosphere. This contains a layer of greenhouse gases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

The greenhouse gas layer acts a bit like a blanket, trapping heat and keeping everything here warm and safe. But like a blanket it can also trap too much heat. Like being in a classroom on a hot day, if we close some of the windows, the room very quickly gets hotter and uncomfortable.

The closed windows are letting the light and the heat in, but not out again. The windows are like the earths layer of greenhouse gases, only made from glass instead of gas.

As humans burn fossil fuels and farm unsustainably, more greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere. This means that more heat is getting trapped and the planet is getting hotter.

We're getting more extreme weather like heatwaves, floods and storms. In cold parts of the world, ice and snow are melting. When ice on land melts, more water goes into the oceans. If we carry on getting hotter, the waves at the beach will come in further and we might just find a fish, in a place that used to be a forest.

Our actions can hurt the planet, but we can also help heal the planet. And we can all make a difference. If we stop closing the windows the room stops getting hotter, then we can all breath a little easier and live safe in the knowledge that our climate won't continue to change.

Around the Earth is a thick layer of air known as the atmosphere.

Beyond the atmosphere is outer space, where there is no air at all.

In the Earth's atmosphere are many types of gas.

Two of these gases are carbon dioxide and methane, which we call greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases form a thin layer around the Earth. This acts like a kind of fluffy blanket, keeping us nice and warm.

Without it, it would get so cold we'd all freeze!

For thousands of years, the greenhouse gas layer stayed roughly the same.

This was great news for humans, as it gave us just the right conditions for living and farming. Nice and warm, but not too warm.

For many years, humans have been adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels to release energy, cutting down trees, over-farming and creating waste.

Because of this, the greenhouse gas layer has been getting thicker, meaning more heat is being trapped and the Earth is getting hotter.

This is known as global warming.

Around two hundred years ago, in a time known as the Industrial Revolution, humans started burning lots more fossil fuels, farming lots more cows and cutting down lots more trees.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the average temperature on our planet has increased by just over one degree Celsius.

Do you think one degree is a lot of heat?

It doesn't sound like much. It's easy to warm up smaller things, like your hands in a pair of gloves or a cup of water.

But try to imagine how hard it is to warm up something as huge as our planet! It takes an awful lot of extra heat to warm up something that enormous by just one degree.

In fact, the Earth is now hotter than it has been in over 100,000 years.

The extra heat in our atmosphere is causing big changes to the long-term conditions on our planet, known as our climate.

This is producing more extreme weather.

Parts of the world that were already hot are becoming even hotter and drier. This leads to heatwaves, lack of water and forest fires.

The extra heat is also causing more water to go up from our oceans to form clouds, which then fall as rain.

This leads to extreme weather like storms, hurricanes and floods.

Hotter seas and oceans

A lot of the extra heat is making water in the ocean hotter.

As the water gets hotter it makes it harder for sea creatures to survive.

Another problem is that when water gets hotter, it expands. This means it takes up more space, which leads to rising sea levels.

The extra heat in our atmosphere and in our seas also means more ice is melting in cold places like the Arctic and Antarctica.

This makes life very hard for creatures like polar bears and penguins who need ice to hunt and survive.

When ice on land melts, the water runs off into the sea, which causes sea levels to rise even more.

It's okay to feel worried about climate change.

But remember that if we all work together we can fix this situation!

There are lots of ways you can get involved.

Speak to people about how you feel. Listen and share ideas with them.

Your actions will inspire others.

You are never too small to make a difference.
- Greta Thunberg

Well done Regenerator, you've completed this lesson. Now let's see what you can remember.

You have been awarded the Regenerators climate hero certificate.

Now you can colour in and decorate your certificate.

Use drawings, words or art - anything which feels special to you.

Ask an adult if you can download and print this certificate, or open it with painting software.

Or you can make your own certificate on blank paper.

Explore more lessons and content from around the BBC.

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Why is our climate changing? - KS1 - The Regenerators - BBC Bitesize

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Online lesson for children aged 5 to 7. Why is the climate changing? How are humans causing it? What can we do?

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Geography | KS1 | KS2 | Explain This... | Climate | BBC Teach

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This week, Year 2 had their final Geography lesson in their current topic 'Seasons and Weather'. They learned how greenhouse gases and pollution are causing climate change and global warming. They also discovered that the environment can be badly affected as over time, animals might lose their habitats. They also learned that the weather may become more extreme with more floods, droughts, storms and melting ice. The children created wonderful posters to teach other children about climate change and how we can work together to look after planet Earth!

In Science, the children conducted an experiment to test which materials and items they could squash, bend, twist and stretch. We discovered that even metal spoons can be bent if you are strong enough! The children worked really well collaboratively to record their findings. Each group shared their results at the end of the lesson to see if there were any similarities or differences. Afterwards, we talked through why each group may have had slightly different results.

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This week, Year 2 had their final Geography lesson in their current topic 'Seasons and Weather'. They learned how greenhouse gases and pollution are causing climate change and global warming. They also discovered that the environment can be badly affected as over time, animals might lose their habitats.

