Click on the purple boxes to view curriculum information for each Pod activity.
Students research and evaluate topical stories in the local media about road building projects, then hold an informal debate.
Students consider the local and global impact of road building. They consider the influence of media on decision-making, and evaluate the media reporting of a local road building issue to form an argument.
Students research, discuss and campaign on a local transport issue, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students use ICT to design a survey of bugs in the school grounds. They also use ICT to collate, sort and help to interpret the data they collect.
Students design and conduct a survey of bugs in the school grounds. The data is collated in a spreadsheet or database, then analysed and interpreted.
Students actively participate in improving their school and the local community by promoting and protecting biodiversity.
Students design and conduct a survey of bugs in the school grounds. They consider habitat, how animals are suited to their environment, food chains and classification.
Students discuss what affects our climate year on year. They analyse data and discuss possible reasons for temperature changes.
Students analyse past temperature data sets. The data is represented on a chart and patterns in the data are discussed.
Students discuss the environmental impact of temperature changes and justify their reasoning to a wider group of students
Students discuss and research how the UK’s energy is generated. They write an article about the importance of getting the energy mix right. They could hold a formal debate about energy sources.
Students identify the possible consequences of energy generation to the environment and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact.
Students research and discuss energy sources, and write an article about sustainable energy generation for the school magazine or website.
Students research how the UK’s energy is generated. They debate the benefits and disadvantages of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
Students investigate and discuss issues relating to water supply and conservation. They compare the situation in the developing and developed world.
Students design and conduct a survey to calculate the volume of water flushed in the school's toilets, and the amount that could be saved using water saving devices.
Students research, discuss and campaign about conserving water, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students research the impact of ‘standby’ mode to the environment. They hold a formal debate to discuss and determine whether, and how, the issue should be addressed.
Choosing appropriate methodology, students use electrical usage data to calculate how much energy and money UK schools might save if they stopped using ‘standby’ mode.
Students research, discuss and campaign about conserving energy by turning off devices, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students design and produce communication materials, incorporating visual elements, which persuade people to stop buying bottled water.
Students consider issues of energy and waste with regard to bottled water. They assess the effectiveness of various communication types, and produce campaign materials which persuade people to stop buying bottled water.
Students research and consider the energy, water and resources used in the production of bottled water. They analyse the possible implications for the environment.
Students use ICT to create presentations which persuade people to stop buying bottled water. Formats could include a website, screensaver or assembly presentation.
Students research, discuss and campaign about conserving natural resources such as water and plastic, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students investigate and discuss waste created in their school and analyse the implications on the wider environment.
Students research, discuss and campaign about reducing waste, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students learn about waste created in the school environment and analyse waste reduction methods, communicating their analysis to the wider school.
Students identify the potential environmental consequences of using disposable batteries. They discuss how using rechargeable batteries could help to conserve natural resources.
Students research, discuss and campaign about the conservation of natural resources and use of rechargeable batteries, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students plan an energy-saving campaign in school. They assess and rate the effectiveness of various communication channels for this purpose. They may produce campaign materials.
Students estimate / audit how many light bulbs are in the school. Using base data and appropriate methodology, they calculate the energy and money UK schools could save if they didn’t leave lights on unnecessarily.
Students research, discuss and campaign about energy conservation through turning off lights, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students research and consider the benefit and cost of installing a wind turbine at school. They will educate the local community about the benefits and assist in researching / applying for funding.
Students research, discuss and campaign about the feasibility of using a wind turbine as a renewable energy source at school, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students identify how we use electricity in the school environment. They understand the implications of wasting it and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact.
Students design and conduct a school electricity survey. The data is collated in a spreadsheet or database, then analysed and interpreted.
Students monitor the consumption of electricity in their school and understand the environmental factors that affect consumption. Through discussion, they set energy conservation targets and monitor their progress.
Students research and assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of insulation methods. They prepare information to assist in making appropriate decisions about insulating the school.
Students estimate the potential energy and cost savings that could be made using various insulation methods. These can be represented as a percentage of the school’s current energy bill.
Students research, discuss and campaign about conserving energy through simple insulation methods, bringing about positive change in the school and wider community.
Students learn about the electricity consumption of the school in kWh, and the associated cost. They research the effectiveness of insulation methods and assess the feasibility and cost of installing their preferred solution.
Students draw a Sankey diagram of the energy transfers within the classroom. They identify ways in which insulation could improve energy efficiency.
Students conduct a land survey to assess the viability of installing a wind turbine. They use maps, cameras, compasses etc. They also consider potential objections and problems.