How do weather phenomenons emerge? Simply explained and understood with the help of satellite images.
Micheal Geisler explains how a satellite dish works.
Interactive presentations help to get the message across, and the students participate really actively.

Summary

Knowledge transfer :Knowledge about the causes and consequences of climate change, questions of climate justice. Focus on sustainable mobility and tourism.
Target group :Students in grades 5-13 of all school types.
Number of schools :Over 640 Germanwatch Climate Expeditions at over 160 schools since 2015.
Project partners :Germanwatch e.V., Geoscopia GbR

What is the Germanwatch Climate Expedition?

The Germanwatch Climate Expedition captures a view of the earth – all the way from outer space into the green classroom. In 90-minute presentations, the students work on the topics of climate change and resource depletion by comparing the live satellite pictures with archived images. The consequences of climate change are visible from examples such as glacial retreat and rising sea levels.

The goal of the Germanwatch Climate Expeditions is for students to understand global interconnectedness, reflect on the consequences of their own actions, and work on courses of action in young people’s private and political spheres – all in a scientifically based way that is appealing to youth.

The Germanwatch Climate Expedition is aimed at students from the 5th grade onward from all types of schools. Due to the innovative methodology, it is especially the quiet or excluded students who discover new ways to engage in class discussions. Through live satellite pictures from all regions of the world, the students with immigrant backgrounds can bring up their own experiences in the lesson (extreme weather, climate change, resource depletion, mobility). Using discussions on the consequences of climate change and personal examples, migration due to climate change is conceptualized thematically and examined in depth. Students learn to understand satellite pictures and begin to think about the big problems of climate change in a new way. They realize that it is the people from countries in the Global South that are mostly affected.

Focus: Tourism and sustainable mobility

Since 2015, there has also been a Germanwatch Climate Expedition with a focus on sustainable mobility and tourism thanks to Germanwatch’s partnership with atmosfair and forum anders reisen. The introduction involves getting to know selected aspects of climate changes using the satellite pictures, especially the causes and impacts. Building on this, the students experience the evidence of unsustainable mobility by means of satellite pictures of well-known destinations, contrails from airplanes, or even air plumes from ships. They develop their own approaches towards climate-friendly and socially acceptable mobility that also protects resources. The didactic approach uses the students’ travel destinations (or popular travel destinations). The students also discuss different options for action in the areas of climate-friendly local and long-distance transport.

The Germanwatch Climate Expeditions make confronting local and regional contexts (e.g., climate justice, resource (mis)use, nutrition, and human rights) possible in the places that the Climate Expedition explores. To this end, local challenges are highlighted as examples, e.g. floods or monsoons in Southeast Asia, the rising sea level topic in coastal cities like New York or Bangkok (as well as small islands such as Tuvalu, the Maldives, etc.) that face this existential threat, hurricanes in the Caribbean, the absence of precipitation, and ever more heatwaves in the Mediterranean region.

Option: Become active!

The students develop action plans to change their own behavior as well as the societal/political debate and actions in a way that can lead to future-oriented mobility. To this end, they examine and work on alternative mobility concepts as a valuable part of travel: mobility mix, public transport, bike and foot traffic, long-distance high-speed trains as well as alternative travel with a strong connection to the region visited (which may involve longer visits, using local public transport, getting to know the local culture, etc).

For this, Germanwatch uses the concept of handprints, which achieves particularly lasting change towards more sustainability in the structures within organizations, schools, and municipalities.

Here, the topic of class trips is also addressed. The issues of school partnerships, student exchanges, work and travel, etc., are also important to the students and youth and are covered depending on their interests.

Goal: Empowerment and capacity for action

The goal of Germanwatch’s nationwide educational work is to inform and incite, but also to motivate. Ideas about how students or the whole school can become active in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or consumption of resources are discussed. The transition to sustainable energies is an important impetus in the students’ career choices. The students learn that individual and political action is important because it helps to change society’s behavior and conditions. This is communicated using the image of a handprint.

In 2022, the Germanwatch Climate Expedition was already a guest in:

  • Hochwald-Gymnasium Wadern, Saarland
  • Sophie-Scholl-Gesamtschule Dillingen, Saarland
  • Dante Gymnasium München, Bayern
  • Gymnasium Ismaning, Bayern
  • Konrad-Duden-Realschule Wesel, NRW
  • Alexander-Lebenstein-Realschule in Haltern am See, NRW
  • Stadtteilschule Walddörfer, Hamburg
  • Herbart-Gymnasium Oldenburg, Niedersachsen
  • Evang. Stiftisches Gymnasium Gütersloh, NRW
  • Mariengymnasium Jever, Niedersachsen
  • Gymnasium Nepomucenum Rietberg, NRW
  • Korbinian-Aigner-Gymnasium Erding, Bayern
  • Städt. Realschule Heinsberg, NRW
  • Rhein-Sieg-Gymnasium in Sankt Augustin, NRW
  • Joseph-König Gymnasium in Haltern am See, NRW
  • St. Angela-Schule in Königstein im Taunus, Hessen
  • Gemeinschaftsschule Waldburg-Vogt, Baden-Württemberg
  • Hermann-Greiner-Realschule in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg
  • Friedrich-von-Alberti-Gymnasium in Bad Friedrichshall, Baden-Württemberg