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Use this fantastic PowerPoint to teach your Key Stage 2 class or child about the palm oil industry. Oil palm plantations are taking up crucial space in the Amazon rainforest and all over the world. Help to make your KS2 children more knowledgeable about this environmental issue using this detailed teaching resource. Dive into the world of the Amazonian rainforest with ‘Rainforest Calling’, a Twinkl Original for Key Stage 2 set in Brazil under the leaves. If you are looking to develop your children’s understanding surrounding ethical consumption, then this lovely KS1 Fair Trade Resource Pack is a great starting point.

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Some Year 1 students might struggle with writing quality/capacity. Using a drama-based activity allows these students to express their learning in a more accessible way.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVE

To understand what deforestation is and its impacts.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

I can define deforestation.

I can explain why deforestation occurs.

I can identify who/what is involved in deforestation.

I can name products with palm oil in.

I can identify emotions caused by deforestation.

I can express deforestation through drama.

WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION

What is deforestation?

Why does deforestation happen?

What things do we use that are made from palm oil?

ACTIVITY

Freeze frames to show the different people/animals impacted by deforestation. Emphasis on displaying emotions through drama.

Orangutans - Hiding from the danger. Worried and scared about where they will live.

Loggers - Cutting down the trees. Tired from the hard work.

Protestors - Shouting at the loggers. Angry that the rainforest is being destroyed.

People - Using items made from deforestation. Happy that they get to use the items.

Extension: Print the freeze frame of their group with speech bubbles for each character. The children can write sentences to describe key emotions experienced during deforestation, or explain who each child in the freeze frame represents.

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Imagine an ingredient that makes soaps foamier, crisps crispier, and can even make cookies healthier - all while feeding animals, and fuelling cars!
What is this magical mystery ingredient, you ask? Well, gang, it's palm oil - and you can find it almost everywhere! But what is palm oil, and why does it have a bad reputation, when it comes to the planet? Read on to find out...

What is palm oil?

Palm oil is harvested from the fruit of oil palm trees ( Elaeis guineensis). Squeezing the fleshy fruit will produce crude palm oil, while crushing the kernel (seed) of the fruit will produce palm kernel oil.

Oil palm trees are native to Africa and historically grew in countries to its west and south-west. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they were introduced to Indonesia and Malaysia. Today, these countries produce over 85% of the global supply of palm oil!

What is palm oil used for?

Well, the answer is just about everything! Almost 50% of the packaged products in supermarkets contain palm oil, because it's such an adaptable ingredient that can be used in a huge variety of things.

Its texture can help make things spreadable, it helps give products a longer shelf-life, and importantly, it has no odour or colour, so it doesn't affect the look or smell of the products it's used in. All these benefits make it very attractive to manufacturers.

Check out this list of everyday items you might find at the supermarket. Can you guess which ones contain palm oil?

- Toothpaste

- Frozen pizza

- Shampoo

- Lipstick

- Biscuits

- Packaged bread

- Margarine

- Ice cream

- Cereal

- Soap

How many did you guess? If you guessed all of them, then you're right!

Why is palm oil bad?

Before palm oil ends up in your products, oil palm trees have to be grown on a plantation (an area of land used to farm crops), and that plantation takes up land. In fact, with global demand for palm oil being so high, oil palm plantationsnow cover of Indonesia and Malaysia.

To make way for palm oil plantations, huge areas of rainforest are being destroyed. In fact, palm oil production is one of the biggest reasons for deforestation around the world. As forests are torn up, the endangered species that live in them - like orangutans, elephants and gorillas - suffer, too. If nothing changes, many of these species may soon become extinct.

And that's not all, because the cutting down of trees and an increased risk of on plantations causes lots of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere. And that's bad news for climate change!

How can I help?

Thankfully, there is a better way of doing things. More and more companies around the world are using sustainable palm oil. This means palm oil that's used and produced in a way that doesn't harm the environment. And others are creating brilliant products that avoid palm oil altogether!

TOP TIP!

You can check whether a product contains sustainable palm oil by looking for the RSPO label, which was created by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to signal that a product uses responsibly sourced palm oil. It can be a little hard to find, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled!

You can also do your own research and find out which of your favourite products containpalm oil. If they do and you don't know if it's sustainable or not, then why not get in contact with the manufacturer, and ask them about it? You can make a difference!

Check out this list by the Ethical Consumer. It lists all the common products that contain palm oil and includes palm-oil free options, too!

Thanks to Vlad Hilitanu; Fikri Rasyid; Peter Bond; Nazarizal Mohammad; Ihsan Aditya; Bishnu Sarangi, and Tafilah Yusof for the images used in this article.

What did you think of our palm oil article? Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment, below!

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What is palm oil: facts for kids - National Geographic Kids

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Imagine an ingredient that makes soaps foamier, crisps crispier, and can even make cookies healthier - all while feeding animals, and fuelling cars! What is this magical mystery ingredient, you ask? Well, gang, it's palm oil - and you can find it almost everywhere!

