Parkdale Primary School
‘The future I Imagine’ Wokshops – Climate Ambassadors ran two workshops with year 5 pupils at Parkdale Primary School, supporting them to create artwork that portrayed the kind of future they wished to see in their school.
Through using values and our creativity, we explored some of the ideas of a more climate-friendly future and brainstormed the example of attracting more birds to the school grounds as a class. Pupils were then given time to brainstorm their own ideas with each other, with little guidance from Matilda Crane, Climate Ambassadors East Midlands Regional Hub Manager. In the second half of the workshop, the pupils were invited to paint/draw their ideas, creating artwork that showed what they imagine their school to become in the future. Examples included building and installing bird boxes around the school grounds, re-opening the existing pond to welcome wildlife and create a reflective space, building an outdoor science classroom and changing the car parks to electric charge points only (and many more!).
A great opportunity for the pupils to learn about the connections we can all make with nature…and, especially for Y5 pupils, a chance to showcase their creativity!
Fiona Carter (Year 5 Teacher)
The next step is to meet with the sustainability lead again and review the artwork. We will then choose some of the ideas to write as actions in the school’s climate action plan and discuss ways in which the pupils can lead on these activities.
We used this work to identify the common themes and visions shared by the students. These are:
- Birds – increasing their number b creating bird boxes, feeders, wild spaces, bird watching facilities (links with biodiversity and climate education)
- Pond – bringing the pond back to life (biodiversity)
- Wild spaces and trees – more! Links to No Mow May (biodiversity and adaptation)
- Outdoor science classroom – space for learning (climate education)
- Electric car parking space (decarbonisation)
- Composting and grow your own – could be linked to catering processes (decarbonisation)
- Uniform swap shop (decarbonisation)
“I designed and ran these workshops because I believe this to be an excellent way to get young people involved at the earliest stage of action planning and allowing them to be creative and curious about the possibilities is a vital skill for sustainability.”
