'How does your garden grow?' Teaching preschool children about the environment

摘要

Raising consciousness about the environment and learning ways to care for our planet are important for all citizens of the world. Young children are particularly receptive to learning new concepts; thus the preschool years are an ideal time to teach lessons about the environment. It is often the case that the information learned when children are young stays with them as they move into older childhood, adolescence and adulthood. This is particularly true when those lessons are reinforced, and when children have an opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning. This project focused on teaching preschool children about metamorphosis, plant growth, recycling and littering. Eighteen children at a preschool in Pennsylvania participated in a series of lessons and activities. Before beginning the lessons, children were given a short pretest to gauge their knowledge about the topics. A post-test was given after the lessons were completed. For all concepts taught, the children's knowledge increased.