Encounter Edu links curriculum aligned education with global burning issues to inspire STEM careers and encourage environmental stewardship. Learn more about what we do at www.encounteredu.com or by visiting our TES Shop, filled with quality, free of charge resources. This scheme of work would suit ages 11-14 and 14-16 (KS3/4). Download all the Google Earth activities for exploring the Great Barrier Reef, looking at Classification, Food Webs, Mutualism and Symbiosis, and Threats. They are designed to be used with the Catlin Seaview Survey Google Earth layer. Visit the Encounter Edu website to gain access the Catlin Seaview Survey Google Earth Layer at: www.encounteredu.com

This Geography #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops student understanding of the concept of environmental change using Borneo as a case study. Students will visit Borneo using the Google Expeditions virtual field trip and learn about the factors driving environmental change including the role of palm oil production. Students will then propose solutions to the problems resulting from deforestation. Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/ To download Google Docs versions of the lesson plan and student sheet go to: https://goo.gl/Smu3UK

Plastics in oceans is a growing problem. This Key stage 3 (KS3) lesson introduces students to the topic of marine plastics. First, they visit the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ and find out what is happening in the middle of the ocean. Then, students will develop their knowledge of ocean currents and how they can concentrate plastic waste. Last, students will investigate how rubbish reaches the middle of the ocean. This is a single lesson from Ocean Plastic Geography unit. Ocean Plastics Geography is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. The lessons addresses the issue of marine plastic pollution, the harm caused by plastics to the environment and communities, how we deal with all the waste, ending with a debate on approaches to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Fieldwork templates for investigating plastics in the local area are included as well as a wealth of case studies exploring both the human and physical elements of plastic pollution. Get the whole unit’s resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics

This introductory lesson looks at the scientific processes and concepts of the carbon cycle. This will enable students to grow prior knowledge of food chains and feeding relationships to understanding the drivers of environmental change. The lesson starts with an introduction to what carbon is, followed by a scaffolded understanding of the carbon cycle, reinforced by a fun activity. The lesson will close by analysing how an imbalance in the carbon cycle is leading to increased carbon in the atmosphere, which is driving the climate crisis. An interactive carbon cycle diagram complements the lesson. Learning outcomes List where carbon can be found Describe four basic processes of the carbon cycle Demonstrate their understanding of carbon stores and movement between them Link increasing carbon levels in the atmosphere with climate change

This group activity is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the carbon cycle. It is aimed at upper primary classes, as it represents a simplified model of how carbon moves. Students will develop their understanding of how carbon moves between the atmosphere, plants, and animals, as well as how the burning of fossil fuels over the past 250 years has caused an imbalance in the carbon cycle.

Using the context of a voyage around the world’s ocean, students will learn about presentation skills including delivery and slide design. Students will deliver their presentation to the class, receiving feedback from their peers. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 12: Captain’s log Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Student Sheet 12a: Presentation storyboard Student Sheet 12b: Presentation peer assessment It forms Lesson 12 of 12 from the Our Ocean Planet resource, which is designed to support Key Stage 2 teachers to teach all aspects of the ocean. It can be used as a full topic with over 20 hours of classroom activities or using a pick and mix approach. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

This lesson introduces students to the water cycle. They will consider whether it rains more in the UK or the Arctic and then carry out a practical to link the ideas of temperature and evaporation. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 6: The Arctic Ocean and the water cycle with Prof Penny Holliday Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview: Evaporation rates practical Student Sheet 6a: Water cycle card sort Student Sheet 6b: Water cycle data activity Student Sheet 6c: Water cycle exam style questions Mark scheme: Water cycle exam style questions It forms Lesson 6 of 12 from the Our Ocean Planet resource, which is designed to support Key Stage 2 teachers to teach all aspects of the ocean. It can be used as a full topic with over 20 hours of classroom activities or using a pick and mix approach. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Ocean for beginners X-Curric 11-14 is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. This series of three lessons sets the scene for students who are about to commence Ocean Plastics 11-14. The lessons introduce students to the breadth and depth of the ocean and the wonder of the creatures that inhabit it. The unit goes on to explore some of the many ways we depend on the ocean and asks students to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment expressing their concerns about ocean health. The unit then reviews what is meant by ocean plastics pollution and encourages students to critically appraise information from different media sources. Students then go on investigate possible career opportunities within this field. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 3 unit - Ocean Plastics 11-14. https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-11-14

