For teachers, a geography lesson unit: "What's Geography got to do with Climate Change and Malaria?"

SUITABLE FOR GRADE LEVELS:

8th standard and above, depending on syllabus and level of preparation of students.

Overview:
In this lesson, students connect the concepts of climate, climate change, habitat, ecosystems, latitudes, and human action to the spread of diseases. They will analyze a colour map to synthesize various kinds of information to understand the geography of malaria and how it is expected to change as climate changes.

Connections to the Curriculum:

• Main: Geography
• Others: Biology, Health, Food, Environmental Studies, and others. [Depends on the curriculum followed: ICSE, CBSE, etc.]

Time:
3 class periods of 40 minutes each

Materials:

• A printout of the map provided at the very bottom of this posting after the "Shabaash, India!"(malaria-map.jpg)
• A good atlas (with maps of global population densities, ecosystems, rainfall patterns, and temperatures)
• Writing and drawing materials
• Wall maps/posters of mosquitos and the diseases they can spread

Objectives:
Students will:

• read maps and identify areas and countries of the regions marked;
• correlate climate, latitude, land cover, and population density;
• find out about the diseases spread by mosquitos, particularly malaria; and
• write down observations they make in this exercise in English and any non-English language they may be learning, especially in their native language (if it is not English).

Geographic Skills:

• Acquiring Geographic Information
• Organizing Geographic Information
• Answering Geographic Questions
• Analyzing Geographic Information

S u g g e s t e d   P r o c e d u r e

1st period: Engage students in a discussion on infectious diseases. Focus them on some basic facts about malaria -- causes, symptoms, consequences, and treatment. [Teacher resource online: http://www.antigenics.com/diseases/malaria.html ]

2nd period:

• Where does malaria occur in the world?
• On the malaria map given for this unit, have the students label the countries where malaria is prevalent.
• Next have the students make observations of the things that are common to these countries:
• Climate (humidity and temperatures especially)
• Climate type(s)
• Latitudes in which the countris are located

3rd period:

• Briefly tell them about global warming.
• Causes: Global temperatures are rising largely due to human actions such as deforestation, pollution, etc.
• Consequences: Climate and weather are changing rapidly. This leads to changes in the ecosystems. As areas of warmth increase, organisms of warm areas have more places to live in. This means they spread farther.
• Map: Look at the dark areas (red areas if you use a colour printout) where malaria is expected to spread by 2050.
• Ask them to describe the changes using geographic vocabulary (latitudes, ecosystems, climate areas, country names, etc.) and then write these down.

Related Links:

• Antigenics -- information about malaria [ http://www.antigenics.com/diseases/malaria.html ]
• UNEP/GRID Arendal: Climate change and Malaria, scenario for 2050 [ http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/climate_change_and_malaria_scenario_for_2050 ]

"Shabhaash, India!"

Yugratna Srivastava
Asia-Pacific UNEP/TUNZA Junior-Board representative

For her passion and vision.
For her powerful call to action.
For being the voice of a generation and more.
 -------------------------------------------------------------

Malaria map for lesson unit:

(Click on the image to open a large version;
then, right click + select "save image as...")

Please note:

I have used the National Geographic's Xpeditions lesson plan format (of which I am a great admirer) with some modifications.  While this unit is intended for teachers in India, anyone anywhere can use it. For use in the U.S.A., the appropriate National Geography Standards can be easily linked.

Students, education, change --> progress!

I met the future. Yet again. This time it was a collection of 8th standard students from Army Public School, Bangalore... on Saturday, 8 August 2009. I came away very happy, but again awed at the responsibility that lies upon each of us!

I had the joy of conducting a workshop (titled: "It's getting HOT here!") for about 25 students in a 200-year-old barracks laid out elegantly and functionally with tables, chairs, and projection equipment. Upon arrival with Aparna (CSM's intern at the time), we were greeted by the students with great elegance and smiles. 

This workshop -- and other activities -- are part of CSM's initiative "Democratising Climate Change Discourse"; our effort at outreach and climate change education. (I will describe this initiative in next week's blog.)

In this interactive workshop, we looked at the basics of climate change. We started with the difference between "weather" and "climate". The kids were right on the ball from the get-go. Very clued-in. Then we proceeded to look at how we describe the two (weather and climate) and what are the factors affecting them. In this, we looked at human action as a major factor (we introduced "anthropogenic" into our vocabulary at this point) .

From there, we looked at the concept of a greenhouse, the natural and enhanced greenhouse effects, historical problems, and predictions for the future. We concluded the workshop with kids working in groups and coming up with individual and group actions that they could -- and would -- initiate to do their part in making their lives greener. The recommendations were well-thought-out and well-presented.

The Principal of the school, Mrs. Manjula Raman, has taken this topic on in all seriousness for Army Public School. On the second Saturday of every month, I will be at the Army Public School with some group or other of kids sharing some information on the basics of climate change with them.

The events are all interactive and interdisciplinary. Throughout, we keep looking at how the various subjects are interconnected and how these interconnections work in the issue of climate change.

This was the first group of kids I met for climate change knowledge-sharing. Their enthusiasm, intelligence, sincerity, and honesty has elevated my own morale significantly. It has also made me feel somewhat more scared that we, adults, are not paying enough attention (if at all) to their voices and concerns on topics that affect them so directly.

Here.

Now.

And in the future.

A Kannada version of the basic (or 1-star) level workshop for students is almost ready. The 2-star level workshops in English and Kannada for students is also getting ready. At the soonest possible, other schools will see these workshops and other activities (e.g.: film screenings, quizzes, competitions etc.).

"The future" is something we adults have to take mighty seriously and do all we can to reverse the damage we have done to the world that these kids are going to rule over.

The duty is moral, spiritual, and civic.

Contact me to organize climate change education events at your institution.

Read the full report (PDF file) on the Army Public School workshop.

"Shabhaash, India!"

The Army Public School, Bangalore

For committing resources and energies to make climate change education part of students' learning.

Teachers, textbooks, and un-tidy life!

I am trying to forget the text books I had when I went to school. I can't! But that may not be all bad.