2021 the Germanwatch Climate Expedition could take place in (in spite of Corona):

  • Altmühltal Realschule Beilngries, Bayern
  • Berufkolleg Recklinghausen, NRW
  • Berufskolleg Ost, Essen, NRW
  • Dr.-Walter-Bruch-Schule Wendel, Saarland
  • Drost-Rose-Realschule Lippstadt, NRW
  • Gemeinschaftliche Sekundarschule Burbach-Neunkirchen, NRW
  • Gemeinschaftsschule Stadtmitte Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Gymnasium Eversten Oldenburg, Niedeersachsen
  • Gymnasium Phillipinum Weilburg, Hessen
  • Gymnasuim am Steinwald, Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Herbart Gymnasium Oldenburg, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Ingeborg-Drewitz Gesamtschule Gladbeck, NRW
  • Kaufmännisches Berufsbildungszentrum Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Kreisgymnasium Riedlingen, Baden-Württemberg
  • Latina August Herrmann Francke Gymnasium Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt
  • Marguerite-FriedländerGesamtschule Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt
  • Maximilian-Kolbe-Schule Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Nikolaus Ehlen Gymnasium Velbert, NRW
  • Privatgymnasium Schwetzingen, Baden-Württemberg
  • Steinhagener Gymnasium, NRW
  • Technisch-gewerbliches u. sozialpflegerisches BBZ Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Welfen-Gymnasium Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg

In 2020, the Germanwatch Climate Expedition visited these schools:

  • Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium Münster, NRW
  • Otto-Burrmeister-Realschule Recklinghausen, NRW
  • Maria Sibylla Merian Grundschule Bochum, NRW
  • Alexander-Lebenstein-Realschule Haltern am See, NRW
  • Michaelschule Papenburg, Niedersachsen
  • Hans-Böckler Berufskolleg Marl, NRW
  • Berufskolleg Rheine, Niedersachsen
  • Gymnasium Holthausen Hattingen, NRW
  • Realschule an der Brede Brakel, NRW
  • Bischöfliches Gymnasium am Stoppenberg Essen, NRW
  • Gymnasium Marianum Warburg, NRW
  • Berufskolleg Kuniberg Recklinghausen, NRW
  • Berufskolleg Castrop-Rauxel, NRW
  • Gesamtschule Brakel, NRW
  • Gymnasium am Tannenberg Grevesmühlen, NRW
  • Gymnasium Grootmoor Hamburg
  • Luise-Meitner-Gymnasium Norderstedt, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Ingeborg-Drewitz Gesamtschule Gladbeck, NRW
  • Marguerite-Friedländer Gesamtschule Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt
  • Latina August Herrmann Francke Gymnasium Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt
  • Stadtteilschule Waldörfer Hamburg
  • Hiberniaschule Herne, NRW
  • Gymnasium Papenburg, Niedersachsen
  • Staatliche Realschule Neufahrn, Bayern
  • Natur- und Umweltbildung am Reeser Meer, NRW
  • Leibniz Gymnasium Altdorf, Bayern
  • Dante-Gymnasium München, Bayern
  • Altmühltal Realschule Beilngries, Bayern
  • Staatliches Berufliches Schulzentrum Immenstadt, Bayern
  • Thomas-Morus Realschule Östringen, Baden-Württemberg
  • GHS Stuttgart-Rot, Baden-Württemberg
  • Sebastian-Finsterwalder-Gymnasium Rosenheim, Bayern
  • Gerhart-Hauptmann-Schule Griesheim, Hessen
  • Berufsbildngszentrum Lebach, Saarland
  • Gemeinschaftsschule am Römerkastell Dillingen, Saarland
  • Technisch-Wissenschaftliches Gymnasium Dillingen, Saarland
  • Technisches und Sozialpflege Berufsbildungszentrum Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Alex-Deutsch Schule Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Maximilian-Kolbe-Schule Neunkirchen, Saarland
  • Katholische Fachschule fürSozialpädagogik Nenkirchen, Saarland
  • Ernst-Barlach Gesamtschule Dinslaken, NRW
  • Max-von-der-Grün Schule Merchweiler, Saarland
  • Dollinger Rwalschule Biberach, Baden-Württemberg
  • Raifeisen-Campus Gymnasium Dernbach, Rheinland-Pfalz

In 2019 the Germanwatch Climate Expdition visited the following schools:

