Climate Change and Its Causes for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 6
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Social and Citizenship Studies
Curriculum Theme: Environment and Sustainability
Focal competence: Reducing waste, conserving water and reusing materials
Key competencies/values: ICT and Digital Competencies; Environmental Literacy

Skills:

• Planting of trees to mitigate the impact of climate change
• Engaging in recycling sorting activities to manage waste

Previous Lesson: A Secure Environment, Sources of Insecurity and Safety Measures
Topic: Climate Change And The Environment
Subject Matter: Meaning of climate/climate change, simple causes

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Explain climate at a simple level.
• Explain climate change at a simple level.
• Identify simple causes of climate change.

Affective Domain

• Show concern for the environment.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to pictures illustrating climate change causes.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Social and Citizenship Studies for Primary 1, Pupil’s Book
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Relevant pictures showing different weather conditions (sunny, rainy, cloudy)
• Pictures illustrating climate change (e.g., dry land, floods, smoke from factories, people cutting trees)
• Chart paper for class discussion

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces young pupils to the concept of climate and the basic idea of climate change, which is a major environmental issue. Understanding simple causes helps them recognise human actions that impact the environment. This foundational knowledge encourages early environmental awareness and responsible citizenship.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify different types of weather conditions like sunny, rainy, and cloudy days.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Climate Change And The Environment

Meaning of Climate

Climate is the usual weather of a place over a long time. For example, some places are usually hot, and some are usually cold.

Meaning of Climate Change

Climate change means that the usual weather of a place is changing. It means the weather is becoming different from what it used to be for a very long time.

Changes Pupils May Notice

Sometimes, we notice changes in our weather. These can be:

1. More hot days than before.
2. Too much rain, leading to floods.
3. Very dry conditions, where plants cannot grow well.

Simple Causes of Climate Change

Some things we do can cause the climate to change. These include:

1. Burning rubbish and waste, which puts bad smoke into the air.
2. Smoke coming out of cars and big factories.
3. Cutting down too many trees without planting new ones.

Effects of Climate Change

Climate change can affect people, plants, animals, and our surroundings:

1. Very hot weather can make people sick and dry up plants.
2. Too much rain can cause floods that destroy homes and farms.
3. Dry land makes it hard for plants to grow and animals to find food.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Observation, Picture Study

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging learners

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them about the weather they observed today (e.g., “Is it sunny or rainy?”). The teacher then asks what they know about the weather in their community generally.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions about the weather.

Learning Point: Weather observations

Step 2: Explaining Climate

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visuals

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what climate means using simple language and pictures of different climates (e.g., a desert for hot and dry, a forest for rainy). “Climate is the usual weather of a place for a long, long time.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and observe the pictures.

Learning Point: Meaning of climate

Step 3: Explaining Climate Change

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Simplification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the term “climate change” in a child-friendly way. “Sometimes, the usual weather changes. This is called climate change. It means the weather is becoming different.” The teacher shows pictures of unusual weather events like severe dryness or heavy floods.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and try to understand the concept of changing weather.

Learning Point: Meaning of climate change

Step 4: Discussing Noticeable Changes

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Relating to experience

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils if they have noticed any changes in the weather recently, like hotter days, more rain, or very dry land. The teacher guides them to connect these observations to the idea of climate change.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their observations and discuss familiar changes.

Learning Point: Familiar climate changes

Step 5: Identifying Simple Causes

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Picture analysis/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses pictures to explain simple causes of climate change (e.g., burning rubbish, smoke from cars/factories, cutting down trees). “These things make the air dirty and can change our climate.” (Activity 1)

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures and identify the activities that cause climate change.

Learning Point: Causes of climate change

Step 6: Discussing Effects

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Awareness

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly explains how climate change affects people, plants, and animals (e.g., too much heat, floods destroying homes, plants dying). The teacher uses simple examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand the basic effects of climate change.

Learning Point: Effects of climate change

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is climate?
2. What does climate change mean?
3. Mention one simple thing that causes climate change.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Climate change understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning of climate, climate change, and simple causes into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Copying lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them that climate change is real and caused by some of our actions. The teacher encourages them to think about how they can help protect the environment.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and reflect on the lesson.

Learning Point: Climate change summary

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Draw two pictures in your notebook:

1. One picture showing something that harms the environment (e.g., burning rubbish).
2. One picture showing something good for the environment (e.g., planting a tree).

Lesson Keywords

• Climate – The usual weather of a place for a long time.
• Climate Change – When the usual weather of a place changes.
• Environment – All the things around us, like air, water, land, plants, and animals.
• Flood – Too much water covering land that is usually dry.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide more visual aids and simplify explanations further. Allow them to point to pictures instead of verbalising answers. Use repetition and simple questions to reinforce understanding.

For faster learners: Encourage them to give more examples of activities that harm the environment or suggest simple ways to help. Ask them to think about how climate change might affect their favourite animal.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: climate change for kids primary 1

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather all necessary pictures and visual aids to illustrate weather, climate, and the causes and effects of climate change. Start by engaging pupils with familiar weather observations to build a bridge to the concept of climate. When introducing climate change, use simple, relatable examples that pupils might have observed in their own environment. Emphasise that climate change is about long-term shifts, not just a single bad weather day. Guide pupils through identifying causes using the prepared pictures, encouraging discussion. Ensure pupils copy the Board Summary notes on the meaning of climate, climate change, and simple causes into their notebooks during the note-taking step. Check for understanding frequently through questions and allow time for pupils to express their thoughts and ask questions. Support weaker learners by simplifying language and providing direct prompts, while challenging faster learners with more open-ended questions about solutions or broader impacts.