educación ambiental

Inclusion of environmental education activities in the academic environment

Environmental education is increasingly present in our school curricula. Environmental education activities are an appropriate way to make children aware of the importance of the natural environment that surrounds them, and to develop a sense of responsibility that will be maintained during their adult life.

At Fontenebro International School we develop environmental education activities from the first school years, so that our students perceive the care of the environment as a responsibility that affects us all, because their contribution is important. 

 

What is environmental education?

 

Environmental education is a set of teaching techniques, which aim to transmit environmental values to children. What we achieve is that the students discover nature as something that influences us, but that at the same time receives a direct influence from the human being, therefore, our duty is to protect it through our routines. 

In the school environment it is important that the child learns to develop ecological behaviors, in the company of other children of his age. If we manage to make the student aware of the relevance of his behavior, we will be establishing these values for his adult life. 

 

Environmental education activities

 

These are some of the environmental activities that can teach them the values associated with the natural environment. 

Contact with nature

The most important activity is based on direct contact with nature. Walks and outdoor activities will teach them all that their immediate environment has to offer. During the time that these activities last, it is necessary to explain to them the ways in which we can take care of the environment, and what are the beneficial and harmful behaviors for nature.

Contact with nature should come from the family environment as well as from educational institutions. Nowadays it is very important that children discover the richness of the environment that surrounds them and learn to take care of it. 

 

Planting seeds

 

For a child to discover the cycle of life, the simplest and most surprising thing to do is to plant seeds, legumes and, in general, organisms that develop visibly in our own home or at school.

Chickpeas, tea plants or vertical vegetables such as tomatoes can be a perfect way for them to see the natural growth process that occurs in nature, and to see the importance of their actions in caring for the environment.

 

Collaborative cleaning

 

The natural environment also hides a negative side, which in many cases has to do with the debris that we humans deposit in the environment. Collaborative cleaning is based on group cleaning of specific areas where there is garbage and waste.

This activity does not have to be a contest or based on a competition, we all win if we collect part of the harmful waste that accumulates in our environment. 

 

Rewarding habits

 

It is important that the little ones carry out ecological actions without any effort on their part. Games related to habits will create a routine that will soon become established. 

Turning off faucets, recycling, turning off lights or reusing materials are some of the behaviors that e will reward. It is important that these games are developed in a positive way, that is to say, we are not going to punish behaviors, but to reward decisions that take care of the environment. 

 

Building ecological elements

 

The processes of reuse of materials will allow us to build different supports oriented to the care of the environment. A basic example is the elaboration of recycling garbage cans from cardboard and paper boxes, in this case, the child can personalize his own garbage can and remember that all the elements of his daily life related to paper and cardboard can be recycled. 

Using recycled materials, all kinds of elements can be built, including greenhouses, weather vanes, nests, etc. 

 

Environmental experiments

 

Another activity that allows them to learn about nature is environmental experiments. From making homemade paper to developing thermal devices or purifying water, there are many possibilities that help them discover how their environment works through safe home experiments.

 

Activities with animals in freedom

 

Animals in the wild are a fundamental part of nature, if we have a nearby environment where we can observe them, it is interesting that the little ones can do it.

It is not necessary to go to a safari, simply knowing the behavior of insects and other small animals present in our environment, we can get a child to learn the value of wildlife for the natural environment. 

 

The importance of nature assimilation in children

 

Despite its presence in our daily lives, we are sometimes unaware of the importance of the environment. For a child, nature means freedom, the possibility of discovering other worlds and enjoying outdoor activities, but it is also a process in which he acquires routines that will be maintained during his adult life. 

It is our responsibility to pass on ecological values to the next generations. Children must be aware of the importance that a clean environment will have in their future, and if not, the consequences that can result from a lack of concern for the environment.

It is the task of both, families and the educational community, to generate ecological awareness in children of all ages, so that tomorrow they will be aware of their influence on nature. 

 

Environmental education at Fontenebro International School

 

At Fontenebro International School we give capital importance to ecological values in our students. The next generations must be aware of the value of the environment, and the consequences of their actions for the environment, in our school we develop activities aimed at raising awareness of the youngest, so that they learn to value and care for the world around them.