Lincolnshire School Children Become ‘Green Kids’ with their Very Own Science Superhero

Pupils from 30 primary schools across Lincoln and its surrounding areas are set to become sustainability superheroes after receiving free Green Kid comics from the University of Lincoln.

Green Kid aims to educate children on the effects of climate change and the work being done to create sustainable science-based solutions in an inspiring and easily digestible way. The comics are distributed free of charge to Key Stage 2 students across the 30 primary schools closest to the University of Lincoln.

Set in the year 2064, the comics introduce the main character, Green Kid, whose mission is to go back in time to prevent climate disasters from ravaging our world, exploring themes including green chemistry, net zero, and the circular economy – with lots of science sprinkled in.

The idea for the series started in 2022, when co-creator Dr Rob McElroy, Senior Lecturer in Green and Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Lincoln, and Julian Lawrence from Teesside University, decided comics would be a great way to keep school children informed and engaged about the opportunities of clean tech, energy and industry.

Now in its seventh edition, members of the University of Lincoln and the University of Teesside work in partnership to produce Green Kid, alongside issue-specific collaborators from the University of York, University of Birmingham, University of Reims and University of Sheffield. The project has been made possible with funding from the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Natural Environment Research Council, Horizon 2020, the Knowledge Transfer Network and the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

Dr McElroy has loved comics from a young age and believes they are the perfect medium for bringing to life green technology solutions and aiding understanding, he said: “Comic books are great because the scientific content that we’re putting in is all based on real research. Hardcore science can be difficult to get across in words. It’s often much easier to explain these concepts through a visual medium.

“It’s the kids that are going to be at the forefront of this when they’re adults. It’s the world that they’re going to be inheriting. It’s going to be the children that are reading these comics now that are going to be part of that revolution of industry and of life.”

How schools use the comics and accompanying activities is entirely up to them – with learning resources, such as teacher and lesson packs and suggestions of hands-on experiments, also provided. Glossaries of scientific terms, puzzles, games, and fan art are included in each issue to allow children to engage with the topics in different ways and Green Kid has already proved successful among teachers and students alike.

Mrs Moore, Year 6 teacher and science lead from Birchwood Junior School, said: “Some children can be more reluctant to read, and they sometimes struggle with the text that we use in our day-to-day lessons.

“To be able to say, ‘Here’s a comic that somebody’s made and not only is it a scientist that made it, it’s a scientist from your local area,’ will blow them away. They won’t be able to believe that somebody in Lincoln has helped make this. It’s inspiring.”

Isaac, a year 4 student from Branston Junior Academy, added: “I like the comic because it is a fun character that really tells you something about the environment and it is exciting the whole way through and not just at the start.”

For more information, and to read past issues or to download accompanying learning resources, visit www.greenkidcomics.com.