Being environmentally conscious is about more than just appreciating nature — it also means being aware that, for example, in the past 40 years the equivalent of 10 000 Ellis Park Stadiums full of ice has melted in the Arctic region. Remember the dodo? Of course not, it has been extinct since 1681. Since then thousands of species have become extinct and many more are at risk because of pollution, hunting and deforestation. There are many animals our children will never see, neither in the wild nor in zoos.
Although we live in one of the most environmentally wealthy countries, we become so embroiled in our day-to-day lives that we often forget to appreciate our surroundings. But as educators and parents it is our responsibility to use any opportunity to get learners outside in nature and involved in the protection of the globe. We must teach the next generation how to save our world for the generations that will follow. The following are hands-on examples of how to teach children about the environment:
- Put learners in groups of four and let them read Dr Seuss’s The Lorax. Then ask learners to write down the environmental issues they think the story raises. Let more able learners identify the tone of the story and how this tone helps to get the message across.
- In groups of three ask learners to hold a debate. One learner will represent a company that pollutes the environment, another will be an environmentalist trying to stop pollution and the third should act as mediator. Remember to encourage learners to think clearly about their standpoints and raise important issues.
- Ask learners to find comic strips on the internet that depict environmental issues. Using these for inspiration, get learners to draw their own comic strips about the environment.
- Get learners to design posters, brochures and signboards that they can hang up/distribute around school to promote environmental awareness. They will need to do some research beforehand and can even print pictures and website addresses of environmental protection organisations.
- For natural sciences and art lessons, take learners to the school gardens or on a field trip to your local botanical gardens. Each learner should take drawing paper and a pencil. Get learners to sit in the garden for 10 minutes and sketch what they see. This can include plants, animals, insects and birds. As an extension activity, let them do some research on the internet and try to label the things they drew. More able learners can find the Latin names for what they drew.
- As a class activity, ask learners to create a blog. Assign tasks to each learner, for instance, writing articles, finding pictures (make sure these are not copyrighted), editing, designing, and so on. Some learners can even be researchers. Learners can use the blog to give their opinions about environmental protection.
- Watch a documentary in class that highlights nature conservation, such as The Blue Planet. If this is not possible, ask learners to find a website that has articles about this topic, such as www.bbc.co.uk/nature/programmes/tv/blueplanet. Get them to imagine they are the narrator and write a short monologue about an environmental issue.
- Ask learners to use the internet to research alternative power sources, such as solar, wind or water power. In a class discussion ask them how they think these resources can be put to use to reduce pollution. Give them some time to consider this, as they will need to identify sources of pollution first.
- Discuss toxic waste with learners. Ask them to use a drawing programme such as MSPaint (or something more hi-tech if they have access to it) to draw what they think a mutated animal looks like. This is a really fun activity and learners can ‘think big”, for instance, by giving a duck claws and fangs and making it purple with pink polka dots. Let learners be as creative as they can. You can use this opportunity to raise awareness about industrial pollution.
- Learn a song together as a class. Find a copy of an environmental song, such as We Are the World, and play it on a cassette/CD player for the class. Everyone can sing along and learn the song together. If any of the learners study music and are ambitious, get them to write an environment song.
Na’ama Oren is editor of learnthings Africa. For more information visit www.learnthings.co.za