Years 9 and 10
Ask students to think about their family’s travel in cars, trains or planes over the past week or month. Ask them to record the start and end point of each journey or the trip distance if they know it.
They can then use the carbon footprint calculator at to calculate their carbon emissions and the number of trees required to absorb that amount of C02.
As a class, discuss the strengths and limitations of the calculator. Do they think this is a fair way to calculate your carbon footprint? Explore whether they think carbon offset programs such as tree planting are a viable solution.
One strategy that can partially combat global warming and climate change is to increase the amount of carbon stored in plants – that is, to create a ‘sink’.
These carbon sinks include plant material above ground, below ground (roots) and soil that is enriched in carbon by dead plant material.
Students can view this video about carbon sequestration in primary industry and read this article to develop a broad understanding of carbon farming.
The carbon cycle explained!
Girls may not appreciate the value that early career scientists can bring to contemporary debates about climate solutions. They may appreciate the field experiences recounted by Bonnie Waring from the Grantham Institute and also the way in which she outlines the complexity of designing socio-scientific solutions.
In urban areas, vegetation and soils can play a role as carbon sinks. Proponents of urban carbon farming initiatives also point out that vegetation and soils can provide other ecosystem services, such as improved stormwater management, recreation and even food production. See the ABC Science article ‘Cities can be carbon sinks too: study’ for more information.
Students will explore local areas to determine current carbon sinks and develop a proposal to improve carbon storage in the future.
Some ideas students might like to consider:
Girls often assume that STEM careers require independent, isolated endeavours. By demonstrating how STEM communities work together to refine practices and ideas, you can begin to combat these stereotypes.