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There's An Orangutan In My Bedroom    DropDirtyPalmOil

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Help young children understand what a rainforest is by sharing this lovely Rainforest PowerPoint written especially for KS1 children. This informative powerpoint is packed full of simple information about where rainforests are located, their climate and animals and plants that live there. It also compares UK forests to tropical rainforests, allowing children to compare rainforests to what they have experience of. Ideals as part of a topic about rainforests, habitats or as a one-off lesson to help children in making comparisons with their local area. This Amazon Rainforest Creatures ‘What’s Behind the Binoculars?’ game is a fun way to round off your lesson about rainforests too. You can also create and present your own nature-themed lessons on this vibrant Nature Themed PowerPoint Template.

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Potential misconceptions

Lesson 1: Introduction to Orangutans and Their Habitat:

- Misconception: All animals live in similar habitats.

- Clarification: Students might think that all animals, including orangutans, can adapt to any environment. It's important to emphasize that orangutans have specific habitat requirements, such as rainforests, and that habitat loss can have severe consequences for their survival.

Lesson 2: Exploring Climate Change:

- Misconception: Climate change only affects the weather.

- Clarification: Students might think that climate change simply results in changes to the weather, such as warmer temperatures or more storms. It's important to clarify that climate change has broader impacts, including shifts in ecosystems, sea level rise, and changes in precipitation patterns.

Lesson 3: Understanding Deforestation:

- Misconception: Trees can grow back quickly after deforestation.

- Clarification: Students might think that deforested areas can easily recover and that trees can grow back quickly. It's important to emphasize that deforestation can have long-lasting effects on ecosystems, including loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and habitat fragmentation.

Lesson 4: Taking Action:

- Misconception: Individual actions don't make a difference in addressing environmental issues.

- Clarification: Students might feel overwhelmed by the scale of environmental problems like deforestation and climate change, leading them to believe that their individual actions won't make a difference. It's important to emphasize that every action counts, no matter how small, and that collective efforts can lead to meaningful change.

Lesson 5: Reflecting and Creating:

- Misconception: Environmental problems are too big for kids to help solve.

- Clarification: Students might feel

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Learning Objective- to discover ways to help orangutans and the environment.

1. Brainstorming Activity- have a discussion about how students can help to protect orangutans. Write ideas down on flipchart/whiteboard. Encourage children to think of different actions such as reducing plastic use, planting trees etc.

2. Group Project- divide class into small groups and assign each group an action to focus on. For example, one group could create posters about recycling, another could organise a whole school clean up.

3. Action Plan- each group should make a plan of how they will carry out their project. Encourage them to think about the steps needed in order for their project to be successful.

4. Implementation- allow students to implement their projects in the classroom and/ or the community. Encourage collaboration and teamwork amongst group members.

5. Reflection- after completing their projects, gather the class for a reflection session. Allow each group to share what they came up with, what they learned, and any challenges they faced. Discuss the impact of their actions and how they can continue to make a lasting change.

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Objective: Allow students to reflect on what they've learned and express their understanding creatively.

Activities:

1. Reflection Circle: Begin the lesson with a reflection circle where students can share their thoughts and feelings about what they've learned throughout the unit. Encourage each student to contribute by asking questions such as:

- What did you find most interesting about orangutans and their habitat?

- How do you feel about the challenges orangutans face due to deforestation and climate change?

- What are some ways we can help orangutans and protect their habitat?

2. Creative Expression: Provide students with a variety of materials such as crayons, markers, colored paper, and craft supplies. Allow them to choose how they would like to express their understanding creatively. They could create:

- Drawings or paintings of orangutans and their habitat.

- Posters with messages about the importance of conservation and protecting the environment.

- Short stories or poems about orangutans and their adventures.

1. Sharing Circle: Once students have completed their creative projects, gather them in a sharing circle where they can present their work to the class. Encourage each student to explain the meaning behind their creation and how it relates to what they've learned about orangutans and environmental conservation.

4. Classroom Display: Create a classroom display showcasing students' artwork and writings. This could include hanging their drawings on a bulletin board, displaying their posters around the room, or creating a class book with their stories and poems. Celebrate their efforts and use the display as a reminder of the importance of protecting orangutans and their habitat.

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Lesson One: What do the children already know about rainforests and orangutans?

Lesson Two: Creation of a mind map as a whole class whilst they are sat on the carpet. Work in smaller groups for the activity, using Post-It notes to record how they can reduce their carbon footprint.

Lesson Three: What do the children already know about deforestation? Create groups with attainment and confidence levels in mind, and monitor involvement in group work.

Lesson Four: Are the plans created by the students to take action realistic? Do they need some examples to help them?

Lesson Five: Use whiteboards to share their thoughts and feelings about what they learnt so far. Teacher assessing the answers. Peer-assessment of each other's posters through a silent gallery.

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"The Rang-Tan in My Bedroom" is an animated short film produced by Greenpeace as part of their campaign to raise awareness about the impact of palm oil production on deforestation and the loss of orangutan habitat in Southeast Asia. The film tells the story of a young girl who discovers a displaced orangutan (Rang-Tan) hiding in her bedroom after its forest home has been destroyed for palm oil plantations.

