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A child-friendly exploration of weather predictions and climate science, perfect for understanding how weather might change in the future. Uses simple language and engaging illustrations to explain weather patterns.

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An interactive online article about climate predictions and how they may affect different cities around the world. Includes vocabulary about weather and climate change.

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We've all heard of it, but what is climate change and what is it doing to our planet?

So, what is climate change?

Climate change (or global warming), is the process of our planet heating up.

Scientists estimate that since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has caused the Earth to warm by approximately 1°C. While that might not sound like much, it means big things for people and wildlife around the globe.

Unfortunately, rising temperatures don't just mean that we'll get nicer weather - if only! The changing climate will actually make our weather more extreme and unpredictable.

As temperatures rise, some areas will get wetter and lots of animals (and humans!) could find they're not able to adapt to their changing climate.

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What causes climate change?

1. Burning fossil fuels

Over the past 150 years, industrialised countries have been burning large amounts of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. The gases released into the atmosphere during this process act like an invisible 'blanket', trapping heat from the sun and warming the Earth. This is known as the " Greenhouse Effect ".

2. Farming

Believe it or not, cows' eating habits contribute towards climate change. Just like us, when cows eat, methane - a type of greenhouse gas - builds up in their digestive system and is released in the form of... a burp! This might sound funny, but when you imagine that there are almost 1.5 billion cows releasing all that gas into the atmosphere, it sure adds up!

3. Deforestation

Forests absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide - another greenhouse gas - from the air, and release oxygen back into it. The Amazon rainforest is so large and efficient at doing this that it acts like our planet's air conditioner - limiting climate change. Sadly, many rainforests are being cut down to make wood, palm oil and to clear the way for farmland, roads, oil mines, and dams.

How will climate change affect the planet?

The Earth has had many tropical climates and ice ages over the billions of years that it's been in existence, so why is now so different? Well, this is because for the last 150 years human activity has meant we're releasing a huge amount of harmful gases into the Earth's atmosphere, and records show that the global temperatures are rising more rapidly since this time.

A warmer climate could affect our planet in a number of ways:
- Shrinking sea ice
How will climate change affect wildlife?

Climate change is already affecting wildlife all over the world, but certain species are suffering more than others. Polar animals - whose icy natural habitat is melting in the warmer temperatures - are particularly at risk. In fact, experts believe that the Arctic sea ice is melting at a shocking rate - 9% per decade! Polar bears need sea ice to be able to hunt, raise their young and as places to rest after long periods of swimming. Certain seal species, like ringed seals make caves in the snow and ice to raise their pups, feed and mate.

It's not just polar animals who are in trouble. Apes like orangutans, which live in the rainforests of Indonesia, are under threat as their habitat is cut down, and more droughts cause more bushfires.

Sea turtles rely on nesting beaches to lay their eggs, many of which are threatened by rising sea levels. Did you know that the temperature of nests determines whether the eggs are male or female? Unfortunately, with temperatures on the rise, this could mean that many more females are born than males, threatening future turtle populations.

How will people be affected by climate change?

Climate change won't just affect animals, it's already having an impact on people, too. Most affected are some of the people who grow the food we eat every day. Farming communities, especially in developing countries, are facing higher temperatures, increased rain, floods and droughts.

We Brits love a good cuppa, (around 165 million cups of the stuff every day!), but we probably take for granted just how much work goes into growing our tea. Environmental conditions can affect the flavour and quality plus it needs a very specific rainfall to grow. In Kenya, climate change is making rainfall patterns less and less predictable. Often there will be droughts followed by huge amounts rain, which makes it very difficult to grow tea.

Farmers might then resort to using cheap chemicals to improve their crop to earn more money, even when long-term use of these chemicals can destroy their soil.

How are people coping with climate change?

Buying Fairtrade products can help make sure a farmer is paid a fair wage. This means they can cover their costs, earn enough money to have a decent standard of living, and invest in their farms to keep their crop healthy, without needing to resort to cheap methods of farming which can further damage the environment.

This support also helps farmers to replace eucalyptus trees - which take up a lot of water - with indigenous trees that are better for the farmers' soil. They can learn to make fuel-efficient stoves which will not only make them a little extra money, but also reduce the carbon footprint of the community - cool!

How can I help prevent climate change?

Small changes in your own home can make a difference, too. Try switching to energy-saving lightbulbs, walking instead of using the car, turning off electrical items when you're not using them, recycling and reducing your food waste.

All these little things can make a difference. You can check out more eco-friendly ideas, in our kids' guide to saving the planet! Plus, check out our cool article about Greta Thunberg, too, to discover how young people are making their voices heard.

You can download information about Fairtrade and climate change for your school, here! www.fairtrade.org.uk/schools.

