1. Young Reporters for the Environment Key Stage 3 image Objectives1.To investigate a local environmental issue. 2.To produce a report on your findings – written, photographic or video. 3.To communicate your findings to the whole school and wider community. InvolvementWhole class, group work or individuals OverviewThe aim of the programme is for Secondary School pupils to investigate a local environmental issue based on one of the eight topics. They then have to report on their findings using their chosen media and then communicate their findings through ie. newspapers, websites, magazines, displays, radio or TV. They will learn new skills including gaining further understanding of the issues of Sustainable Development and Citizenship. They will use the internet and new technologies to research and gather information, they can interview experts, carry out surveys, have site visits and gather different peoples opinions to gain a balanced view of the issues. It provides pupils with a vision of the professional world of journalism and may inspire them to follow this as a career and become journalists of the future! This programme can also be included as evidence towards your next Eco-Schools Green Flag. www.keepwalestidy.org/our- projects/young-reporters TOPICS Biodiversity Coastline Cities Agriculture & Nature Climate Change Water Energy Waste You can choose from any of the eight topics. Different groups within the class can investigate different topics. Key Skills: Links to subjects: English Welsh Science – depending on topic Geography – depending on topic PSE ICT Art & Design – depending on media Common Understanding: Choices & Decisions The Natural Environment Climate Change Consumption & Waste Thinking Communication Curriculum Cymreig ICT PSE

2. Young Reporters for the Environment Key Stage 3 image BACKGROUND OF YOUNG REPORTERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) was established in 1995 and is one of five programmes run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The four other programmes are: Eco-Schools, Blue Flag, Learning about Forests and Green Key. These programmes are implemented and administered by the national member organisation in 64 countries around the world. Young Reporters for the Environment is an International programme and there are currently 27 countries involved where pupils in Secondary Schools investigate local environmental issues and report on them. The countries are: Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, USA and Wales. Young Reporters for the Environment has been managed in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy since September 2008 and is funded by Countryside Council for Wales. THE YRE ANNUAL AWARDS Every year, YRE holds its annual awards, where every country involved submits a maximum of three written, three photographic and three video articles to the International Jury. In Wales, the schools’ journalistic articles are first submitted to the National Jury which meet in Cardiff and consists of professional journalists, staff from Keep Wales Tidy and Countryside Council for Wales. The jury discuss in great detail the merits of each article, and finally select an overall Welsh winner and the runners-up. These are then submitted to the International Jury who select winners for each age category and media. All of these articles are published in the Annual YRE Awards book. For further information please contact Linda Bradshaw-Wood at Keep Wales Tidy on 02920-381739 or e-mail linda.bradshaw-wood@keepwalestidy.org

3. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: English Young Reporters for the Environment covers Oracy, Reading and Writing skills. Pupils will carry out investigations, surveys, research information, read other articles, interview experts, the public and other school members, produce the journalistic article and communicate their findings using various media ie. newspaper, magazines, websites, radio, TV, displays and presentations. ORACY Skills Listen and view attentively, responding to a wide range of communications Identify key points and follow up ideas through probing question and comment in order to inform and moderate opinions, ideas and judgements and to learn through talk Communicate confidently and clearly, expressing reasoned opinions, adapting talk to audience and purpose, using appropriate gesture, intonation and register in order to engage the listener Range Communicating for a range of purposes READING Skills Consider how texts change when they are adapted for different media and audiences Range Experiencing and responding to a wide range of texts Reading/viewing extracts and complete texts WRITING Skills Use the characteristic features of literary and non-literary texts in their own writing, adapting their style to suit the audience and purpose Use the range of sentence structures effectively to enhance the fluency and coherence of their writing and develop their ability to use paragraphs effectively Use the full range of punctuation in order to clarify meaning and create effect Range Write for a range of purposes 1.Carrying out the investigation, gathering information and opinions, site visits. 2.Carrying out surveys 3.Interviewing experts 4.Studying other journalistic articles 5.Producing the article – written, photographic or video 6.Communicating your findings 7.Teamwork

4. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: Welsh Young Reporters for the Environment covers Oracy, Reading and Writing skills. Pupils will carry out investigations, surveys, research information, read other articles, interview experts, the public and other school members, produce the journalistic article and communicate their findings using various media ie. Newspaper, magazines, websites, radio, TV, displays and verbal presentations. ORACY Skills View and listen carefully responding orally, in writing and non-verbally Respond extensively by 1)asking questions and offering comments 2)Taking and making use of notes based on their enquiries Communicate: clearly and confidently, by beginning to show awareness of audience and purpose, by using appropriate Welsh pronunciation and intonation Range Communicate for a variety of purposes READING Skills Identify the characteristics of different genres in terms of organisation, structure and presentation; note how effects are created by means of orthographical devices, sounds and words, and differentiate between fact and opinion Range Experience a variety of texts and forms WRITING Skills Use the characteristics of chosen forms, adapting their style to the audience and purpose Choose and use appropriate vocabulary, expanding their language resources, and using language to create effects Use the full range of punctuation marks Range Write for a wide variety of purposes 1.Carrying out the investigation, gathering information and opinions, site visits. 2.Carrying out surveys 3.Interviewing experts 4.Studying other journalistic articles 5.Producing the article – written, photographic or video 6.Communicating your findings 7.Teamwork

5. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: Geography Depending on your chosen topic, Young Reporters for the Environment covers investigation, visiting local areas, observing why environments and places change, how humans impact on them, carrying out practical investigations, collecting data and analysing it, gathering different peoples opinions about different environment issues. Specific YRE topics that link with Geography are Climate Change, Coastline, Cities and Water. Skills Understanding places, environments and processes Explain the causes and effects of physical and human processes and how the processes interrelate Explain how and why places and environments change and identify trends and future implications Investigating Identify and establish sequences of questions for investigation Observe, measure, extract and record data though carrying out practical investigations and fieldwork Analyse and evaluate ideas and evidence, answer questions and justify conclusions Communicating Develop opinions and understand that people have different values, attitudes and points of view on geographical issues Assess bias and reliability of geographical evidence to weight arguments, make decisions and solve problems Range Threatened environments: characteristics of, and possibilities for their sustainable development Tomorrow’s citizens: issues in Wales and the wider world of living sustainably and the responsibilities of being a global citizen Fieldwork to observe and investigate real places and processes How do environments and people interact? What are the geographical issues for people living in this location? How and why do people’s views on issues differ and what do I think? 1.Carrying out the investigation, gathering information and opinions, site visits. 2.Carrying out surveys 3.Interviewing experts 4.Producing the article – written 5.Communicating your findings 6.Gain understanding of Sustainable Development and Citizenship

6. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: Science Depending on the topic chosen, Young Reporters for the Environment provide opportunities for carrying out scientific investigations, collecting data, carrying out biological surveys, speaking to experts, gathering different peoples opinions, investigating use and conservation of energy, effects of Climate Change, biodiversity and Sustainable Development issues. The aim is also to make complicated and scientific information easier to understand for a wider audience. Skills Communication Search systematically for, process and analyse information for a specific purpose, including ICT as appropriate Planning A range of options as to where and how to find relevant information and ideas Developing Make sufficient relevant observations and accurate measurements, using ICT as appropriate, to a degree of precision appropriate to the enquiry Consider others’ views to inform opinions and decisions Range How and why food webs are affected by environmental factors How human activity affects the global environment and the measures taken to minimise any negative effects and monitor them The conservation of energy and ways in which energy can be stored How renewable and non-renewable energy resources are used to generate electricity and the implications of decisions made about their use 1.Carrying out the investigation, gathering information and opinions, site visits 2.Carrying out surveys 3.Interviewing experts 4.Producing the article – written 5.Communicating your findings 6.Gain understanding of Sustainable Development and Citizenship

7. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: PSE Being involved with Young Reporters for the Environment provides many opportunities to develop the skills associated with PSE. YRE encourages pupils to look at the issues of Sustainable Development and to learn about and raise awareness of local environmental issues that are important to them and that they are concerned about. It also encourages pupils to become active citizens in issues connected with where they live as well the links with global issues. Skills Developing Thinking Identify and assess bias and reliability Developing Communication Listen attentively in different situations and respond appropriately Developing ICT Find and develop information and ideas Create and present information and ideas Developing Number Access and select data from relevant information presented in a variety of ways and from different sources to support understanding of PSE-related issues Working with others Empathise with others’ experiences, feelings and actions Improving own learning Manage time and meet deadlines Action plan and set targets Range Active citizenship Sustainable development and global citizenship 1.Carrying out the investigation, gathering information and opinions, site visits 2.Carrying out surveys 3.Interviewing experts 4.Studying other journalistic articles 5.Producing the article – written, photographic or video 6.Communicating your findings 7.Gain understanding of Sustainable Development and Citizenship 8.Teamwork 9.Working to deadlines 10.Working to guidelines/rules 11.Develop communication, curiosity, initiative and criticism

8. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: ICT Being involved with Young Reporters for the Environment provides many opportunities to develop the skills associated with ICT. Including using the internet for research purposes, designing and producing the journalistic articles, whether using the written, photographic or video media. There can also be various methods of communicating their findings through ICT including websites and on-line news. Skills Find and analyse information Find relevant information efficiently from a variety of sources for a defined purpose Select relevant information and make informed judgements about sources of information Create and communicate information Create and communicate information in the form of text, images and sound, using a range of ICT hardware and software Create and develop a range of presentations, combining a variety of information and media, for specific purposes and audiences Range Use a range of ICT resources and equipment independently and collaboratively Use a range of information, from a variety of sources, considering how its characteristics, structure and purpose influence its use with ICT 1.Carrying out the investigation, gathering information and opinions, site visits 2.Carrying out surveys 3.Studying other journalistic articles 4.Producing the article – written 5.Producing the article – photographic 6.Producing the article - video 7.Communicating your findings

9. Young Reporters for the Environment Curriculum Links - Key Stage 3 image Subject/ Curriculum Area StatementsCovered by the following activities: Art & Design Young Reporters for the Environment provides opportunities for pupils to be creative with the production of their journalistic reports, especially through the media’s of photographic and video. Skills Investigating Develop specific skills for recording, develop specific skills for investigating, using a variety of media Making Experience a wide range of techniques and media to: realise their ideas, express their feelings and communicate meaning Range Making: -Pupils should design and make both imaginatively and expressively -They should use a variety of tools and equipment, materials and processes 1.Producing the article – photographic 2.Producing the article – video