Climate change education resources
Use these free teaching resources and climate change classroom activities to learn about extreme weather events in the UK and beyond.
Climate change education
The British Red Cross created these free education resources about climate change to help people prepare for and cope with extreme weather events and the negative effects of climate change.
Learn about weather-related topics including heatwaves, floods and eco-anxiety with these climate change activities, and be prepared the next time you face extreme weather.
This is a teaching resources page. For information on how the British Red Cross helps people prepare for and deal with the impacts of climate change, visit the What we do section.
Free resources on this page include:
- Weather Together: A teacher toolkit
- Newsthinks: Topical resources about climate change
- The pillowcase project: an emergency preparedness resource
- Practical activities
- Red Cross and Red Crescent Climate centre resources
Newsthink: Topical climate lesson plans
Newsthink: flash floods in Spain
Explores how communities are taking action in the aftermath of the floods in Spain. Suitable for learners aged 10 to 19.
Newsthink: Winter journey
As temperatures drop, consider how prepared you would be for a journey in the cold weather. Suitable for learners aged 11-19.
Newsthink: Climate change in the South Pacific
Using a short film, learners consider the impact of climate change on people living on the Pacific island of Tuvalu. Suitable for learners aged 11-16.
Newsthink: Amazon wildfires
How have the fires in the Amazon affected people’s lives and how can they adapt? Suitable for learners aged 11-16.
Emergency preparedness resource (primary)
Explore how climate emergencies affect us and discover ways to prepare for extreme weather events by practising coping skills, taking part in role-plays and scenario-based activities. Suitable for learners aged 7-11.
Practical activities for children and young people
Rain and flooding activity: Build a rain gauge
Explore the effects of heavy rain and flooding while taking part in a science experiment to monitor the weather patterns in your area. Suitable for learners aged 7+.
Eco-anxiety activity: Connect with nature
Explore the benefits that interacting with the environment can have to our wellbeing while building a habitat for nature. Suitable for learners aged 7+.Build a habitat activity
Heatwave activity: Clothes and heat
Discover ways to keep cool in a heatwave with an interactive activity involving different colours and materials of clothes. Suitable for learners aged 7+.Keeping cool science activity
Interactive learning for adults
Ready or Not? Flooding interactive learning
Do you know the ‘to dos’ and the ‘what not to dos’ when it comes to being prepared for flooding in your area? Try this ‘Ready or Not’ interactive learning activity to test your skills and improve your knowledge on how to cope with and prepare for flooding.
Ready or Not? Heatwaves interactive learning
Do you know the difference between the symptoms of heatwaves and heat strokes? Try our ‘Ready or Not’ interactive learning activity to test your skills and improve your knowledge on how to cope with heatwave emergencies.
Eco-anxiety awareness interactive learning
Have you ever felt worried about the condition of the planet due to the effects of climate change? Learn ways to reduce anxious feelings and connect with nature with this free interactive eco-anxiety course.
Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre resources
Y-adapt - by the IFRC and Climate centre
The IFRC and the Climate Centre developed Y-adapt, a curriculum for young people to understand and adapt to climate change with various games and playful activities.
Podcast: 'Can't Take the Heat'
A Red cross Red crescent climate centre podcast which explores how people will adapt to a warming world, featuring leading scientists and humanitarian volunteers.
Climate games: Before the storm
Players learn about weather forecasts, making appropriate decisions for different lead times and encourages players to argue their choice. Suitable for community members/donors/disaster managers/volunteers/branch officers etc.
Climate games: The climate message
Learn how complex climate messages can often cause more confusion than clarity. Learners will explore how complex climate messages are transferred and explore options for appropriate use of climate messages. Suitable for community members both adult and youth.