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Year 7

The impacts of climate change on Tuvalu

I can explain why some people in Tuvalu are at risk of becoming displaced due to climate change.

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New
New
Year 7

The impacts of climate change on Tuvalu

I can explain why some people in Tuvalu are at risk of becoming displaced due to climate change.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Tuvalu is a low elevation coastal zone.
  2. Building coastal defences for small island nations can be challenging due to their low elevation.
  3. The residents of Tuvalu could become displaced as a consequence of climate change.
  4. A displaced person is someone who is forced to move due to something outside their control such as flooding.

Keywords

  • Climate change - large-scale, long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperature

  • Sea level - the average height reached by the sea or an ocean, measured between high tide and low tide

  • Elevation - the height of a geographical feature or location above the mean sea level

  • To be displaced - to be forced to move due to something outside human control such as flooding

Common misconception

That sea level is constantly the same and that elevation is the same as height in general.

Sea level changes with the tides; the measure that we use as a baseline is the mean (average) sea level. This is used to calculate elevation of geographical features; sea level is taken as zero and every 1 metre in height is 1 metre above sea level.


To help you plan your year 7 geography lesson on: The impacts of climate change on Tuvalu, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Have a class 'sweep' to guess what your location's elevation is. You can find out your elevation exactly using a phone app or the internet. Encourage students to think about the local topography and landscape when making their guesses. How high above sea level are you? Who guessed closest?
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Equipment

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Supervision

Adult supervision required

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
__________ is the large-scale, long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperature.
Weather
Correct answer: Climate change
Greenhouse gasses
Q2.
What is coastal flooding?
Waves hitting the beach in a predictable way
Correct answer: When the sea level rises and floods coastal areas
The effect of tides on the coastline
When plants grow in the sand
Q3.
What are coral reefs made of?
Seaweed and algae
Sand and shells
Correct answer: Tiny animals called coral polyps
Dead fish skeletons
Q4.
What is the main process that wears away the coastline?
Correct answer: Erosion
Deposition
Transportation
Compaction
Q5.
What is one of the main impacts of rising sea levels on coastal areas?
More sandy beaches
Higher air temperatures
More fish in the sea
Correct answer: Increased flooding and erosion
Q6.
Tuvalu is located in which ocean?
Atlantic
Arctic
Correct answer: Pacific

4 Questions

Q1.
What is the main climate change threat faced by Tuvalu?
Correct answer: Rising sea levels
Increased volcanic activity
More frequent earthquakes
Q2.
How do rising sea levels affect Tuvalu?
They provide more resources for the people
They create new land
Correct answer: They cause flooding and erosion
Q3.
How does climate change impact Tuvalu’s freshwater supply?
Correct answer: Saltwater from the sea contaminates freshwater sources
It improves access to clean water
Rainwater becomes more abundant
Q4.
__________ is the average height reached by the sea or an ocean, measured between high tide and low tide.
Elevation
Correct answer: Sea level
Relief