Climate change is no longer a tale of polar bears and faraway glaciers. It is the heatwave scorching our summers, the flood water rising in our streets, the drying borewells in our villages and the poor quality of air we breathe. Yet for many young minds across India, this urgent crisis remains hidden in the margins of textbooks reduced to a chapter in science or a passing reference in social studies, easily forgotten after the exam. In a country ranked among the most climate vulnerable in the world, where over 85% of districts face extreme climate events like floods, droughts, and heatwaves, this is not just a missed opportunity. A recent survey finds that 94% of youth in India have faced impact due to climate change. Without deeper understanding, we risk raising a generation unprepared for the world they will inherit. It is a risk we cannot afford to take.
My journey over the past three years, researching and developing climate change curricula for school students found new meaning during a recent workshop. I had the honour of facilitating a workshop on “Building Climate-Resilient Schools” at the Erode District Collectorate Office, in collaboration with the World Resource Institute (WRI). Engaging with over 80 government school teachers and student representatives was both inspiring and enriching. It offered a window into their lived experiences and sparked meaningful conversations on how climate change education can be made truly engaging, relatable and rooted in action.
Teach climate change as a standalone subject
We need to treat climate education with the seriousness it deserves. It should be a subject in its own right. If full curriculum integration takes time, schools can begin by regularly including it through after-school programs, workshops, eco-clubs or dedicated class time.
To facilitate this, we at CAG have developed an exclusive climate change curriculum that includes interactive lessons, real-world examples and hands-on activities. The purpose of having a stand-alone curriculum is not just to inform, but to engage and inspire action, connecting classroom learning to everyday life. In doing so, we can empower students not just to understand the climate crisis but to become part of the solution at a young age.
Relate climate change to everyday experiences
Children grasp concepts better when they see its relevance in daily life. Instead of starting with complex scientific explanations, educators can tap into what students already observe. For example, students in Chennai can discuss how the city has been experiencing severe heat waves for the past few years. In Delhi, they may notice the worsening air pollution, leading to school closures. In rural areas, children can connect with how changing rainfall patterns affect farming. When students see these changes happening around them, climate change becomes a tangible issue rather than a distant theory.
Use games and interactive activities
Children learn best when they are engaged in activities. Gamification of climate education can make learning fun and impactful.
- Role-playing exercises: Assign students roles as farmers, policymakers, or environmentalists to debate real-life climate challenges.
- Board games and quizzes: A well-designed board game where players face climate challenges and make sustainable choices can make learning interactive. For example, games like Climate Bingo, an interactive game that encourages players to identify and learn about environmentally friendly actions that help mitigate global warming, are great for use in classroom environments..
These activities help students retain information and encourage them to think critically about solutions.
Bring climate science to life with hands-on experiments
When students see scientific principles in action, they understand them better.
- Greenhouse effect experiment: Place two glass jars under a lamp. Cover one with clear plastic wrap and leave the other open. After some time, the covered jar will feel warmer inside. This shows how greenhouse gases act like a “blanket,” trapping the heat from the sun.
- Composting activity: Show students how biodegradable waste turns into nutrient-rich compost, reinforcing the importance of waste segregation.
Practical demonstrations like these make abstract concepts more concrete.
Take learning beyond the classroom
Experiencing nature firsthand helps students connect with environmental issues on a deeper level.
- Nature walks and field trips: Visiting a local wetland or a degraded forest site can spark discussions on biodiversity loss and conservation.
- School gardens: Encourage students to grow native plants and learn about their role in absorbing carbon and supporting local ecosystems.
- Community clean-up drives: Organising cleanup activities in nearby areas gives students a sense of responsibility and immediate impact.
These experiences develop a stronger emotional and intellectual connection to climate action.
Use local and cultural contexts
Many climate education materials focus on global issues, which may seem distant to Indian students. Instead, lessons should incorporate local stories and real-world examples.
- Discussing regional climate impacts: For example, teach about the recent Kerala landslides, Bihar's severe heat waves or Assam’s annual floods.
- Folk wisdom and traditional practices: Introduce students to how indigenous communities like the Bishnoi, Apatani, Dongria Kondh, Irular, Toda and Jarawa have long practised conservation and climate resilience through traditional ecological knowledge.
- Local heroes: Highlight individuals and grassroots movements working on reforestation, environmental conservation and renewable energy in India.
Connecting lessons to their surroundings makes students feel personally invested in climate issues.
Empower students with actionable solutions
It’s crucial to shift from doom-and-gloom narratives to solutions-oriented learning. Students should feel that they can make a difference.
- Climate leadership programs: Assign students roles to lead sustainability initiatives in schools, such as reducing waste and saving water.
- School sustainability projects: Encourage and advocate for projects like solar panel installations, zero waste campus or rain harvesting systems.
- Personal action pledges: Have students commit to small, manageable changes like using less plastic, reducing food waste or conserving water at home.
Small, tangible actions can inspire long term behavioural change.
Involve families and communities
Climate education should not be limited to schools. It should extend into homes and communities.
- Home energy audits: Assign students to check their household’s electricity consumption and suggest ways to reduce it.
- Intergenerational learning: Encourage discussions with elders about how weather patterns have changed over decades and what sustainable practices were traditionally followed.
- Community awareness campaigns: Students can create posters or short videos to spread awareness about issues like plastic pollution or air quality.
When families participate, climate awareness becomes a shared responsibility.
Conclusion
To sow the seeds of climate resilience, the classroom is a great place to begin. Teaching climate change to young students requires an approach that is immersive, relatable and solution-driven. By making learning hands-on, locally relevant and action-oriented, we can nurture a generation that not only understands climate change but also feels empowered to address it. For in their hands lies the power to rewrite the story, not as one of crisis, but of courage, resilience and collective action.
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