Reaching the Youngest LearnersEE for Early Childhood

Renee Strnad

Environmental Educator, Extension Forestry

Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

College of Natural Resources

North Carolina State University

renee_strnad@ncsu.edu

919-515-5518

www.plt.ces.ncsu.edu

www.plt.org

What is environmental education?

The goal of environmental education (EE) is to “develop a world population that is aware of, and concerned about, the environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitude, motivations, and commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones”.

BASICALLY - - develop an environmentally literate citizenry that understands environmental issues and how human decisions affect environmental quality.

What is environmental education?

• Systems: Children live in and learn about systems.• Interdependence: People are connected to each other

and to nature. • The importance of where one lives: Nature is local,

whether it is a backyard, vacant lot, park, or nature center. • Integration and Infusion: Environmental education does

not have to be a separate activity or “subject,” and is best integrated with experiences in a variety of curricular areas.

• Roots in the real world: Direct experience with authentic materials is a hallmark of environmental education.

• Lifelong learning: Inspiring curiosity about the world, creative thinking and problem solving, and collaborative learning build strong foundation for lifelong learning.

What is EE for early childhood?

• Helps develop a sense of wonder

• Appreciate beauty and mystery of the natural world

• Experience a closeness to nature

• Respect for the environment and other creatures

Also….

• Develops problem-solving skills• Develops an interest and appreciation in the world

around us

What is EE for early childhood?

• Less about organization and graduated achievements

• More about free discovery

– Personal Perceptions

– Attitudes

– Connections

Some might also call this p-l-a-y!

Need for EE

• In 2004, American children spent less than half as much time outdoors as their parents

• Kids are reported to spend 7 ½ hours per day on electronic equipment during their free timeThis is up from 6 ½ hours in Kaiser’s 2005 report

• Another longitudinal study found that children under 13 living in the United States spend on average only about half an hour of unstructured time outdoors each week (Hofferth & Sadberg, 2001)

Need for EE

• Reduced contact with nature leading to increases in ADHD

• Correlation with rises in childhood obesity

• Negative impacts on cognitive and conceptual development

• Makes compelling case for children to spend more time outdoors in structured and unstructured settings

Need for EE

“Within just one generation, the definition of ‘play’ has changed dramatically among children in industrialized countries.”

Dr. Ruth A. Etzel, 2010

The sedentary lifestyle of our nation’s children is linked to:

• Childhood obesity• Diabetes• Cardiovascular disease• Increased childhood asthma• Sleep apnea• Vitamin D deficiency• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) • Depression (McCurdy, et al, 2010)

Benefits of EE

• Physical activity is shown to improve children’s health, and a growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to natural environments can improve attention & decrease stress in children.

• Advising outdoor play in nature is a practical method for pediatric healthcare providers to address chronic conditions such as childhood obesity, as well as mental health; and one that is cost-effective & easily sustainable.

(McCurdy et. al, 2010)

Other Benefits: Cognitive

• Increased Focus/Improved Cognition: Proximity to nature, access to views of nature, and daily exposure to natural settings increases the ability of children to focus and improves cognitive abilities. (Wells, 2000)

• After play in a green/natural setting, students that suffer from ADD • Are more able to concentrate• Complete tasks• Follow directions

(Taylor, A.F., Kuo, F.E., Sullivan, W.C. 2001)

Other Benefits: Emotional & Social

• Taylor and her colleagues found that children with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) benefited from more exposure to nature –the greener a child’s everyday environment, the more manageable are the symptoms of ADD. (Taylor, 2001)

• Taylor also observed that access to green spaces for learning and play, and even having views of green settings, enhances peace, self-control, and self-discipline among inner-city youth, especially among girls.

Other Benefits: Health & Nutrition

• At the school environment level, researchers observed that children who experience school grounds or play areas with diverse natural settings are more physically active, more aware of good nutrition, more creative, and more civil to one another. (Bell & Dyment, 2006)

Other Benefits: Health & Nutrition

• Physical benefits of children being active in nature• Large/small muscle

development• Lower weight• Healthier numbers for

blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin

• Increase in serotonins (“good mood” chemicals)

Other Benefits: Attitudes

• EE experiences in the early years play a critical role in shaping life-long attitudes, values, and patterns of behavior toward natural environments

• Time spent indoors (at home and school) as well as traveling in vehicles versus walking are high risk factors for young children never developing positive feelings and attitudes towards the natural environment– Therefore, decreased environmental literacy competency

• As natural resource professionals, we seek attitude change, which lead to behavior change

What are the characteristics of good EE for early childhood education (ECE)?

• Developmentally appropriate

• Cultivate problem-solving skills

• Builds early literacy, artistic expressions, and aesthetic appreciation

• Foster authentic experiences to explore, investigate and appreciate.

• Planned with the whole child and every child

• Addresses a variety of learning styles, capabilities, and culture

What are the characteristics of good EE for ECE?

• Guidelines for Excellence from the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)

• Early Childhood EE Programs

• Six Key Characteristics• For birth to 8 year olds, with

focus on ages 3-6

Guidelines acknowledge that…

• Learning is more than a cognitive process

• Emotions play a particularly important role

• Environmental education often begins close to home, encouraging learners to understand and forge connections with their immediate surroundings.

Guidelines acknowledge that…

Therefore….• Early childhood educators should provide opportunities

for children to experience peace, joy, and fascination with nature because these emotions undergird the developing knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

• The environmental awareness, knowledge, and skills

needed for localized learning provide a foundation for moving out into larger systems, broader issues, and a more sophisticated comprehension of causes, connections, and consequences. (Harlan & Rivkin, 2008)

How to read the guidelines

Key Characteristic

Guideline (1.1, 1.2, ect)

What to look for

Indicators

Guidelines Exploration

Other things I have learned…• Not activities, but learning experiences

– Group Experiences- Music and Movement- Branching Out with Books- Snacks- Neighborhood Nature Walks

– Learning Centers- Art- Outdoor Explorers- Discovery Table- Math and Manipulatives- Dramatic Play

• Take homes to continue learning• Literacy connections are essential (reading, building vocabulary)• Young children can begin writing skills• Early childhood classrooms are very different from the typical k-12

classroom

Philosophy and Methods• Go Outside Often!• Involve the use of all senses• Begin with simple

experiences• Let students use their

imagination• Provide choices whenever

possible

• Emphasize the experience not the facts

• Integrate music and movement, art, and literature

• Keep children actively involved; they learn from play

• Engage parents to continue learning activities at home