Climate Change & Fashion

Overview

This 80-minute lesson is designed for fifth-year students in Ireland, focusing on the intersection of climate change and fast fashion. Using narrative pedagogy, students will engage deeply with ethical and environmental aspects of fast fashion, helping them develop empathy, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making skills. The lesson aligns with the Irish Junior Cycle Wellbeing Framework and elements of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, fostering responsible citizenship and sustainability awareness.

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Curriculum Links & Standards

• Junior Cycle Wellbeing Guidelines (NCCA, 2017): Promotes awareness of social and environmental issues impacting personal and community wellbeing.
• SPHE Strand: Myself and the Wider World – Ethical decision-making and respect for the environment.
• SESE (Science and Geography): Understanding human impact on the environment and climate change.
• Key Skills: Managing Information and Thinking, Communicating, Being Creative, and Working with Others (Junior Cycle Key Skills Framework).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand key facts about climate change and how fast fashion contributes to it.
2. Empathise with the people affected by fast fashion’s labour practices.
3. Analyse the sustainability challenges related to resource use in clothing production.
4. Reflect critically on their own clothing consumption and consider ethical alternatives.
5. Collaborate and communicate their insights through storytelling and discussion.

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Resources Needed

• Video on the ethics of fast fashion (covering working conditions, water use, pollution) – 8-10 minutes in length
• Projector and audio system
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed scenario cards (see Activity 2)
• Student journals or notebooks
• Art materials for creative storytelling (optional)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-up & Introduction (10 minutes)

Activity: Quick Mind Map & Prompt

• On the board, write “Climate Change” and “Fast Fashion”.
• Ask students to share words or ideas that come to mind for each.
• Highlight connections they identify between the two topics.
• Briefly introduce the topic, emphasising the human stories behind climate issues and fast fashion.

2. Narrative Pedagogy – Empathy Through Storytelling (15 minutes)

Activity: Scenario Card Roleplay

• Distribute narrative scenario cards based on real-life profiles: e.g., a garment factory worker in Bangladesh, a cotton farmer in India, an Irish teenager with fast fashion habits.
• In pairs or small groups, students read their scenario, discuss feelings, challenges, and ethical dilemmas.
• Each group shares a brief account of their character’s perspective with the class.
• Teacher facilitates connections between these stories and climate/environmental impacts.

3. Video Presentation (10 minutes)

• Show the selected video on ethics of fast fashion highlighting: poor working conditions, resource depletion (water, energy), pollution from dyes and chemicals, and carbon emissions related to transportation and production.
• Ask students to jot down 3 surprising things they learn or emotions evoked.

4. Reflection & Group Discussion (15 minutes)

• Pose guiding questions:
  • How does fast fashion affect people and the planet differently?
  • What ethical issues stood out?
  • Can fashion be sustainable and ethical? How?
• Use a circular or “fishbowl” discussion to let a few students share while others listen and prepare to add to the conversation.
• Teacher models respectful listening and critical thinking.

5. Creative Storytelling Task (20 minutes)

• Students work individually or in pairs to create a short story, poem, or comic strip from the perspective of a character affected by the fast fashion industry or from the viewpoint of the environment.
• Encourage use of descriptive language and emotional depth to engage empathy.
• Option to present stories to the class or display on classroom walls.

6. Consolidation & Action Planning (10 minutes)

• Facilitate a brief discussion on personal and collective actions students can take to reduce fast fashion’s impact (e.g., mindful shopping, clothing swaps, supporting sustainable brands).
• Students write a personal pledge in their journals outlining one or two actions they will commit to.
• End with a quick round of sharing pledges if time permits.

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Assessment Suggestions

• Formative: Participation in discussions, empathy demonstrated during narrative roleplay, quality and insightfulness of creative storytelling.
• Reflective: Review students’ journal pledges and their reflections on ethical consumption.
• Peer Feedback: Encourage peer comments on storytelling presentations, fostering constructive dialogue.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide written narrative scenarios with visuals for students who benefit from reading support.
• Offer audio descriptions of scenarios for auditory learners.
• Allow alternative storytelling formats (oral recording, video, drawing) to accommodate different learning preferences.

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Extension Ideas

• Link with a school sustainability project or local clothing recycling initiative.
• Invite a guest speaker from an ethical fashion brand or environmental NGO.
• Collaborate on a class mural illustrating fast fashion’s environmental impact.

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Final Notes

This lesson leverages narrative pedagogy to make abstract environmental and ethical issues tangible and relatable for students. By centring stories and emotions, it supports Ireland’s holistic education goals of developing informed, compassionate, and active citizens in line with national curriculum frameworks. The multimedia and creative elements aim to engage diverse learners, sparking curiosity and sustained commitment to sustainability in everyday life.