The tone of climate change

In this lesson, students explore the emotions that climate change evokes and examine the tones used in messaging around climate change.

1hr 15mins

Australia , New Zealand

Worksheet

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Overview

In this lesson, students explore the emotions that climate change evokes and examine the tones used in messaging around climate change. Students compare and contrast headlines and videos that use a range of tone. In doing so, students evaluate the effect that different tones have on the audience. Students then create their own messaging around climate change. Students use class data, through surveys, to find out which messaging was most effective.

We’ve taken elements of this lesson and adapted them for remote learning. You can find this activity here.

Learning intentions:

Students will...

  • understand how tone is created through author choices
  • understand that tone impacts on audiences in different ways

Success criteria:

Students can...

  • identify tone in written and multi-modal texts
  • identify examples of author’s choices that create or contribute to the tone
  • evaluate the varying effect of differing tones
  • create their own messaging with a variety of tones

Credits and acknowledgements:

Curriculum material and mapping has been developed and written by Cool.org.

Cool.org, GoodThing Productions and Regen Studios would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation, and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.

Watching the film

If your school or institution has a ClickView subscription, you can access 2040 on the ClickView platform.

If you do not have access to ClickView, you can purchase an educational licence to screen the film to your class and request a streaming link to share with your students. Please complete the Host a Screening form on our website and our team will be in touch to assist you.

The educational licence is for primary and secondary schools who wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host on-site screenings for the school community.

Curriculum mapping

To view our Australian Curriculum alignment, click here.

To view our NZ Curriculum alignment, click here.

What you'll need

  • Lesson materials
  • Student Worksheets – one copy per student
  • Device capable of presenting a video to the class

Lesson materials

Worksheet

The tone of climate change lesson plan

Worksheet

Student worksheet - The tone of climate change

Worksheet

Teacher content info - The tone of climate change

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