Introduction

‘A healthy environment’ means different things to different people. Similarly, environmental issues manifest differently depending on the context. To adequately understand the features, causes and effects of environmental issues, and to respond creatively by developing solutions or alternatives, we need to draw on skills, insights and inspiration from all areas of human endeavour, including the Arts, Humanities, Science and Technology, Economics, Management, Philosophy and Spirituality. Even at school we find environmental content in all subjects. In this Fundisa for Change programme we will explore environmental and sustainability content that is pertinent to Life Orientation. It is important to ‘know your subject’ well, and particularly the environmental content embedded in your subject. Knowledge on its own, however, is not enough, and the creative teacher uses a wide range of methods to mediate learning. And of course, learning needs to be assessed if learner performance and achievement are to be adequately monitored. Finally, it is important to know how to extend the environmental content in your subject so that it makes a practical difference in the life of the school. The Fundisa for Change programme aims to support and prepare teachers to engage with environmental and sustainability knowledge and skills in the curriculum, so that they may contribute to building the environmentally sustainable and healthy society that is envisaged in South Africa’s Constitution.

To teach Life Orientation for sustainability in a situation of climate change, one must investigate the following questions:

Read the following articles to understand the impact of climate change on Southern Africa and the Southern African youth.

Watch the two YouTube videos discussing the impact of climate change in Southern Africa and the larger African context.