Sustainable development

Lesson Plan 2

The 2012 Games

Learning Objectives

Pupils should be able to:

describe ways in which we can improve our local environment.
understand how their actions can help improve the environment, and the lives of people who live in other parts of the world.
understand the value of developing standards when planning and organising an event

Cross-curricular links

Resources

Access to ICT facilities. Tasks 1 and 2 can be performed using an interactive whiteboard with a small class group. Ideally use an interactive whiteboard with pupils working in groups using their own ICT facilities.

Space for groups to work together to design their own International Standard symbol and outline their personal standards to encourage organizations to be more sustainable in their daily practices.

Starter

The starter should introduce the importance of considering how large scale events such the Games involve lots of people working together in teams that need to communicate and work well together to make the event successful.

If pupils have completed the lesson plan on organising a sustainable event, there is the scope to recap what has been previously discussed about personal responsibilities about planning local and family events and how this relates to planning an event on a larger scale – for example the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to be held in London in 2012.

Teaching sequence

Activity 1

Pupils to look up the London 2012 website’s green games section and research the ways that the Games will be managed sustainably.

Using Activity Sheet 1, pupils record examples of how the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be managed sustainably.

a) Local – How might this event impact upon the quality of people’s lives and the quality of the environment where the Games are being held in East London?

b) National – How might this event impact upon the quality of people’s lives and the quality of the natural environment on a national level?

c) International – How might this event impact upon the quality of people’s lives and the quality of the natural environment on an international level?

Activity 2

Pupils are split into three groups and using Activity sheet 2 each group investigates the planned sustainable schemes and how they will be sustainable at different geographical scales. (One group considers the way it would impact on the local community/environment; another group considers the national impact, another group the international impact.)

Activity 3

Explain to pupils what Standards are and why we have them. The whole class mind-maps why it is a good idea to have Standards for managing sustainable events (e.g. food packaging transport and air pollution, rubbish and recycling).

Explain to pupils that the Kitemark is a universally recognised symbol that’s awarded to show that a product has been successfully tested against a certain Standard or Standards. Using Activity sheet 3a, encourage them to design and name their own international symbol for businesses and organizations to be awarded should they work and manage their daily activities and decisions with sustainable practices at the heart of what they do. Pupils should consider the importance of introducing the concept of the new Standard to other countries before it is written and agreed. They should also think about what organizations would have to do in order to get the pupils’ symbol? How could you start encouraging other organizations in other countries to apply such standards? Why might this be a difficult task?

Once groups have decided on their symbol, they should use Activity sheet 3b to design a poster highlighting the importance of environmental sustainable management at the 2012 Games and what is being done/why it is important, e.g. keeping air pollution at a low level by offering free public transport to all venues or direct trains to Stratford from Europe to reduce air travel.

Again, depending on pupils’ ability, they may either work in groups or individually for these activities.

Plenary

Pupils present their posters to the class, explaining how they promote sustainable development for the Games. Discuss why they have chosen to promote certain elements.