Captain Cook’s climate challenge

Captain James Cook needs some intrepid time-travellers to board the HMS Endeavour with him for a special environmental mission! Journey through the countries Cook explored and learn about the wealth of Indigenous people he encountered and how they were able to live sustainably in their home environments. Collect your new knowledge and fetch it back to modern day England filled with ideas of how we can help address the climate crisis in your very own environmental pledge book.

Session aim

• Explore Indigenous knowledge of sustainability practices and discuss how we can help the current climate crisis.

Session objectives

• Listen to stories about how Indigenous people have been sustainable throughout history.
• Discuss how historic Indigenous knowledge can be applied to modern day environmental issues.
• Construct an environmental pledge book using the traditional practice of weaving.

Curriculum links (Department for Education)

• Geography: “understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America”.
• Geography: “describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle. human geography, including types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals, and water”.
• Science (KS2): “identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.”
• Science (Year 3): “describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food, and hygiene.”
• Science (Year 4): “recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things”.
• Art and Design: “to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials”.
• This session is a fantastic opportunity for any schools working towards an Eco-Schools Green Flag.