Each year #GlobalSpeedChat posts 10 activities for teachers and students to complete, worldwide. The 10 activities are ready-to-go and can be completed at any time. Our hope is to create a way for students to engage in activities 'together' from across the globe, inspiring students and teachers to recognize our commonalities and appreciate our many differences. Enjoy! - Kim Preshoff & Jennifer Hesseltine (@turtlemomki & @jenhesseltine)

"The plan is simple: create something together, share, and check back often to see what others are posting." - Kim & Jen

This year #GlobalSpeedChat will focus on harnessing the energy of young activists like Greta Thunberg with activities that focus on United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action. See below for instructions on how to participate in #GlobalSpeedChat 2020!

Instructions: Below you will find 10 hands-on activities to engage youth in SDG 13: Climate Action. Throughout the 10 activities students are introduced to various issues surrounding CLIMATE and CLIMATE CHANGE. Choose one activity (or more) to complete with your students at any time throughout the year! After completing an activity, please tag us with pictures @GlobalSpeedChat on Twitter & Instagram and use the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #GlobalGoals #SDGs.

“But I have learned you are never too small to make a difference.” - Greta Thunberg

Activity #1

Reframe Your World

Activity #1 - Reframe Your World: Before we can take action, we must first gain an understanding of our carbon footprint. What is your carbon footprint, and what can we all do together to decrease our collective carbon footprints? Check out this article about carbon footprints from NASA Climate Kids, then go to the United Nations Carbon Footprint Calculator to tally your own carbon footprint.

Next, REFRAME YOUR WORLD...find an old picture frame - big or small - or print out this one and do one of the following:

• Take a picture of you and/or your family and friends taking action to decrease your carbon footprint and put it in the frame.
• Draw a picture inside the frame that represents something you will do this school year to decrease your carbon footprint.

Finally, take a picture of your activity and post it on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #1. Also, remember to post pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #2

Online Climate Rally!

Activity #2 - Online Climate Rally: Let's continue the work of youth activist, Greta Thunberg, all year long! Begin by watching a portion of Greta's speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2018, and find out even more about Greta in this Great Big Story video. Next, create a poster for our ONLINE CLIMATE RALLY! Here are 7 Inspiring Greta Thunberg quotes should you need a little inspiration. Do one of the following:

• Use CANVA or another digital poster-maker to create an electronic poster or meme that can be used online to rally and remind youth worldwide to continue to act all year! (The energy among youth worldwide in September 2019 was contagious...but, there will be times throughout the year when we all need a reminder to continue the work for positive climate change).
• Create a poster out of traditional materials and/or recycled materials, take pictures of your creation and post!

Finally, take a picture of your activity and post it on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #2. Also, remember to post pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. We will be using your digital and hand-made posters for several #GlobalSpeedChat Online Climate Rallies throughout the year. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #3

Climate Props

Activity #3 - Climate Props: Choose a prop that represents climate change to you. Take a picture of the prop and explain its connection to climate change on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #3.

Also, remember to post pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #4

Dear Earth...

Activity #4 - Dear Earth: If you could write a letter to Earth, what would you say? If Earth could write a letter to humans, what would it say? Begin by watching A Love Letter from Earth to Paris and Dear Earth. You guessed it! Next...write a letter from your city or town to Earth, or write a letter from Earth to your city or town. Use these tips and ideas for letter-writing before you start!

Finally, take a picture of your letter or share the link to your letter on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #4. Also, remember to post pictures, quotes, and links from your letter on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #5

Art From Rubbish

Activity #5 - Art from Rubbish: Create an awareness of the rubbish we leave behind. Begin by watching Three Ways to Make Art From Rubbish With Nigel Poor, choose one of the projects in the video or create a similar one of your own and get started!

Finally, document your project by taking pictures and post your pictures on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #5. Also, remember to post pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #6

Nonfiction Poetry

Activity #6 - Nonfiction Poetry: Is it possible to inspire action with poetry? WE SAY YES! As evidence, check out UN Climate Summit Poem Dear Matafele Peinem. Then, inspire action via poetry by creating a climate change poem using one (or more) of the resources below:

• Create a book spine poem!
• Use Poetry Machine to create a variety of different poems
• Write a Haiku
• Popcorn Poetry: Poetry about the 5 senses
• How to write a Diamante Poem
• Writing Acrostic Poetry

Finally, share your Climate Change Poetry on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #6. Also, remember to post your poems and pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity # 7

Start a Conversation!

Activity #7 - Start a Conversation: One of the best ways for us to take action when it comes to climate change is to TALK ABOUT IT. Check out this resource and video from The Nature Conservancy. Next, help build awareness and get people talking by creating some climate change conversation starters, and post them on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #7 for us to share...and get the conversations going! Here are some ideas for creating conversation starters:

• Create a video with friends that will inspire conversation.
• Come up with a list of sentence starters that people can complete together with a partner.

Finally, share your climate change conversation starter on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet. Also, remember to post your conversation starters and pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #8

Art, Science...Climate Change!

Activity #8 - Art, Science...Climate Change! When discussing issues like climate change, It is important to support the reality of global climate change with scientific data. In this activity you will create a work of art using scientific data about climate change; thus, helping to build a visual awareness of the data that exists. First, go to Science Friday and read about Using Art to Enliven Scientific Data. Next, go to the bottom of the Science Friday website page and follow the directions entitled, "Create An Illustrated Graph." Create your own illustrated graph using climate change data, take pictures of your finished product, and post on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #8.

Also, remember to post pictures of your illustrated graph on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs, #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #9

Closet Sleuth

Activity #9 - Closet Sleuth: How often do you buy new clothes? Do you really need them? How long do you keep them? Begin by watching The True Cost of Fast Fashion and The Life Cycle of a T-shirt. Next, look through your closet and find the oldest piece of clothing you own. Now, go to the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #9 and tell its story! Oh, and one more thing...do you have an end-of-life plan for the things you own?

Also, remember to post stories and pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!

Activity #10

Let's Reflect

Activity #10 - Let's Reflect: The last #GlobalSpeedChat activity is a self-reflection. Use the following questions to guide you in a reflection of what you have learned:

• How has my lens changed this year with respect to climate change?
• How will I use what I have learned in the future?
• What are some different ways I can share what I have learned, and with whom?
• Is how I treat the world a reflection of me? Why or why not?

For help with this, consider talking to an elder in your community - change is intergenerational and the eldest in our communities will have a unique perspective. If you feel comfortable doing so, please post a picture or description of your reflections and conversations on the #GlobalSpeedChat Activity Padlet under Activity #10.

As always, feel free to post stories and pictures on Instagram and Twitter and tag @GlobalSpeedChat using the hashtags #GlobalSpeedChat #SDGs #GlobalGoals. Check back to the Padlet, Twitter, and Instagram often to see what others are posting from around the world!