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"The Rang-Tan in My Bedroom" is an animated short film produced by Greenpeace as part of their campaign to raise awareness about the impact of palm oil production on deforestation and the loss of orangutan habitat in Southeast Asia. The film tells the story of a young girl who discovers a displaced orangutan (Rang-Tan) hiding in her bedroom after its forest home has been destroyed for palm oil plantations.

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The context of the film is deeply intertwined with climate change and environmental activism:

1. Palm Oil and Deforestation:The primary focus of the film is on the destructive effects of palm oil production, which contributes to deforestation in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Large-scale deforestation not only leads to habitat loss for orangutans and other wildlife but also contributes to carbon emissions, exacerbating climate change.

2. Loss of Biodiversity: The film highlights the broader issue of biodiversity loss resulting from deforestation. Orangutans are just one of many species affected by habitat destruction caused by palm oil production. The loss of biodiversity has significant ecological consequences and impacts the health of ecosystems worldwide.

3. Human Impact: The Rang-Tan in My Bedroom" also emphasizes the human impact of palm oil production, portraying the displacement of indigenous communities and the exploitation of workers in the industry. It underscores the interconnectedness of environmental and social justice issues.

4. Call to Action:Through its poignant storytelling and emotive animation, the film serves as a call to action for viewers to take steps to address the palm oil crisis. It encourages consumers to make informed choices about the products they buy and advocate for sustainable palm oil practices. Additionally, it urges policymakers and corporations to prioritize conservation and protect vital forest ecosystems.

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What Is Climate Change?

Climate change is a direct effect of global warming. Global warming is the effect that human activities have on our planet's atmosphere, which causes temperatures to rise. We do this by creating excessive greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide) which get trapped in the Earth's atmosphere.

As the Earth heats up, changes to our weather and our known environments start to occur and devastating events take place - such as melting ice caps, rising sea levels and extreme weather events, like hurricanes and wildfires.

Collectively these changes are known as 'climate change' and since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the impact of these events has been increasing, with more frequent and devastating effects being seen in recent years.

Although some people do not believe that climate change is caused by human activity, research groups across the world are concluding that this is in fact true, without a doubt. According to the IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change):

Human-induced climate change, including more frequent and intense extreme events, has caused widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people, beyond natural climate variability. [...] The rise in weather and climate extremes has led to some irreversible impacts as natural and human systems are pushed beyond their ability to adapt.

Global Temperature Facts

3. Earth's average surface temperature in 2020 statistically tied with 2016 as the hottest year on record, continuing a long-term warming trend due to human activities. ( NASA)

5. While Earth's climate has changed throughout its history, the current warming is happening at a rate not seen in the past 10,000 years. ( NASA)

6. Globally, January 2023 was the seventh-warmest January on record. According to predictions the year 2023 will rank among the 10-warmest years on record. ( NCEI, NOAA)

7. According to the IPCC's sixth assessment report on the state of our climate, the past decade is likely to have been the hottest period in the last 125,000 years.

8. The last 22 years have seen 20 of the warmest years on record, according to The World Meteorological Organization ( WMO).

9. The world's five warmest years have all occurred since 2015, with nine of the 10 warmest years occurring since 2005, according to scientists from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information ( NCEI).

10. NASA scientists also found that 2010 - 2019 was the hottest decade ever recorded.

11. Scientists from the UK Met Office determined that 2019 was one of the top three hottest years on record.

12. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) claims:

Beyond 2040, and depending on the level of global warming, climate change will lead to numerous risks to natural and human systems. [...] If global warming transiently exceeds 1.5°C in the coming decades or later (overshoot), then many human and natural systems will face additional severe risks, compared to remaining below 1.5°C [...] Depending on the magnitude and duration of overshoot, some impacts will cause the release of additional greenhouse gases and some will be irreversible.

Air Quality

13. Combined, the 100 countries that emit the least gases only generate 3 percent of all global emissions. Whereas, just 10 of the largest emitters contribute 68 per cent of total emissions. ( UN)

14. The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2)​​​​​​​ in our atmosphere, in May 2020, was
416 part​s per million. As of May 2022, this increased to 421 parts per million the highest it has been in human history. ( NOAA)

15. Human activities have raised the atmosphere's carbon dioxide content by 50% in less than 200 years.

16. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere is directly linked to the average global temperature on Earth. The concentration has been rising steadily, and mean global temperatures along with it, since the time of the Industrial Revolution. ( IPCC)

17. The most abundant greenhouse gas, accounting for about two-thirds of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), is largely the product of burning fossil fuels. ( IPCC)

20. The last time carbon dioxide levels on our planet were as high as today was more than 4 million years ago.

21. Globally aviation accounts for 2.5% of CO2 emissions, but they also contribute twice as much to global warming with nitrogen oxides (NOx), vapour trails, and cloud formation triggered by the altitude at which they fly.

22. The frequency of more intense hurricanes ranked as categories 4 and 5, has increased over the last 30 years. These destructive hurricanes are putting more people at risk and the increased frequency makes it more difficult for people to escape them.

