Environmental Education through Children's Literature
Environmental Education
refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function,
and how humans can create ways to live sustainably in them. Communicating
environmental issues to young people, can raise the odds that the information
about the environment and humanity’s role in shaping it gets to where it is
most likely to be put to good use. An environmental author echoed this thought
as, “a reality that is not necessarily absorbed in the classroom these days
given the emphasis on teaching the basics to drive up test scores” (Revkin,
2010). Unfortunately with so many school districts around the country,
implementing something like environmental education into the curriculum is not
at the top of the list. This should not stop teachers and schools from taking
advantage of all the useful information and techniques to teach students about
the environment.
In Children’s Books in Review: Saving and Appreciating Our Planet, it is said that “people are showing interest in saving our planet and its inhabitants. Topics such as preservation of the tropical rainforests, conservation of energy and valuable resources, how to decrease pollution and how to save endangered species are being discussed” (Winefield, 1992). A lot of people do not realize that there is so much to learn and discuss about the environment. From kindergarten to high school level, there is a huge range of books, websites, and other resources that are created to appeal to certain ages. There is a large collection of children’s literature available with beautiful illustrations and messages that young readers are able to understand. From Miss Fox’s Class Goes Green, to The Everything Kids’ Environment Book, there are so many stories about the environment that teachers should have in their classrooms for their students to read. In a book about exploring the environment from a teacher’s point of view, it is said that “with the power of stories you can generate student interest in nature and the environment while building skills across the curriculum. Using contemporary and classic children’s literature as springboards to learning, this resource offers dozens of stimulating extension activities that engage young learners and teach them important concepts and skills in science, social studies, language, math, music, and art” (Butzow, C.M. & Butzow, J.W., 1999).
Promoting literacy across the curriculum is always a priority in education. Before focusing on environmental concerns, promoting awareness for environmental issues, and taking positive action to fix the problems, students must first process and think about the problems. Building Environmental Awareness through Children’s Literature, provides unit objectives that students will be able to master and accomplish through literature. The author wrote that, “this unit is to encourage the bonding between parent and child through the experience of exploring books together and nurturing a mutual respect for the environment which they share” (Osborne, 1997). Using children’s literature that is about the environment to promote literacy in the classroom is a great idea, because reading is something that students must learn. As these students become competent readers, they will begin to better understand what is going on in the environment and find ways to get involved. Another article agrees that, “using children’s literature is one of the best ways to incorporate environmental education into the classroom. Children tend to respond better to literature than to expository texts, and consequently they are more apt to read stories than textbooks” (O’Brien & Stoner, 1987).
The primary goal of environmental education is to develop students, one day citizens, who are knowledgeable about the world around them and want to work toward a more livable future. By implementing environmental education into curriculums, students will have a better understanding for the world and the issues raised about it. Teachers have a variety of sources for teaching controversial issues in their classrooms, and it is about time that they add environmental issues too. Finding ways to implement these issues with literature, literacy, and other things that are required in the curriculum, students will be able to gain knowledge about controversial real-world issues, like the environment, and master objectives at the same time.
References:
Revkin, A. C. (2010). How to save the world: kids are the earth's best hope--and librarians can play a special role. School Library Journal, 56(4), 24-27.
Winfield, E. T. (1992). Children's books in review. saving and appreciating our planet. PTA Today, 17(5), 23.
Butzow, C. M., & Butzow, J. W. (1999). Exploring the environment through children's literature: an integrated approach.
Osborne, B. (1997). Building environmental awareness through children’s literature. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
O’Brien, K., Stoner, D. (1987). Increasing environmental awareness through children's literature. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Oct., 1987), pp. 14-19. Wiley: the International Reading Association. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20199688
In Children’s Books in Review: Saving and Appreciating Our Planet, it is said that “people are showing interest in saving our planet and its inhabitants. Topics such as preservation of the tropical rainforests, conservation of energy and valuable resources, how to decrease pollution and how to save endangered species are being discussed” (Winefield, 1992). A lot of people do not realize that there is so much to learn and discuss about the environment. From kindergarten to high school level, there is a huge range of books, websites, and other resources that are created to appeal to certain ages. There is a large collection of children’s literature available with beautiful illustrations and messages that young readers are able to understand. From Miss Fox’s Class Goes Green, to The Everything Kids’ Environment Book, there are so many stories about the environment that teachers should have in their classrooms for their students to read. In a book about exploring the environment from a teacher’s point of view, it is said that “with the power of stories you can generate student interest in nature and the environment while building skills across the curriculum. Using contemporary and classic children’s literature as springboards to learning, this resource offers dozens of stimulating extension activities that engage young learners and teach them important concepts and skills in science, social studies, language, math, music, and art” (Butzow, C.M. & Butzow, J.W., 1999).
Promoting literacy across the curriculum is always a priority in education. Before focusing on environmental concerns, promoting awareness for environmental issues, and taking positive action to fix the problems, students must first process and think about the problems. Building Environmental Awareness through Children’s Literature, provides unit objectives that students will be able to master and accomplish through literature. The author wrote that, “this unit is to encourage the bonding between parent and child through the experience of exploring books together and nurturing a mutual respect for the environment which they share” (Osborne, 1997). Using children’s literature that is about the environment to promote literacy in the classroom is a great idea, because reading is something that students must learn. As these students become competent readers, they will begin to better understand what is going on in the environment and find ways to get involved. Another article agrees that, “using children’s literature is one of the best ways to incorporate environmental education into the classroom. Children tend to respond better to literature than to expository texts, and consequently they are more apt to read stories than textbooks” (O’Brien & Stoner, 1987).
The primary goal of environmental education is to develop students, one day citizens, who are knowledgeable about the world around them and want to work toward a more livable future. By implementing environmental education into curriculums, students will have a better understanding for the world and the issues raised about it. Teachers have a variety of sources for teaching controversial issues in their classrooms, and it is about time that they add environmental issues too. Finding ways to implement these issues with literature, literacy, and other things that are required in the curriculum, students will be able to gain knowledge about controversial real-world issues, like the environment, and master objectives at the same time.
References:
Revkin, A. C. (2010). How to save the world: kids are the earth's best hope--and librarians can play a special role. School Library Journal, 56(4), 24-27.
Winfield, E. T. (1992). Children's books in review. saving and appreciating our planet. PTA Today, 17(5), 23.
Butzow, C. M., & Butzow, J. W. (1999). Exploring the environment through children's literature: an integrated approach.
Osborne, B. (1997). Building environmental awareness through children’s literature. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
O’Brien, K., Stoner, D. (1987). Increasing environmental awareness through children's literature. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Oct., 1987), pp. 14-19. Wiley: the International Reading Association. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20199688