1. School Programme (2012-13)
www.earthwatch.org.hk

2. ClimateWatch School Programme
• Supported by the British Council
• To be launched in academic year 2012-13
Objective
• To partner with local secondary schools on data collection for
global climate change research with the use of mobile technology
• To encourage climate change education with relevance to the NSS
curriculum
• To provide scientific research experience to local secondary school
students
• To offer professional development opportunities for teachers on
field experiential learning
Target group
• Local secondary school teachers
(priority will be given to teachers teaching Biology, Geography,
Science and Climate/Environmental related subjects)
www.earthwatch.org.hk

3. School Programme (Sept 2012 – June 2013)
Join our Introduction Session for Teachers
Date: 2012 August 27 (Monday)
Time: 5-7pm
Venue: 14/F Breakthrough Centre, 191 Woo Sung Street,
Jordan, Kowloon
Language: Cantonese supplemented with English
Max capacity: 20 persons
In this session, we will introduce the ClimateWatch school programme,
explain how schools can participate, and what kind of support Earthwatch
Institute can provide.
The session will be wrapped up with a ClimateWatch Tree Hunt Challenge in
the nearby Kowloon Park, where teachers can try using their smartphones to
record observations of indicative species. Participation is Free of charge.
Registration or enquiries:
Ms Adele Chiu at 28381114 or email achiu@earthwatch.org.hk.
www.earthwatch.org.hk

4. School Programme (Sept 2012 – June 2013)
Benefits to Students Benefits to Teachers
• Participation in global climate change • Lesson materials and experience
research sharing through the ClimateWatch
Teachers’ Network
• Add value to their classroom learning
and SBA projects by collecting • Participation in one of Earthwatch’s
meaningful data local research expeditions and various
seminars with scientists
• Gain scientific research experience -
selected teams can present their • Gain access to ClimateWatch data and
research findings at a mini conference resources, great for inquiry-based
in HK learning and hands on data analysis
www.earthwatch.org.hk

5. School Programme (Sept 2012 – June 2013)
How it works?
Date Activity
2012 late August and October Introduction session on ClimateWatch for interested teachers
2012 August – November Participating teachers develop ClimateWatch themed lesson
materials/activities with support from Earthwatch
2012 September – 2013 March Professional development opportunities for participating
teachers: seminars with scientists, guided tours, excursion
experience, etc.
2012 September – 2013 April Participating teachers to pilot lesson materials with students
2013 April - May Mini conference for selected student teams to present their
findings
2013 May - June Sharing session for all participating teachers on experience
piloting their lesson materials
2013 July onwards Pilot lesson sample and resources showcased on the
ClimateWatch website;
Programme opens to a wider school network for academic year
2013-14
www.earthwatch.org.hk

6. School Programme (Sept 2012 – June 2013)
Environmental field trip Plant classification module SBA tasks on Ecology for
experience for Junior Science Class Biology students
Creating ClimateWatch Extra-curricular
trail in school campus activities for Biology
Variety of Club students
ClimateWatch themed
materials/activities
Geospatial analysis Any other suggestions
of data for relevant to the NSS
Geography students curriculum
www.earthwatch.org.hk

7. What is ClimateWatch?
• Climate change triggers life cycle changes of plants and
animals such as breeding cycles, established flowering
times and migration movements with potentially severe
consequences
• The United Nations has identified this large scale data
gathering as a high priority to understand, predict and
minimise the effects of climate change
• ClimateWatch is based on the Citizen Science model which
enables the general public to be involved in collecting and
recording such data that will help shape our scientific
response to climate change.
www.earthwatch.org.hk

8. How ClimateWatch works?
1 ClimateWatch Science Advisory Panel
confirms scientific methodology and selects
Indicative Species for public
to observe
www.earthwatch.org.hk

9. How ClimateWatch works?
2 Earthwatch develops ClimateWatch trails
where indicative species can be observed and monitored
www.earthwatch.org.hk

10. How ClimateWatch works?
3 Participants visit ClimateWatch trails to get to know various indicative
species and how they are affected by climate change
4 Participants record observations
on the ClimateWatch mobile website
- access to resources like interactive
trail maps and field guides
- submit observations by answering
a few simple multiple choice
questions on species behavior
www.earthwatch.org.hk

11. How ClimateWatch works?
5 Data will be shared with scientists and academics for analysis.
In the long term, research results will be peer-reviewed and
published, contributing to policy and decision-making around climate
change and conservation management.
Science Advisory Panel
The ClimateWatch initiative was first established by Earthwatch in
2009, with the support from a Science Advisory Panel comprised of
senior climate change biologists including contributors to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The Science Advisory Panel in Hong Kong & China includes:
- Prof Chen Xiao-qiu (Peking University, ISB Phenology Commission)
- Dr Melissa Hart (ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System
Science, The University of New South Wales)
- Dr Kequan Pei (Earthwatch Institute)
- Dr Andy Donnelly (Earthwatch Institute)
www.earthwatch.org.hk

12. The Story so far…
• ClimateWatch was first introduced by Earthwatch in Australia
• Launched in 2009 by the country’s deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard
• Successfully mobilised people in Australia to observe and record data online
• New trail recently developed at the Federal Parliamentary precinct in
Canberra with members of parliament signing up as ClimateWatchers
Program Partners:
Learn more at www.climatewatch.org.au
www.earthwatch.org.hk

13. About Earthwatch Institute
• International non-profit environmental
organization
• Engages people in scientific field research and
education
• Currently manages over 50 field projects in 40
different countries
• Supports research in four key areas: climate
change, ecosystems, oceans and cultural
heritage
• Founded in Boston, USA in 1971, with offices in
the USA, UK, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and
field offices in India, Brazil, China, Costa Rica and
Kenya
More info: www.earthwatch.org
www.earthwatch.org.hk