23. There is potential to reverse the impact of global warming. If all emissions were to stop the planet would gradually cool. However, rising sea levels on the other hand would take millennia to be reversed. ( Carbon Brief)

Land Impact

25. Climate change enhances the drying of organic matter in forests, which is the material that burns and spreads wildfire, and has doubled the number of large fires between 1984 and 2015 in the western United States. Warmer temperatures and drier conditions help fires spread and make them harder to put out.

26. According to the WMO, the area and intensity of wildfires has increased in recent years. Unprecedented wildfires caused devastation in 2020, across Australia, the Amazon and Central Asia.

27. The consequences of climate change now include, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity. ( UN)

Ocean Impact

28. Sea levels globally are rising by 3.7mm per year. By 2050, sea levels are predicted to rise by around 30cm. This will cause more coastal flooding and erosion.

29. Covering more than 70% of Earth's surface, our global ocean has a very high heat capacity. ( NASA)

31. The ocean has become a kind of 'sink' for our planet, absorbing around one-third of the carbon in our atmosphere. Before the Industrial Revolution, the ocean was actually a source of carbon, but the massive amount of CO2 now in the atmosphere has forced it to start absorbing the gas. ( Earth.org)

33. The top 100 metres of the ocean show warming of 0.33 degrees Celsius since 1969. ( NASA)

34. The acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This increase is directly caused by more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and therefore more being absorbed into the ocean.

35. The effects of ocean warming include sea level rise due to thermal expansion, coral bleaching, accelerated melting of Earth's major ice sheets, intensified hurricanes, and changes in ocean health and biochemistry.

36. Coastal cities around the world are affected by rising sea levels. Indonesia is moving its capital city away from Jakarta. Home to over 10 million people, Jakarta is one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world. Researchers predict that large parts of the city could be completely submerged by 2050.

37. Global sea levels rose about 20 centimetres in the last century. However, the rate in the last two decades is nearly double that of the last century and is accelerating every year.

38. Increased ocean temperatures have caused over half of coral reef cover across the world to be lost. This means the loss of biodiversity, habitats for fish and other species, and the natural barrier to sea storms for coastal communities.

39. A recent study suggests that approximately 14% of the world's coral reefs were lost in 2008 and 2019 due to rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change, overfishing, coastal development, and declining water quality.

40. Scientists have estimated that coral reefs are at risk of being completely wiped out by 2050.

41. The Golden Toad is the first species to go extinct due to climate change. Research suggests that half of all amphibians are at risk of extinction due to climate change. Although many argue that extinction is a natural phenomenon, some experts suggest we're in the midst of the sixth mass extinction caused mostly by human activity.

Ice Loss

42. We have lost approximately 28 trillion tons of ice since the mid-1990s. Since then, each year, the planet loses 1.2 trillion tons of ice. This figure is hard to comprehend, but it roughly equates to around the same weight as all living things on earth - that is the quantity at which we are losing ice, every year.

43. Antarctica is losing ice mass (melting) at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year, and Greenland is losing about 270 billion tons per year, adding to sea level rise.

44. Both the Arctic and Antarctic oceans recorded their second-smallest average annual sea-ice coverage during the 1979-2019 period of record. Both the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice has declined rapidly over the last several decades.

46. Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world - including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska, and Africa. Satellite observations reveal that the amount of spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades and the snow is melting earlier. ( National Grid)

Human Life

47. A recent report by Oxfam found that climate change could increase food prices by 50-60% percent more by 2030. This is due to increased weather events such as flooding or droughts that will directly impact food production worldwide.

48. Over the past decade, 1.7 billion people have been affected by extreme weather and climate-related disasters. ( WFP)

49. In 2019, 302.4 billion working hours were lost due to excessive heat. Around the world, hotter temperatures are making many places too dangerous to work, or live, outdoors. A report by The Lancet found that businesses are suffering from rising temperatures and lose the equivalent of 88 hours per employee. ( Earth.org)

50. A recent study found that by 2070, many places may become too hot to live in. The study concluded that if emissions continued as they are, temperatures could rise to unbearable levels affecting up to 3 billion people.

51. Climate change can have serious health impacts such as heat stress or extreme cold, which can cause deaths due to overheating or hypothermia. The change in temperatures, combined with longer life expectancy has also increased temperature-related deaths in the elderly. ( The Lancet)

52. As climate change can affect our health, our food supply and even our ability to live in certain areas, the crisis has got to the point where more communities will soon have to relocate. It is expected that around 1.2 billion new climate refugees could result from natural disasters and other weather-related events by 2050, including immigrants who are forced to flee due to natural disasters, such as volcanoes and tsunamis.

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52 Climate Change Facts That You Need To Know | GreenMatch.co.uk

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All the latest data and facts, from the experts on climate change in one place. Find out all you need to know!

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Morley Victoria Primary School - Climate Change

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"Climate change has been a welcome addition to our teaching curriculum.

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Teach children about the plight of the orangutan and the dangers of deforestation with There's a Rang-tan in My Bedroom, the timely and beautiful picture book by James Sellick and Frann Preston-Gannon, published by Hachette and based on the Greenpeace film Rang Tan.

