Digital Literacy and Environmental Impact:

• Link between digital technology use and carbon emissions.

• Awareness of how personal digital habits contribute to environmental change.

Critical Thinking and Systems Thinking:

• Interconnectedness of nature and technology.

• Impacts of human behavior on ecological balance.

Skills:

Observation and Identification:

• Identifying local flora during outdoor investigations.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Roleplay to demonstrate ecological relationships.

• Group discussions and poster creation.

Problem Solving and Planning:

• Designing personal and class strategies to reduce screen time and digital carbon footprints.

Values:

Empathy and Interdependence:

• Understanding how living things rely on one another (e.g., trees and fungi).

• Respect for the needs of other species and future generations.

Mindfulness and Reflection:

• Reflecting on personal habits (screen time) and their broader consequences.

• Encouraging intentional, balanced lifestyle choices.

Subject: Computer Science

Focus Group: Year 7 (class of 30)

LO: For students to develop their understanding of climate change and the impact their online usage has on it and the environment

Overall idea: Students will discuss their online usage and learn about the impact this has on climate change. They will learn that every time they go online they use electricity, data centres etc.. which impacts the climate. Students will then go out in nature and learn about the wood wide web before learning of the impact climate change has on trees and the environment before finally understanding the need to reduce their online activity

Objective: Learn about tree communication, interdependence, and climate change effects on ecosystems.

Activities:

• School Field Investigation:

  • Identify different types of trees

  • Explain the “Wood Wide Web” — how fungi and tree roots communicate and share nutrients

  • Discuss how trees store carbon

  • Explain how this is similar to the world wide web

• Link Back: "Nature stores carbon. Digital activities emit it."

4. Climate Change and Nature (45 minutes)

Objective: Understand how climate change affects trees, animals, and ecosystems.

Activities:

• Matching Game or Sorting Activity: Match animals/plants to the ways climate change threatens them (e.g., habitat loss, heat stress, migration)

• Mini Case Studies:

  • Deforestation in the Amazon

  • Drought effects on UK woodland

• Mind Map Task: “How are nature and the internet connected?”

5. Action Planning: Reducing Digital Impact (45 minutes)

Objective: Students plan steps to reduce unnecessary online time and understand its benefits.

Activities:

• Class Pledge Wall: “I will reduce my screen time by…” or “I will swap screen time for…”

• ‘Green Swaps’ Brainstorm: Replace digital time with outdoor, social, or creative activities.

Group discussion - dialogic pedagogy

Experiential learning - going outdoors to explore

Collaborative practice - group discussion

Reflective practice - metacognitive pedagogy

• Worksheets or Google Form

• Short video on energy use of the internet (e.g., "How Streaming Affects the Planet")

• Clipboards, tree ID sheets

• String or yarn to visualize root connections

Knowledge:

·       Check out their digital time i.e., the students need to review how much time they spend online for example with the aid of a worksheet.

·       Carbon footprint i.e., the teacher needs to explain how much harmful gases are produced into the atmosphere by data centre located in various parts of the world

Skills

Digital Literacy

• Students need to know how their online activities impact their energy requirements.

• Students need to know which things they do online consume more energy e.g., gaming

Critical Thinking

Students need to self-assess, question their habits and how they balance the use of the internet and how they can reduce or stop

Environmental Awareness

The pupils need to understand on how the use of internet, data centre and car charging contribute to the carbon emissions.

The students need to learn about the concept of sustainability and how it can be good to the environment

Time Management: The students need to learn about time management and how they will be able to prioritize important online activities.

Ethical Reasoning: The students need to be aware on the impact of their online activities impact the environment and how they can take responsibility

Values

To have the global concept and perception on how carbon emission can impact our environment and what we can do to help and save our earth from destruction

Objective:

·       Students need to reflect on the time they spend online and its impact on the environment.

Activities:

·       Students learn about: Digital Time Audit and Carbon Footprint Introduction

• Turn and Talk Questions

  • What things we do mostly online?

  • Why do online digital services need energy?

  • Where does that energy come from?

2. The Internet & Climate Change (45 minutes)

Objective: Understand the environmental cost of digital activity.

Activities:

• Teacher does presentation on:

  • data centres and cloud storage

  • gaming, and carbon emission from the data centres

  • E-waste production and how we treat them

• Exit Ticket: “What surprised you on this topic? What changes can you make in your daily life activities?”

Key Concept: "Keep an eye and be mindful on every click you make."