Download KS2/3 - Link Ethiopia

Drought and El Niño as an environmental and humanitarian phenomenon
Download all our resources at
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources
This lesson plan has been designed especially for the following curriculum areas: climate change, weather & climate, climate zones, global and citizenship
education, sustainability and the environment. It is primarily for Key Stage 2 but it can be also modified to younger and older pupils. This lesson plan focuses
on discussing and learning about the current & historical El Niño phenomenon, and on drought as an environmental and humanitarian phenomenon in the Ethiopian
context. The issue is handled in the broader context linked to climate change. El Niño is taken as a current example of environmental phenomenon related to
climate change and affecting to drought.
Ethiopia is currently (November 2015) facing a severe drought resulting from the failure of the rainy season. The periodical El Niño weather phenomenon is
extraordinary heavy this year, exacerbating the drought. Climate change is seen to be one reason for these extreme environmental changes. According to UNICEF,
(November 2015) the El Niño phenomenon “which is expected to continue into the first quarter of 2016, is already causing millions of people to go hungry, and
leaving children malnourished and at risk of deadly diseases in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific”. Save the Children (2015) warns that around 5 million
children in Ethiopia will be threatened by malnutrition. Malnutrition causes both short term and long term affects in children and adults. It can cause also
permanent physical and mental damage, and eventually death.
“In Eastern and Southern Africa alone, as many as 11 million children are at risk from hunger, disease and lack of water as a result of El Niño. El Niños – caused by
Pacific Ocean warming – occur every two to seven years. Scientists believe they have been around for millennia, but that the droughts and floods they trigger may
be becoming more intense as a result of climate change. Forecasters say this year’s event could become even more powerful than the 1997-98 El Niño – the
strongest on record – which was blamed for an estimated 23,000 deaths and $35-45 billion in damages.” (UNICEF 2015)
We encourage teachers to integrate exploring weather & climate, the environment, climate zones and climate change by looking at them in the Ethiopian context.
Through this Ethiopian lens, teachers can highlight the intertwined nature of environmental and global issues. Instead of just talking about the drought as a ‘bad
thing that's happening over there in Ethiopia’ it is important to show linkages between different phenomena and also give concrete examples of what kind of things
can be done to combat climate change.
“Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in 30 years, leaving 8.2 million people food insecure and an estimated 350,000 children in need of treatment for severe
acute malnutrition. To make matters worse, the weather phenomenon may also bring flooding to some areas of the country in the coming months. Unless
measures are taken now, some 15 million Ethiopians will need food assistance by early 2016, according to the Ethiopian Humanitarian Country Team.” (UNICEF
2015)
Drought and El Niño as an environmental and humanitarian phenomenon
Download all our resources at
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources
Literature and further information:
-
Save the Children website note October 2015: “More Than 4.6 Million Children in Ethiopia Facing Hunger from Unprecedented El Niño Drought”
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=9241341&ct=14767849&notoc=1
UNICEF Briefing Note November 2015: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Media/112015%20El%20Nino%20Briefing%20Note.pdf
BBC News report on El Nino & East Africa: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34779447
BBC News report on the drought in Ethiopia: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-34783604
Basic Information Sheet about El Niño (and La Niña):
El Niño is a weather phenomenon occurring on average every two to seven years, but the frequency can also be quite irregular. The phenomenon refers to an
ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the Equatorial Pacific. It can be recognized in measurements
of the sea surface temperature and naturally in the dramatic implications that follow these sea surface temperature changes – including both floods and droughts in
different parts of the world.
There is also an opposite kind of weather phenomenon which named La Niña. El Niño and La Niña are thus opposite phases of a weather phenomenon what is
known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle – the fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific.
El Niño occurs more frequently than La Niña. El Niño and La Niña last nine to 12 months, but some events related to them may last years. (National Ocean Service
2015) El Niño has important consequences for weather around the world, for example increased rainfall in some parts of the world and drought in other parts of the
world (West Pacific).
Literature & basic information about El Nino:
- National Ocean Service (2015): http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html
- http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/618001/Met-Office-El-Nino-Storm-Winter-Britain-Freezing-Temperatures-Snowstorm-Pacific-Ocean
- http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/el-nino-story.html
Drought and El Niño as an environmental and humanitarian phenomenon
Download all our resources at
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources
Lesson plan 1:
Objectives &
learning
outcome
To develop basic
knowledge of and
the ability to
articulate what
drought and El
Niño are and mean
for countries like
Ethiopia.