  • Gymnasium Raubling, Bayern
  • Dante-Gymnasium München, Bayern
  • Sebastian-Finsterwalder-Gymnasium Rosenheim, Bayern
  • Karl-Maybach-Gymnasium Friedrichshafen, Baden-Württemberg
  • Gesamtschule Bergheim, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Gymnasium am Tannenberg Grevesmühlen, Mecklenberg-Vorpommern
  • Gymnasium Laurentianum, Warendorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Gymnasium Holthausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Gymnasium Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Jugendranger St. Andreasberg, Niedersachsen
  • Verbundene Regionale Schule Dorf Mecklenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
  • Geschwister-Scholl Gymnasium Münster, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Elektronikschule Tettnang, Baden-Württemberg
  • Albert-Einstein-Schule Ettlingen, Baden-Württemberg
  • Gymnasium Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Carl-Helbing-Schule Emmendingen, Baden-Württemberg
  • GES Saarn, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Baden-Württemberg
  • Nelson-Mandela-Schul, Dierdorf, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Leibnitz-Gymnasium St. Ingberg, Saarland
  • Albert-Magnus-Gymnasium St. Ingberg, Saarland
  • St.-Angela-Schule Königstein, Hessen
  • Taunusgymnasium Königstein, Hessen
  • Gymnsaium Philippinium Weilburg, Hessen
  • BBS-Naturwissenschaft Ludwigshafen, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • GES Hungen, Hessen
  • Römerwallschule Rheinbrohl, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Henry-Ford Realschule Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Stadtteilschule Winterhude, Hamburg
  • Gymnasium der Stadt Lennestadt, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Edith Stein Realschule Lippstadt, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Gymnasium Marianum Warburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Agricola Gymnasium Hohenmölsen, Sachsen-Anhalt
  • Bertha-Krupp-Realschule Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Adam-von-Trott-Schule Sontra, Hessen
  • Nikolaus Ehlen Gymnasium Velbert, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Humboldtschule Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Alexander-von-Humboldt Realschule Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Hebbelschule Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Nelson-Mandela-Sekundarschule Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Friedrich Junge Schule Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein
  • Sophie-Scholl-Gesamtschule Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Stadtjugendring Siegen, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Agricola Gymnasium Hohenmölsen, Sachsen-Anhalt

In 2018 atmosfair and her partners supported the following schools:

  • Gymnasium Kehlheim, Bayern
  • Berufsbildungszentrum Kehlheim, Bayern
  • Staatliches Berufliches Schhulzentrum Immenstadt, Bayern
  • Römerwall-Schule Rheinbrohl, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Konrad Adenauer Realschule plus Asbach, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Martin-Butzer-Gymnasuim Dierdorf, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Liebigschule Gießen, Hessen
  • St.-Ursula-Gymnasuim Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • St.-Angela-Schule Königstein im Taunus, Hessen
  • Freie Waldorfschule Saar-Hunsrück Nohfelden-Wahlhausen, Saarland
  • Korbinian-Aigner-Gymnasium Erding, Bayern
  • Rhein-Sieg-Gymnasium St. Augustin, Nordrhein-Westfalen

In 2017 the Climate Expdition visited the following schools:

  • St.-Ursula-Gymnasium, Düsseldorf, NRW
  • Freie Waldorfschule Darmstadt, Hessen
  • Liebigschule Gießen, Hessen
  • Ingeborg-Drewitz-Gesamtschule, Gladbeck, NRW
  • KJG Gelsenkirchen, NRW
  • Lise-Meitner-Gynmasium, Hamburg
  • Stakenburg-Gymnasium Heppenheim, Hessen
  • Rupert-Ness-Gymnasium & Realschule, Ottobeuren, Bayern
  • Helene-Lange-Gymnasium, Fürth, Bayern
  • St.-Ursula-Gymnasium, Düsseldorf, NRW
  • Globus-Gesamtschule, Duisburg, NRW
  • Sophie-Scholl-Gymnasium, Oberhausen, NRW
  • Alexander-von-Humboldt-Gymnasium, Neuss, NRW

In 2016 atmosfair together with other partners made Climate Expeditions possible for the following schools:

  • Dante Gymnasium, München, Bayern
  • Herder Gymnasium, Berlin
  • Gymnasium Grootmoor, Hamburg
  • Gymnasium Bayreuth, Bayern
  • Lise-Meitner-Gynmasium, Hamburg
  • Korb-Aigner Gymnasium, Erding, Bayern
  • Gymnasium am Turmhof, Mechernich, NRW

In 2015 atmosfair supported the following schools:

  • Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium, Norderstedt, Schleswig-Holstein
  • INI Gesamtschule Bad Sassendorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Kurt-Tucholsky-Gesamtschule, Minden, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Latina August Hermann Francke Gymnasium, Halle, Sachsen Anhalt
  • Burggymnasium Altena, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Our project partners

Germanwatch e.V. is a non-profit, social, non-partisan North-South initiative and has been engaged in German, European, and international North-South, business, and environmental policy since 1991. Germanwatch is responsible for coordinating the contents of the expeditions. With the motto “Observe, Analyze, Intervene”, Germanwatch is committed to global justice and improving living conditions.

The partner responsible for implementing the Climate Expedition is Geoscopia GbR. Geographer and university lecturer Martin Fliegner, together with biologist Holger Voigt, founded Geoscopia in 2001. Since then, Geoscopia has been involved in environmental education and education on sustainable development. Since 2004, Geoscopia has carried out Germanwatch Climate Expeditions nationwide on behalf of and in close cooperation with Germanwatch.

Your contact at atmosfair

David Grüttner
Project Manager
Mathematician
+49 30 1208480 - 77