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What is climate change: facts for kids | National Geographic Kids

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We've all heard of it, but what is climate change and what is it doing to our planet? Climate change (or global warming), is the process of our planet heating up. Scientists estimate that since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has caused the Earth to warm by approximately 1°C.

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An engaging reader about how robots and AI might change our future. Perfect for intermediate readers to learn about technology predictions using modal verbs.

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Interactive online activities about future technology predictions, helping students use modal verbs while learning about technological advancement.

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A Kids Place is Exploring Space! Learn all about astronomy, technology, the scientific method and earth science, presented in an entertaining and engaging way that will inspire life-long interest in the solar system and our place in it.

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Online articles and activities about future technology predictions, incorporating modal verbs in descriptions of possible future scenarios.

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ROBOTS, flying cars, space sports and a volatile* environment - these are just some of the predictions science and technology experts and dedicated futurists* are imagining for Earth by the middle of this century.

While 2050 is still 33 years away, at the current rate of technological development things are going to look very different when we get there.
COMPUTER BOSS
The biggest innovations* expected to change our way of life are artificial intelligence* and machine learning, said renowned futurist Chris Riddell.

The ultimate goal (or ultimate concern, depending who you ask) is to build self-improving artificial intelligence into computers, meaning they learn to act like humans but can learn more and faster because of their artificial 'brain'.

Already, machines are proving more capable and reliable than humans in a number tasks such as diagnosing disease.

"You won't have just humans at the top of business by the year 2050," Mr Riddell said.

Company bosses will likely work alongside a computing system.
CARS AND DRONES
Cars are set for a makeover in years to come with flying cars, drones and driverless technology.

"We've already seen how driverless technology is picking up rapidly," Mr Riddell said.

Well before 2050 he predicts Australian roads will be filled with self-driving cars and people wanting to drive their own vehicle will be required to pay an extra fee for the pleasure.

Shortly after that, he predicted we'll take to the sky.

"Personal drones will absolutely be a thing by the year 2050," Mr Riddell said.

The city of Dubai has made plans to use drone taxis to ferry people over the city.

And eventually cars and drones will merge.

"What you'll see eventually is the converging* of the two ... you won't be able to separate cars and drones," Mr Riddell said.
ONLINE AND OFFLINE BECOME ONE
Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of an image or environment that responds, and in the future it will feel even more real.

"What we're heading to already, very rapidly, is an era where we're augmenting* our experiences from digital - from the screen - to our offline real world. And those two are going together rapidly," futurist Mr Riddell said.

"Soon, we won't be able to tell the difference between virtual and true experiences."

One of the major new jobs of the future will be "experience architects" who are able to create tailor-made worlds for us to play in, he said.

"You'll be able to sit and immerse yourself in a 360 degree football stadium to watch your favourite football match. And you'll actually be able to feel that experience happening around you."
ENVIRONMENT AT RISK
By 2050 Australia's population could reach 40 million people, adding stress to the coastal cities and environment.

Retired professor of science at Griffith University Ian Lowe warned Australia needed to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy or we can expect more extreme weather events.

He said he was concerned population growth and an increase in consumption could have adverse effects on Australia's natural environment.

"We're losing biodiversity* at an alarming rate and we simply don't know what the long term effect of that will be," he said.

Despite growing concern about climate change, Prof Lowe said the future could still be changed with good government policy.

"There is no one preordained* future but a wide range of possible futures and which one happens will be the product of our decisions and actions," he said.
GLOSSARY
volatile: frequently and quickly changing

futurists: A person who studies the future and makes predictions on what will happen

innovations: technical

artificial intelligence: computer systems able to perform tasks normally done requiring human intelligence

array: mix

converging: blending

augmenting: changing

biodiversity: the variety of plant and animal life in the world

preordained: decide or determine an outcome beforehand
LISTEN TO TODAY'S STORY CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES Activity 1. The world is changing - FAST!
Read or listen to the article carefully then complete these activities.

Make a list of things this article states are likely to become a reality in the future.

Write them into a table and list some advantages and disadvantages to each of these predictions.

Who is predicting these changes?

Why do you think they were quoted?

Why do you think "machines are proving more capable and reliable than humans in a number of tasks' means?

What are there limitations?
Extension:
Which of these future technologies would you be most excited to see eventuate?

Write a paragraph or two explaining why you think the technology is a good move forward and how you and other people will benefit from it.
Time: allow 40 minutes to complete this activity Curriculum links: English, Design and Technology Activity 2. No more drivers?
If driverless and drone technology continues to improve as predicted it will have a big impact on many employment options.

What jobs currently use drivers that could possibly be replaced by driverless vehicles or drones?

Make a list of jobs that may no longer exist and jobs that could be changed with this technology.
Extension: Rules for the air.
We have very clear and detailed road rules to keep all road users safe.