These resources will help you plan KS1 and KS2 lessons and assemblies as well as encouraging children to think about campaigning and how to help save the environment.

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Rang Tan resource pack for schools | Greenpeace UK

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Teach children about the plight of the orangutan and the dangers of deforestation with There's a Rang-tan in My Bedroom, the timely and beautiful picture book by James Sellick and Frann Preston-Gannon, published by Hachette and based on the Greenpeace film Rang Tan. These resources will help you plan KS1 and KS2 lessons and assemblies [...]

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Take our short quiz and see how much of a Orangutan expert you are. Don't forget to share your results afterwards and show the world!

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Buy This Book * More books by James Sellick

When a little girl discovers a mischievous orangutan on the loose in her bedroom, she can't understand why it keeps shouting OOO! at her shampoo and her chocolate. But when Rang-tan explains that there are humans running wild in her rainforest, burning down trees so they can grow palm oil to put in products, the little girl knows what she has to do: help save the orangutans!

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

Make up your own version of this story, in which a different animal appears in your bedroom.

Read the forward for this book by Emma Thompson. Could you write your own foreword for a different book?

The story is told from the little girl's point of view. Could you rewrite part of it in the third person.

Make a collection of all of the rhyming words in the story.

Write an acrostic poem based on the word ORANGUTAN.

Think of some speech / thought bubbles for the characters in the illustrations.

Write a newspaper article about a girl who finds an orangutan in her bedroom. What does she do to help the orangutan? Can you include some quotes from the people involved?

Write a persuasive letter to companies that use palm oil.

Watch the Christmas advert based on this story and try some of our related teaching ideas.

Science

Write a report about orangutans.

Computing

Use Scratch to make a game about an orangutan.

Make a website, or record a video news report, that teaches people about the plight of the orangutans and what they can do to help.

Use publishing software to make a poster about palm oil and how its use is affecting our world.

Design Technology

Make a model of an orangutan and use it as part of a display to teach people about palm oil.

Art

Draw two sets of pictures of the girl's bedroom, before and after the orangutan arrived.

Retell the story in the form of a comic strip.

Draw or paint pictures of orangutans. Look at photos and videos of them for inspiration.

Geography

Find the orangutans' natural habitat on a map. How far away is it from where you live?

Learn more about Greenpeace's palm oil campaign and the impact of this advert in the video below. How can you get involved?

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There's A Rang-tan In My Bedroom - Teaching Ideas

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Share this wonderful picture book with your children and try some of our related activities in the classroom!

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Hold on tight, gang - because we're about to swing through the trees to meet one of nature's coolest creatures in our orangutan facts!
Orangutan facts

1) Orangutans are red-haired apes that live in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo in southeast Asia.

2) These magnificent mammals measure 1.2m to 1.5m tall and weigh up to 100kg. And they have one seriously big arm span - some males can stretch their arms 2m from fingertip to fingertip!

(AD)

3) The orangutan is one of humankind's closest relatives - in fact, we share nearly 97% of the same DNA! The word orangutan comes from the Malay words " orang hutan", meaning " human of the forest ".

4) Orangutans spend most of their time up in the trees, where they use their long, strong arms and hook-shaped hands to climb and swing from branch to branch. Come bed time, they sleep in leafy nests high off the ground, where it's harder for hungry enemies (such as and other big cats) to get them!

5) Daytime eaters, their diet consists mostly of fruit and leaves - but they also eat nuts, bark, insects and, once in a while, bird eggs, too.

6) Female orangutans give birth about once every eight years. Infants stay with their mother for six to seven years, until they've learnt the necessary skills to survive on their own. During this time, a very special bond is formed between the mother and child.

7) Unlike other great apes, such as chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos, these gangly guys don't like to live in groups. A female will usually have a baby (or two) with her, but males like to be alone.

8) Orangutans are noisy creatures when they want to be, making loud howls and bellows that can be heard for miles around! It's usually the males that make these calls so that they can stay out of each other's territory.

9) These amazing apes generally have long lives - in captivity they can live for 50-60 years, and in the wild, 30-40 years.

10) Sadly, orangutans are today on the endangered species list. Deforestation in the forests where they live has reduced their habitat, and illegal hunting has put populations at serious risk. That's why we need to do all we can to help them. Swing by wwf.org.uk/adoption to find out how you can adopt an orangutan and help to protect their future!

What did you think of our orangutan facts? Let us know by leaving us a comment, below!

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10 orangutan facts! | National Geographic Kids

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Check out fascinating orangutan facts and photos here at Nat Geo Kids. Learn where orangutans live, what they eat, how they communicate and more!

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https://www.chesterzoo.org/schools/resources/animal-fact-file-sumatran-orangutan/

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Find out interesting facts all about the Sumatran Orangutan.

Pick out facts to write an interesting paragraph, create your own version of Top Trumps...and if you download a few different animals you could cut them out, jumble them up and match the facts to the correct animal.

