Accelerate Your Knowledge: Guided Exploration for Mastery
School scientists are using cutting-edge climate science to inspire primary school students to slash their school-run carbon dioxide emissions. The Drive it Down! project sets up atmospheric greenhouse gas sensors at school entrances to measure and track emissions patterns from drop-offs and pick-ups during term time and holidays.
At Meadowbank School, year 6 Enviro Leaders staged a 2-week schoolwide festival of active transport activities, including a scooter and bike decoration day, dressing casual for walking Wednesdays, and organizing walking groups on Fridays. This project was supported by Sustainable Schools (Auckland Council).
For most Kiwis, transport accounts for 90% of their personal, direct carbon dioxide emissions. Although it's hard to connect behavior changes with atmospheric changes, switching to low-carbon transport options just once a week can cut emissions by around 20%.
The scientists installed low-cost sensors at school entrances to help visualize atmospheric concentrations of CO2 during school drop-off hours. This data helped students identify areas for improvement and measure the impact of their initiatives.
The project led to a collection of resources to teach younger students about the carbon cycle, including interactive planning pathways, articles, and discussions. Armed with this knowledge, students are encouraged to create their own initiatives to reduce fossil fuel emissions. The resources also cover climate change concepts and science capabilities, like understanding the carbon cycle, recognizing human influence on Earth's climate, and interpreting graphs and written text.
The Drive it Down! project aims to show that every individual's behavior measurably impacts CO2 emissions. Overall, the project is aimed at students, teachers, and the wider public.
For more information and resources, visit the Science Learning Hub, including an interactive overview of the carbon cycle and climate change, articles, activities, and quizzes. The project also offers a carbon cycle teaching booklet, discussion cards, memory cards, and a Kahoot! quiz.
- The science behind climate change is being utilized in environmental education, inspiring primary school students to reduce their carbon emissions through initiatives like the Drive it Down! project.
- As part of their personal growth and development, students are learning about the carbon cycle, human influence on Earth's climate, and interpreting data in the environmental-science context, all while working on reducing fossil fuel emissions.
- Through education and self-development, the Drive it Down! project emphasizes that every individual's behavior can have a measurable impact on CO2 emissions, fosterulating a sense of responsibility towards the environment.
