The Appetite for Action Challenge is the first campaign to be launched by our new Global Action Plan/Sky partnership. This interactive programme is aimed at primary schools across the UK and Ireland, and provides a framework for teaching and learning about sustainable food. Teachers are given free access to a step-by-step interactive online resource of activities and materials to use with their pupils. The activities help educate children to understand and respond to the environment impacts of food and are linked to national curriculum requirements.

Register and get going!

Teachers can register for their schools to take part in the challenge now at http://www.appetiteforaction.org.uk/ to access their own school profile that can be personalised for each school and used to track their progress on their chosen challenge. Children who take part in the challenge will be able to learn about how small changes in their behaviour and diets can make a big difference to their environment. Appetite for Action will explore sustainable food issues through practical, hands-on activities such as composting, carrying out waste audits and growing food for the school dinner hall.

A team of pupils in each school will work to run the campaign using plays, songs, films, posters, assemblies and other creative messaging techniques. The Appetite for Action process will guide them through a series of steps to make and measure an array of exciting changes that they can action in their schools.

Networking via the Green Grub Club

Schools will be able to link up with other schools participating in the programme and share what they are doing and their progress via an interactive social networking part of the website called the Green Grub Club. Schools can also share their achievements, allowing parents and members of the local community to view their progress.

The schools judged to have the greatest Appetite for Action win cash prizes and the unique chance for their school to be a Sky News studio for the day!

A unique opportunity

One of the unique elements of the challenge is that the expert schools team at Global Action Plan have developed the resource in conjunction with teachers for teachers. Five schools have been involved in identifying the most potent combination of teaching resources. A concept forum of teachers have ensured that this resource will compliment existing curriculum work so that the challenge supports the work of teachers rather then being an extra burden.

The programme is endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and all participating schools and children will get a certificate recognising their contribution.