Think of some rules for the air that might need to be considered to ensure the safety of drones and drone users.
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity Curriculum links: English, Design and Technology VCOP ACTIVITY(Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers and Punctuation)Visualise and describe
Visualise a robot or flying car from the future.

Brainstorm adjectives and adverbs to describe each of these objects.

Can you include some alliteration too?
Extension:
Draw either the robot or flying car.

Label it using some of your descriptions.
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity Curriculum Links: English, Big Write and VCOP
Activity provided by Andrell Education www.andrelleducation.com.au
EXTRA RESOURCES HELMETS OF THE FUTURE ALREADY HERE A STITCH IN TIME SAVES PLASTIC FOR TRADERS THIRTY YEARS SINCE FIRST MOBILE CALL FUTURISTIC COP CAR UNVEILED NEW MELBOURNE AIRPORT PLANS TAKE OFF IN A SENTENCE, SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TODAY'S STORY Kids News loves reading your best grammar, vocabulary and spelling. We publish the best comments.

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Reading materials about different career paths and how to talk about future job possibilities using modal verbs.

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Great teachers need great content. Teach your best class every day with exceptional English lessons, flashcards, and resources from Ellii.

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Reading passages about setting goals and making predictions about personal achievements, with focus on modal verbs usage.

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This is a great place for children to start or continue their English language journey. We have games and interactive activities for children and lots of advice and tips for parents.

Children
You can get started on our games and activities now - you don't need to log in and everything is completely free.

Parents
If you're looking for help and advice on supporting your children to learn English, go to our Information for parents section. Everything is completely free and created by our experts.

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how do i encourage my child to learn english

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This is a great place for children to start or continue their English language journey. We have games and interactive activities for children and lots of advice and tips for parents. Children You can get started on our games and activities now - you don't need to log in and everything is completely free.

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Creative writing prompts and reading exercises helping students express their future predictions using modal verbs might, may, and could.

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The Futures thinking toolkit provides a structured framework for developing students' futures thinking skills.

The toolkit supports students to develop scenarios that take into account the following:

Existing situation - what happens now and why?

Trends - how does the existing situation differ from the past and why? Are the changes desirable? Who benefits? Who loses?

Drivers - what is causing the changes and why? Drivers can include demographic changes, globalisation, environmental damage, developments in science and technology, increasing poverty, religious revival, priorities in national and international governance and changes in community perceptions, beliefs, values and attitudes.

Possible futures - what might happen in the future?

Probable futures - what is most likely to happen in the future? Which trends and drivers are likely to persist? What might change them?

Wild cards - what unlikely events might occur that would have a big impact on the future?

Preferable futures - what do you want to happen in the future and why?

To find out more about developing students' futures thinking, see Teaching Futures Thinking.

Using the Futures thinking toolkit

The futures thinking toolkit is designed to be adapted to suit the topic or issue that your students are exploring. For example, you can use the toolkit to help students develop scenarios related to future foods, future fuels or future medical care - or you can customise the prompts to suit a different topic or issue.

Students in the early stages of thinking about the future may tend to focus on the future as it affects them - that is, personally and locally. As their thinking becomes more advanced, this may extend to national and global trends and drivers.

Explore with your students how advances in technology and science have changed how we live now compared with how our grandparents and great grandparents lived - positive and negative.

Use the futures thinking image to prompt and shift thinking from a 'more of the same - normalised future' to a 'futuristic thinking - using your imagination' way of thinking. Use the following as discussion starters. What might the images represent? What images would you prefer to see as a projection of the future? What is missing or not represented?

How will changes in technology impact our lives in the future and the lives of future generations?

What role/s do we as citizens have in the future? Will we be part of the production of new innovations?

Will we be the drivers or the users of new innovations - or both? What values may guide us in how new innovations and technology are funded, created and used?

1. Watch trailers of movies with a futuristic theme and discuss elements as they are portrayed in the movie (optional).

2. Download the toolkit in word and modify the question prompts as appropriate. You can also remove some of the columns. The worksheet is designed to be printable on A3 sheets of paper.

Note: Before students proceed with this activity, we recommend that you explore the issue and the purpose of futures thinking to establish a foundation for informed decision making. It's also important to establish a classroom environment that supports students in sharing their perspectives and listening to others with respect so students feel supported and able to openly evaluate ideas, weigh up evidence, detect bias and justify their decisions.

For more ideas, see Teaching futures thinking.

Related content

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The Futures thinking toolkit provides a structured framework for developing students' futures thinking skills.

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In the future, scientists might successfully bring the woolly mammoth back to life using advanced genetic technology. By combining DNA from preserved mammoth remains with that of modern elephants, they may be able to recreate this extinct species.

If this happens, mammoths could be reintroduced into the wild to help restore ecosystems affected by climate change. However, there might be ethical concerns about bringing back extinct animals and their impact on nature. This breakthrough could change the way we see extinction and conservation in the future.