Go green
You will need
- Pens or pencils
- Sticky tape
- Paper
- Buckets, containers or hoops
- Printed theme introductions (optional)
Before you begin
- Make a label for each bucket, container, or hoop. You’ll need one for each theme: birds, bugs and bees; growing green; and plastic pollution.
- If you can’t meet outside, you could bring in some natural items for this session. We’ve also put together some ideas for other ways to vote.
- You can find out everything you need to know about our Green Champions programme in our Take part in Generation Green pages.
Safety checklist
Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional coronavirus-related controls to think about may include:
- Set up a hand washing station that you can use throughout the session.
- Make sure people wash their hands before and after touching the labels or printed theme introductions.
- Remind everyone to stay a safe distance apart at all times. This will mean they need to spread out while searching, so consider using a larger space.
Choosing your Green Champions theme
- The person leading the activity should explain what the Green Champions programme is all about. They should help everyone understand that it’s about enjoying the outdoors, connecting with nature, and getting stuck into making a real difference to your environment.
- Everyone should chat about each of the themes using the information below. Which one would they like to take action on?
- The person leading the game should place the three labelled containers around the space.
- Everyone should find a natural item, such as a leaf, twig, pebble, or feather. They shouldn’t take anything that’s attached to a living tree or plant.
- Everyone should choose which theme they’d like to take action on and vote for it by putting their natural item in its container.
- Everyone should wash their hands.
- Once everyone’s had their say, the person leading the activity should count the items. The theme with the most items is the winner.
Reflection
In this activity, everyone worked together to discuss the themes. Why was it useful to discuss the themes with other people? What influenced the way people voted? Did other people’s thoughts and ideas help anyone make a decision? Did learning a bit more about each theme help? Would people have voted any differently if they’d only seen the titles of the themes?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Do a risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Always get approval for the activity and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.
- Gardening and nature
Everyone must wash their hands after the activity has finished. Wear gloves if needed. Explain how to safely use equipment and set clear boundaries so everyone knows what’s allowed.
