Overview
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate crisis. Help your students understand the impact the COP26 had and the key issues at play through our classroom resource.
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 or S3-S6, this resource is designed to be run over a 1-2 hour period. Students are introduced to key pieces of environmental legislation and critically analyse what impact this legislation is having on tackling climate change now and in the future.
By the end of the lesson(s) students will be able to:
- Analyse who is responsible for tackling climate change and who is responsible for addressing its effects;
- Explain the key outcomes of a range of climate change related legislation and examine how these are being used to drive change;
- Critically consider the role of the law in real life cases and explain how people are using the law to challenge decisions and instigate change.
Acknowledgments:
This classroom resource was developed in partnership with and funded by the international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.
We would like to thank the staff and pupils at Balerno High School, Eastbank Academy, Maria Fidelis Catholic School and Mulberry School for Girls for their input during the piloting of this resource pack.
More Lessons resources
Money – Wants and Needs
Pupils will consider the difference between wants and needs and discuss how our wants and needs can influence how we spend money. To access this content, register for our School…
My Community
During this lesson pupils consider what we mean by the word community and are challenged to think about all the different community groups they belong to and how it feels…
I Am Unique
This lesson focuses on celebrating diversity and respecting differences. During the lesson pupils will gain an understanding of what it means to be unique through participating in a range of…
More Community resources
Homelessness
In this lesson pupils will think about what home means to them through writing a poem inspired by the line ‘Home is where the heart is’. They will consider the…
Brexit: Part 1 – Referendum
Pupils will be given a brief introduction to the European Union. They will learn about why people’s opinions about the EU are divided and the results of the EU referendum.…
Plastic Pollution (KS2)
Find out more about the impact of plastic on our oceans. Watch this introductory video and use our free...
More Politics and Democracy resources
Democracy (Part 3): Why Do We Have Laws?
This lesson forms the final part of a three-part unit on democracy. Pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. They discover the different roles of parliament, government and…
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
All at Sea: a story about fairness and the rule of law
During this lesson pupils use the story ‘All at Sea’ to explore how a group of citizens should organise a new society under a challenging set of circumstances. Each chapter…
More Social Action/Active Citizenship resources
Pollution: Expedition to Planet Blueball
This lesson explores the issues of pollution of our planet and sustainable power. It is based around an animated story, involving the Go-Givers characters, in which creatures from a friendly…
Democracy (Part 2): Local and Central Government
This lesson forms the second part of a three-part unit on democracy. Pupils learn about the function of central and local government and the difference between MPs and councillors. Pupils explore…
The Internet: a Power for Good
In this lesson pupils consider how the internet can be a power for good and support active citizenship. Pupils explore a range of case studies before being challenged to identify…
More Sustainability and the Environment resources
Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…
Litter: The Picnic (Assembly)
With the help of one of the Go-Givers puppets or a soft toy, this assembly highlights how the rubbish we discard can and spoil the environment and endanger wildlife. The…
Protecting Local Habitats (KS1)
In this lesson pupils will learn the meaning of the word habitat and have an introduction to different habitats that can be found in the UK. Pupils will examine how…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the...
The Big Legal Lesson 2026 (ages 5-11)
Join the UK's biggest legal education campaign during February 2025.
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Voting and the General Election
This resource pack is the second of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
Social Media and the Law (KS4) (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the law in relation to social media posts, the types of offences that people are committing (whether knowingly or not) and the consequences of these offences. Finally, students…
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Sentencing Guidelines (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson asks students to consider the key findings of a harassment trial and conclude what sentence should be given to the guilty party. During the course of the lesson…
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the...
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
More resource packs
Related content
Democracy resources for ages 11-18
Political resources for secondary and post –16 students.