Our ocean in crisis KS4 is a resource for year 9, year 10, and year 11 students. In this lesson students will consider some of the myths in the media relating to ocean plastics by completing a true or false activity. They then analyse different news reports considering the motivations different organisations and media outlets may have. Students conduct research about an ‘Ocean hero’ and create a detailed career plan to emulate the achievements of their chosen hero. The lesson concludes with a class discussion about the changes they can implement in their lives which could make a difference to the levels of marine plastic pollution. This is one of three lessons in the Oceans for beginners X-Curric 14-16 unit. Ocean for beginners X-Curric 14-16 is a Key Stage 4 (KS4) resource. The lessons build on prior knowledge of oceans and the species and habitats it encompasses. Students explore ecosystem goods and services and answer GCSE style questions reflecting on how we use the oceans. The unit then reviews what is meant by ocean plastics pollution and encourages students to critically appraise information from different media sources. Students then go on to consider careers in this field by evaluating the work of an ‘Ocean hero’. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 4 unit - Ocean Plastics 14-16. Get the full unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-x-curric-14-16

Our wonderful ocean KS4 is a resource for year 9, year 10, and year 11 students. This is a This lesson will build on prior knowledge of marine environments. Students use globes and atlases to map the locations and key physical features of the oceans. Students will learn the names and notable characteristics of iconic species from different ocean habitats. They then use the information sheets to develop their knowledge and understanding of how humans use the ocean, presenting their findings in a fact-sheet. This is one of three lessons in the Oceans for beginners X-Curric 14-16 unit. Ocean for beginners X-Curric 14-16 is a Key Stage 4 (KS4) resource. The lessons build on prior knowledge of oceans and the species and habitats it encompasses. Students explore ecosystem goods and services and answer GCSE style questions reflecting on how we use the oceans. The unit then reviews what is meant by ocean plastics pollution and encourages students to critically appraise information from different media sources. Students then go on to consider careers in this field by evaluating the work of an ‘Ocean hero’. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 4 unit - Ocean Plastics 14-16. Get the full unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-x-curric-14-16

Our ocean and us KS4 is a resource for year 9, year 10, and year 11 students. In this lesson students learn about the concept of ecosystem goods and services, following this they will answer GCSE style exam questions which they will peer assess, reflecting on how dependent we are on the ocean. This is one of three lessons in the Oceans for beginners X-Curric 14-16 unit. Ocean for beginners X-Curric 14-16 is a Key Stage 4 (KS4) resource. The lessons build on prior knowledge of oceans and the species and habitats it encompasses. Students explore ecosystem goods and services and answer GCSE style questions reflecting on how we use the oceans. The unit then reviews what is meant by ocean plastics pollution and encourages students to critically appraise information from different media sources. Students then go on to consider careers in this field by evaluating the work of an ‘Ocean hero’. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 4 unit - Ocean Plastics 14-16. Get the full unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-x-curric-14-16

