Lesson 3: How can I start to be responsible?

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Students take the fIrst steps in making their school more eco

Learning objectives The students plan the concrete implementation of individual steps. Aspects such as realistic time management and the ability to compromise in the group, as well as general fLexibility should be the students’ goals.
Student tasks The students use the time given for implementation of the planned activities.
Resources Individual work depending on the action plan.
Methods Practical application.

Lesson description

The groups of students should make short presentations of their checklists. For the fIrst time in this lesson, the teacher should lead a conversation about the types of responsibility or power students really have:

  • What can we change?
  • What doesn’t have to be changed?
  • What kind of resistance will there be?

After this plenary discussion, certain decisions should be taken:

  • What fIrst steps do we want to take?
  • How much time do we want to invest?
  • Shall we form an “eco-group” for this?
  • Do we want to concentrate on one area (e.g. water, litter or electricity) or do we want to try to take general measures in all ecological areas?

It is important to choose tasks that the students can actually accomplish. This may mean that infor­mation needs to be collected or that an awareness campaign needs to be started throughout the school.

Under the leadership of a group of students (the “eco-group”) a short action plan should be designed and tasks should be divided up (on a flipchart or on a big sheet of paper on the blackboard).

Depending on the level of the class, the teacher should steer the process of decision making. It is important that the students remain realistic and that they do not plan or design something that cannot be achieved using the existing materials or resources. It is possible that additional financial resources will be necessary or that external organisations will need to be consulted. These decisions should be taken by the class.

Depending on the decision, small improvements should be agreed upon, for example, the regular switching off of lights, the separation of organic and non-organic waste in the school playground, etc.

These tasks should be fulf lled before the next lesson, either individually or in small groups. Experience has shown that documenting these processes with pictures, drawings, etc., can prove motivating for students.

Lesson 2: School is life: living ecology?
Lesson 4: How did we do – what’s the plan?
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