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ANIMAL FACT FILE - Sumatran Orangutan - Schools

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Find out interesting facts about habitat, threats, diet, behaviour & much more! Age 7+

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https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/orangutan/print

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Young People's Trust For the Environment

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'Orang' and 'utan' are the Malay words meaning 'person' and 'forest'; the orangutan is literally a 'person of the forest'.

Overview

Order: Primates

Family: Hominidae

Species: Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii), Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis)

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Population Trend: decreasing

Orangutan:
Bornean - Pongo pygmaeus
Sumatran - Pongo abelii

Distribution: restricted to the islands of Borneo, Malaysia and Sumatra, Indonesia.

Habitat: dense tropical rainforest.

Description: heavy, rather human-like body. Very long arms, grasping hands and feet. Dark grey skin and reddish hair.

Population and IUCN Red List Status:
Bornean - 45,000-69,000 - Endangered
Sumatran - 7,300- Critically Endangered

Size: Height: males 1.4 m, females 1.15 m.

Weight: males 90-120 kg, females 40-50 kg.

Life-span: estimated average of 35 years. 50 years or more in captivity.

Food: tropical fruits, leaves, shoots, bark, insects and eggs.

Orangutan Habits

Territory: Unlike gorillas, common chimpanzees and bonobos, which live in large social groups, orangutans lead a mainly solitary life. The males constantly move from one area of forest to another. The dominant male ranges over a particular area for several months mating with any receptive females he comes across. When all the females have been mated, he moves on to another area. The adult male advertises his presence to females and other males by making a long, booming call. Adult females spend very little time with other orangutans, but may occasionally travel together or feed in the same tree - although they don't usually take much notice of each other! Young orangutans which have left their mother may move around in groups of two or three.

Daily life: The orangutan is diurnal - that is, active during daylight hours. It lives high above the ground in the forest canopy, moving slowly and carefully through the trees, using all four limbs. The hands and feet are hook-shaped, designed for grasping branches and its powerful arms allow it to swing and climb easily. Because of its tree-top lifestyle, the orangutan has developed arms longer and stronger than any other ape. Bornean orangutans may go down to the ground for brief periods each day, but in Sumatra the orangutans hardly ever venture onto the forest floor, as the Sumatran tiger, a predator, still roams there. When walking on the ground, the feet and hands are clenched and bent inwards.

Every night, orangutans make simple nests to sleep in. They bend branches together to form a platform - it only takes about 5 minutes to build. Sometimes they make a roof over the nest to protect them from the rain. They all sleep lying on their side, cushioning their head on their arms.

Orangutans and Humans

The orangutan's distribution has been steadily declining over the years. While exact orangutan population counts are always a challenge - various estimates put current counts at between 50,000-65,000 orangutans left in the wild - we do know with certainty that 2,000 to 3,000 orangutans are killed every year. Its ancestors' remains have been found in 14 million-year-old deposits in Punjab, India. Fossil remains also show that a giant race of orangutans existed in China 500,000 years ago. They also lived as far south as Java. Today the population is restricted to parts of Borneo and the north of Sumatra. In Borneo, its range has come under further threat from the forest fires of recent years, which destroyed millions of hectares of rainforest, killing many orangutans, and driving others into the open, forcing them to beg from humans for food.

Deforestation

Indonesia suffers from one of the highest rates of deforestation, most of it illegal, with around 3 million hectares lost each year - that's 10 football pitches every minute! Deforestation has always been the main threat to the orangutan, but the reasons for this have changed. Initially, the international demand for hardwood fuelled the growth in the industry and even today much of the wood product exports from Indonesia come from illegal sources.

The greatest reason for this loss recently is through palm oil plantations. Firstly the land is clear cut and then the wood debris is burnt, illegally, to get rid of it quickly; the ash also acts as a good fertilizer for the soil. The burning of forests makes Indonesia the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, with 75% of its emissions a result of deforestation. Indonesia and Malaysia are the largest palm oil producers in the world with demand for it increasing as a bio-fuel (to be used as an alternative to petrol or diesel), as well as its use as an ingredient in one out of every 10 supermarket products such as crisps, chocolate and detergents. To find out more read the Palm Oil factsheet in the Related Resources section below.

Burning the forests kills thousands of orangutans every year and once exposed, they are more vulnerable and can easily get shot, especially if they are found in the palm oil plantation itself, caught searching for food among the farmers' crops. Logging roads make the forests much more accessible to poachers. Sometimes they kill the mothers and sell the infants as pets.

The Trade in Baby Orangutans

Many unscrupulous private zoos have in the past paid high prices for baby orangutans. Today, orphaned orangutans are sold as pets in Borneo and Sumatra. Baby orangutans are obtained by shooting their mothers and many babies die before they are sold. A few are lucky to be rescued and taken to special rehabilitation centres to be reared and returned to the forest. The forests to which the orangutans are returned must be protected to ensure their survival. Deforestation simply opens up the jungles to poachers who have even greater access to the babies.

Mining for gold causes about a tenth of the damage done to the rainforests, even in protected areas where open pit mining scars the landscape and mercury pollutes the rivers and kills fish and other animals.