This is the third lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. This is a lesson for higher level students, developing knowledge of climate modelling and accessing information in an academic journal article on the impact of climate on renewable energy production. The HIWAVES research team wrote an academic paper investigating the impact of predicted climate on renewable energy production. This lesson looks at how the research team used climate models as part of their work and then focuses on the academic journal article written by the team and supports students to access information from this level of research output. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This is the fourth lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. This lesson focuses on developing students’ knowledge and understanding of different types of renewable and non-renewable energy. In this lesson students will learn about how different types of energy are generated and stored, focussing on examples of renewable and non-renewable sources. Students will also look at the energy production matrix of the UK, the Netherlands and the European Union, comparing and contrasting them. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This is the fifth lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. Learn more about renewable energy, including the limitations of renewable energy. Students will consider of renewable energy is enough to meet our current and future energy demands. Renewable energy is currently responsible for approximately 30% of energy production in the UK. This figure has steadily risen since 1990, but is the increase enough? Can we produce enough energy via renewable sources to meet energy needs? What are the issues faced when generating renewable energy? In this lesson students will evaluate the positives and negatives of renewable energy production. They will also consider how renewable energy is affected by the weather. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This is the second lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. This lesson focuses on using isobar maps and satellite images of NW Europe to predict and explain weather conditions. In this lesson students will use all their knowledge of weather systems, and use a variety of satellite maps of Northwestern Europe to predict the weather for the next day. Students will then go on to use satellite images to describe the weather of Northwestern Europe and explain what has caused this weather and what conditions would be expected as a result of what is shown on the satellite images. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This is the final lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. Students will present their ideas for a low carbon future. Students will assess their own and peers’ work and complete a review of the unit learning. In their small groups, students will be presenting their ideas for a low carbon future to the class. Each student group will evaluate the other presentations. Once the presentations are finished, students will reflect on the whole experience. They need to consider what they contributed, what they discovered, what sources of information they used, and what they might change. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This is the seventh lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. This summary lesson sees students work in groups to propose how a low carbon future could be achieved through carefully planned electricity production. This summary lesson sees students work in groups to propose how a low carbon future could be achieved through carefully planned electricity production. Working in small groups students will consider how electricity should be generated in the future as part of a low carbon strategy. Students will need to evaluate different strategies to ensure that their proposals are robust enough to cope with the risks identified in the research. This research will be presented in the next lesson. Students will need access to computers for research, planning and creating a presentation. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This is the sixth lesson in the eight lesson Global Climate and Renewable Energy unit for KS4 and GCSE. Students will consider and predict the electricity consumption of the UK. Specifically, students will have to evaluate whether renewable energy generation will be able to meet predicted demand. In this lesson students will be thinking about what our energy needs may be in the future, and how we will generate enough energy to meet those needs. Students will also study a diagram from an academic journal article to evaluate the reliability of renewable forms of energy. The unit provides a robust understanding of the latest findings promoting climate literacy, while being curriculum-aligned to GCSE exam body specifications, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to tackle challenges of the future. The unit and its associated activities and multimedia can also be accessed on the Encounter Edu website.

This lesson will look at how the goods and services of a coral reef are used globally and within Timor-Leste. With a study of the economic value of the coral reef and developing an understanding of how that economic value is calculated. This lesson will also develop an understanding of what is meant by different services provided by the coral reef. This lesson is from the Coral Oceans Geograpy 14-16 unit. You can access the unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/coral-oceans-geography-14-16 The unit delivers a comprehensive understanding of coral reefs. Through the use of our exclusive galleries, videos and online resources, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of what coral reefs are, why they are important and how to protect them. The unit includes challenging lessons on abiotic components such as the nutrient cycle and biotic factors such as food chains. To experience the full impact of this scheme of work it can be taught in advance of our annual Coral Live event. Live lessons can be booked for free here: https://encounteredu.com/live

This lesson will introduce students to abiotic and biotic factors of the coral reef ecosystem. In this lesson students will gain a detailed understanding of a variety of abiotic and biotic factors. By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe those factors and begin to identify ways actions of humans will affect the ecosystem. This lesson is from the Coral Oceans Geograpy 14-16 unit. You can access the unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/coral-oceans-geography-14-16 The unit delivers a comprehensive understanding of coral reefs. Through the use of our exclusive galleries, videos and online resources, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of what coral reefs are, why they are important and how to protect them. The unit includes challenging lessons on abiotic components such as the nutrient cycle and biotic factors such as food chains. To experience the full impact of this scheme of work it can be taught in advance of our annual Coral Live event. Live lessons can be booked for free here: https://encounteredu.com/live