To get a basic
understanding of
the intertwined
nature of
environmental and
global issues.
Whole Class Activity
Subjects: Geography
Themes: Climate change, weather & climate, climate zones, global and
citizenship education, sustainability and the environment
The basic knowledge of the country (Ethiopia) as well as basics about climate change are assumed to have been covered already with pupils (see
www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources for resources on this if not). Now it is time to recall and learn new things about drought and the current (2015-16)
situation. Teachers show pictures of Ethiopia showing the beauty of the country, diversity in environment as well as the very dry nature and images of
drought. At the same time the teacher talks about current situation caused by a failure of the rains.
Some questions to consider with pupils:
- What does Ethiopia look like?
- What sort of climate does it have?
- What kind of seasons are there in Ethiopia? When are the rainy and dry seasons?
- What kind of food do people eat and where do they get this food?
- What happens to food supplies if there is not enough rain? What happens if there is no rain at all?
- How does drought affect people in Ethiopia so painfully? (Discuss the limits of subsistence farming and the cost of buying food).
- How is the Ethiopian government responding to the crisis? Are they doing enough? How should the international community support these efforts?
Group or Whole Class Activity
Resources:
Working in groups of 2-4 pupils. Pupils get and recall basic information about
climate change and El Niño by reading the UNICEF report (Briefing Note
2015) and/or newspaper articles and searching information from the
internet/geography book in groups. After the group work questions are
handled together:
- Why is the situation now so serious in Ethiopia?
- What is the main problem dealt with?
- What does El Nino mean? Describe with your own words.
- How is El Nino connected to Ethiopia? How is it connected to climate
change?
- What kind of problems do people face in affected areas? (e.g.
malnutrition, disease, flooding).
- With older pupils, consider discussing how subsistence farming leaves
people vulnerable to malnutrition even if there are food stocks available
in the country
- With younger pupils teachers could consider asking simpler questions
related to the water cycle, the distribution of natural resources etc.
Pictures of Ethiopia:
- http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/an-ethiopian-market/
- linkethiopia.smugmug.com
- http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/images-of-a-country/
Some newspapers or access to some website addresses:
- UNICEF Brief Note November 2015:
http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Media/112015%20El%20Nino%
20Briefing%20Note.pdf
- BBC news report on El Nino & East
Africa: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34779447
- BBC news report on the drought in
Ethiopia: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-34783604
- Some news articles & basic information about El Nino:
- http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html
- http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/618001/Met-Office-El-NinoStorm-Winter-Britain-Freezing-Temperatures-Snowstorm-Pacific-Ocean
Drought and El Niño as an environmental and humanitarian phenomenon
Download all our resources at
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources
Lesson plan 2-3:
Objectives & learning
outcome
Group Activity (1st lesson)
Subjects: Geography, RE, Citizenship Education
Mind map of climate change
To learn / build upon the
basic knowledge of climate
change.
To develop positive ideas
about how to combat
climate change.
Pupils read the LE material “Focus on Climate Change” fact sheet and
other basic material about the theme. Pupils are then encouraged and
guided to draw and color a mind map poster showing climate changerelated issues and their connections. Every mind map should include at
least following things and their relations:
-
CO2, carbon dioxide
greenhouse gases
greenhouse effect
global warming
drought
Ethiopia
UK
USA (e.g. California drought)
Pupils present their group work highlighting the important relations they
have drawn to their mind maps.
Group Activity brainstorming (2nd lesson)
This lesson plan is suitable for both pupils who have studied climate
change and the greenhouse effect and for those who have not.
Other lesson plan templates related to climate change can be found:
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/climate-change-game/
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/climate-change/
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/greenhouse-effect/
http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/carbon-emissions/
Resources:
Pencils, crayons, poster papers, the internet, scissors
Pupils are encouraged to brainstorm ideas to combat climate change in
their own lives, and at home with their families. Ideas are collected to a
poster – either hand-drawn or utilising images collected from the internet.
-
Reducing energy usage
Walk or take public transport instead of driving
Install solar panels and/or wind turbines at home
Taking fewer long or short haul holidays overseas
Whole Class activity (2nd lesson)
The posters are put in to a wall and brainstorming results are presented.
Focus on Climate Change – factsheet from LE teaching resources
website: http://www.linkethiopia.org/school-resources/climate-change/
Further reading and websites:
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/today/greenhouseeffect.html
http://www.livescience.com/37743-greenhouse-effect.html
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/faq-1-1.html