WHAT IS "ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION"?

Environmental Education is the process in which individuals are taught to gain awareness for their environment and acquire knowledge, skills, values, experiences, and also determination. These critical thinking skills will allow for students to act -as individuals and a collective group- to solve present and future environmental problems (https://www.gdrc.org/uem/ee/1-1.html ). Environmental education is a critical tool that allows students to understand and navigate nature and the complex environment we will in. By incorporating environmental education into the school system students are able to take appropriate action and make sound decisions to change behaviour and cultural processes.

“Environmental education is aimed at producing a citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the biophysical environment and its associate problems, aware of how to help solve these problems, and motivated to work toward their solution”

Stapp, W.B., et al. (1969). The Concept of Environmental Education. Journal of Environmental Education, 1(1), 30-31.

OUR GOAL

Our goal for this project is to create a resource for educators that gives them access to valuable environmental education lesson plans. We have provided examples for both elementary and secondary grades in order to show how simple and effective incorporating education surrounding the environment can be for all ages. We worked extremely hard researching what works well in both Ontario's curriculum and Norway's. We believe that the lesson plans we came up with highlight the most critical aspects of environmental education and will benefit students globally- not strictly from Ontario or Norway. By comparing Norway's environmental education curriculum and Ontario's we were allowed to see the value that environmental education brings to students.

Our Inspiration

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

In the Norwegian education system, sustainable development is an interdisciplinary topic that is taught in almost all subject areas. Sustainable development was defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. While it is related to environmental education, ESD embodies a more multifaceted approach to teaching sustainability. In particular, ESD encourages students to think critically about economic development that considers the protection of both societal and environmental values.

World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our Common Future.

Oxford University Press.

Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment (STSE)

In the Ontario education system, environmental education is taught with a strong emphasis on relating science to technology, society, and the environment (STSE). It encourages students to relate science to their everyday lives and their communities. For instance, students are taught to consider the environmental impacts of their day-to-day activities, how technology can both damage and help protect the environment, and how alternative energy sources can contribute to sustainable energy production.

TRAIN OF THOUGHT

Comparing the Norwegian and Ontario Curricula

The Norwegian curriculum clearly distinguishes education for sustainable development (ESD) from environmental education. In the Norwegian...

Mar 26, 20214 min read

Ontario's Secondary Curriculum

The Ontario Secondary Curriculum outlines the learning expectations for students in Grade 9 to 12 attending English-language public...

Mar 18, 20213 min read

Ontario's Elementary Curriculum

Ontario's Elementary Curriculum outlines the curriculum requirements and specific learning expectations throughout each of the elementary...

Mar 13, 20212 min read

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Hello, and welcome to our Environmental Education website! Let us introduce ourselves! Our names are Juliana (top) and Nicole (bottom) and we are graduating teacher candidates from Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. The two of us are working together to create resources for educators interested in learning more about environmental education and how it differs from country to country. With the help of professors from Nord University, we are working to create lesson plans for elementary and secondary grades. Specifically, we will be looking at Norway's curriculum and Ontario's curriculum.