Climate change anxiety
Extensive coverage in the media of events linked to climate change in Australia and overseas has resulted in many students feeling intense climate anxiety. They may feel worried, angry or frustrated, and may wonder what they can do to help. This lesson supports students to create practical strategies to reduce their climate anxiety.
Year level
7-12
Duration
5 minutes
Type
In class activity
SEL Competencies
Self-management
Self-awareness
Learning intention
Students investigate actions they can take to cope with climate anxiety.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
identify practical strategies for coping with climate anxiety.
Materials needed
Access to the ReachOut.com article ‘How to cope with anxiety about climate change'
Materials for developing a mind map (e.g. electronic device, paper/pens, whiteboard)
Mapped to
Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Analyse factors that influence emotional responses and devise strategies to self-manage emotions (AC9HP8P06)
Evaluate emotional responses in different situations to refine strategies for managing emotions (AC9HP10P06)
Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capability
Self-awareness
Self-management
Critical and Creative Thinking
Inquiring
NSW PDHPE Syllabus
Assesses their own and others’ capacity to reflect on and respond positively to challenges (PD5-1)
Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses (ACPPS094)
Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Investigate and select strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (VCHPEP126)
Activity 1
Instructions
5 minutes
Increasing natural disasters, and media coverage linking these events to climate change in Australia and overseas, may make students feel worried, angry and frustrated. Terms such as ‘ecoanxiety’ and ‘ecological grief’ are increasingly being used by researchers to describe the feelings students are experiencing.
Provide students with access to ReachOut.com’s article ‘How to cope with anxiety about climate change’.
Invite students to read the article and explore the suggestions provided.
Mind map with students (either on a shared digital space such as Google Docs or in hard-copy form – e.g. butcher’s paper, window, whiteboard) the key ideas of the article.
Ask students to write or draw how they will contribute to slowing climate change. Ideas include not using single-use plastics, implementing recycling at home, promoting a low-carbon footprint in their community, or joining advocacy organisations such as AYCC (Australian Youth Climate Coalition).