These threats have resulted in a huge reduction in the number of orangutans and their slow breeding rate is not sufficient to boost numbers in the wild. As a species they are seriously endangered and could become extinct within the next ten to twenty years. Although breeding them in captivity may be a way to prevent orangutans from becoming extinct, the only way to ensure their survival in the wild is to protect their forest habitat.

Credits

Image: Orangutan by Tambako The Jaguar

Information sourced from:

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2015), Pongo pygmaeus [online], Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [accessed 05/07/2015]

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2015), Pongo abelii [online], Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [accessed 05/07/2015]

Introduction

'Orang' and 'utan' are the Malay words meaning 'person' and 'forest'; the orangutan is literally a 'person of the forest'. Apart from humans, the orangutan is the only one of the five great apes - the orangutan, the gorilla, the common chimpanzee, the bonobo (pygmy chimpanzee) and human - to live outside Africa and is the largest tree living mammal in the world. It is less closely related to humans than the other three great apes, but is still strangely human-looking.

The two sub-species living in Borneo and Sumatra differ a little in appearance. Sumatran orangutans are generally slimmer and lighter-coloured than their Bornean counterparts. The Bornean male has larger cheek pads than the Sumatran.

In 2017, a third species, the Tapanuli orangutan, was identified.

Food and Hunting

Fruit makes up half the orangutan's diet. Orangutans are very intelligent and seem to be able to memorise the geography of their surroundings and will travel great distances through the forest, managing to arrive in a particular area just when the trees have ripe fruit. When there is plenty of food in an area, an orangutan may stay there for as long as the supply lasts, often sharing the area with several other orangutans; little social interaction goes on and they usually leave singly.

The orangutan, who wants to 'be like you' according to the Jungle Book, has taken this a step further and has been spotted using tools for fishing! Although they spend most of their time in the trees they are drawn to rivers and ponds for healthy, meaty nutrition. This is impressive considering orangutans are no good in water and couldn't swim even if you asked politely.

Research teams from America and Canada who studied the apes for several years saw many orangutans teach themselves how to jab at catfish with sticks. Using sharp sticks the apes jabbed the water from the water's edge, or by holding onto branches and reaching towards the water. The panicked prey would then jump out of the pond to be caught by the waiting orangutan. You won't find many primates fishing in the jungle, but it does happen. Chimpanzees and some monkeys fish with their hands, but to fish with tools shows a greater intelligence.

On most occasions orangutans were seen fishing alone, but every so often they would fish in pairs and look as if they were teaching others how to get their own healthy treats. This impressive feat can tell us more about our origins as humans. Humans and orangutans are known as 'hominids' because we belong to the same biological family known as Hominoidea. This means that we are very closely related in terms of evolution and ancestry. In fact, we share 97% of our genes with orangutans.

Clever orangutans who discovered that they could grab fish along the shore of rivers and ponds started to use sticks to help them further, making the move from catching fish by chance, to setting out to catch them deliberately. The effort that the red apes put into fishing highlights the importance of marine food in a healthy diet, for orangutans and also for humans.

Fish contain nutrition which aids brain growth, and strong evidence of fish eating in our biological family dates back 2 million years. However seeing the orangutans learn how to fish and teach fishing within their community suggests to researchers that meat-eating has been going on a lot longer than suspected and probably originated from before what is known as the Homo genus - that is the family from which we homo sapiens, or humans, evolved.

Breeding

Orangutans may breed at any time of year as food is plentiful all year round. They do not pair for life and, as mentioned previously, a dominant male usually mates with several females. Gestation lasts for 8.5 months and the baby weighs about 1.5 kg at birth. It is totally dependent on its mother, suckling from her and travelling round by clinging to her body. When a little older, it wanders about on its own, sometimes walking along the branch behind its mother clinging to the hairs on her rump.

The youngster is weaned at around 2-3 years. A youngster may become semi-independent when about three years old but usually continues travelling with its mother until she gives birth again.

Since females do not mate until their last offspring is about six years old, they may only manage to raise two or three babies in a lifetime.

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'Orang' and 'utan' are the Malay words meaning 'person' and 'forest'; the orangutan is literally a 'person of the forest'. Order: Primates Family: Hominidae Species: Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii), Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) IUCN Status: Critically Endangered Population Trend: decreasing Orangutan: Bornean - Pongo pygmaeus Sumatran - Pongo abelii Distribution: restricted to the islands of Borneo, Malaysia and Sumatra, Indonesia.

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Lesson One: The text is also available as a video with narration, and it is a picture book.

Lesson Two: Visual aids and a practical demonstration.

Lesson Three: Using drama makes the task more accessible for children with lower writing attainment.

Lesson Four: The nature of the action plan is chosen by the group, so can be based on the children's interests/capabilities.

Lesson Five: Students are given a choice in how they express themselves creatively, e.g. it can be drawn or written.

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Monitoring childrens' levels of climate anxiety and concern, maybe having a reflection circle if emotions are high.

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Use this handy Describe the Orangutan Writing Activity as a frame for children to write their own sentences about orangutans! A great template with a useful box of keywords that children will need to read and then decide which best describe the orangutan before then recording their own sentences below.