Ecotopia vs. the United States: The Effects of Sustainable Education

The importance of the environment lies in the belief that children can best create meaning and make sense of their world through environments which support complex, varied, sustained, and changing relationships between people, the world of experience, ideas and the many ways of expressing ideas. The pre-schools tend to be filled with indoor plants and vines, and awash with natural light. Classrooms open to a central piazza, kitchens are open to view and access to the surrounding community is assured through wall sized windows, courtyards, and doors to the outside in each classroom.

Science is in my blood. I grew up always being fascinated in science both physical and environmental. My love for science started early when I was able to play outside every day and performing my own experiments in the backyard. Throughout middle school and high school, I took every available science course, I simply just wanted to know more. I did not know my exact path of study until my senior year in high school. I enrolled into an AP Environmental Science class, a brand new test run course at my school. Thinking back to AP Environmental Science, it was not just the material that directed my study. Ultimately it was my teacher, Mrs. Andre, who strengthen the flames of desire and intrigue to continue along the environmental studies path. Her drive and passion every day is what inspired me to focus on environmental education and communication.

When exploring water and gardens, it is important to apply the EYLF to children’s learning and development. Outcome two, children are connected with and contribute to their world allows children to develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities, respond to diversity with respect, be aware of fairness, and show respect for the environment (DEEWR, 2009). By developing these outcomes children begin to broaden their understanding of the world they live in. This can be explored by providing children with opportunities to explore the environment through gardening or water play and promote positive responses

environment are the views of a child, letting them lead communication and following their interest,

For this course we received a hands-on opportunity to view science in an outdoors setting at Nixon County Park. I attended a training session to learn more about the practices and procedures of nature education and assisted two grade levels of children that visited the park. I helped first graders on a nature walk and fourth graders on an indoor lesson about animals. Both were unique experiences that helped me learn to become a better teacher of science.

Let us call her a scientist and biologist in the making. Elizabeth is one of Ryan’s 12th grade students who is doing her senior project on sea turtles. Michael discussed tractability of the turtles and scientific development and suggests to her that she focus her project on that. Elizabeth said that she “wants to give a presentation to elementary school students, and sixth graders” to be more specific. Her project plan has great substance. She wants to impress upon our youth how important sea turtle sustainability truly is. Ryan says that he “likes to get his students involved and encourages project based activities as an effective learning tool.” Each year they do a senior project, which consists of the four P’s. The students are required to do an eight page paper; show a product; put a portfolio together; and give a presentation on their project. Last year Ryan’s class contributed 350 origami turtles to our 1,000, which are displayed in the new STPS education center. This contribution brings endless education opportunities to all knowledge seekers that come in every single day. Ryan’s preparatory based learning method is ideal as introductory college courses. His students will be better prepared for higher academia and performance achievements as they transition into

Mr. Harry Hwong, a Biology 1 teacher at Arroyo High School, has taught freshmen students first through sixth period for nearly 11 years. Before arriving at Arroyo High School, Mr. Hwong immigrated from Yangon, Burma in 1984 to San Gabriel, California in 1985 (while traveling to different countries between that year). He settled there with extended family, learned English, and adapted to American culture at a young age. Through his education life, Mr. Hwong attended Gabrielino High School for his high school years and later attended University California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s in Biology. He graduated in 2006. Mr. Hwong wanted to continue his education, so he worked hard and received his Masters Degree in Science Education at University

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder commonly known as ADHD is considered to be dangerous, but amazingly the symptoms of ADHD can be reduced by the natural exposure. Additionally, these four subjects (writing, listening, reading and mathematics) are very effective for students if is taught in an environmental school. Not only this, but environment based learning increases student's performance in critical thinking skills too. This is how environment and nature improve our mental and intellectual capacity. It is not essential to be enrolled in an environment based school to enjoy such advantages, one may get most out of the environment and nature by just shifting back to outdoor sports.

There are a whole lot of programs or curriculums out there that try to talk about the environmental and academic needs of children. In this paper, I will try my best to discuss the five components of the

When I was five years old I began school. In Kindergarden we learned basic things like letters, numbers, and how not to be fully engulfed in flames. For some reason, 2004 was the height of anti-fire education in Missouri and before I knew how to tie my shoes I knew that if I ever was ablaze, to cover my face, fall to my knees, and roll back and fourth. This is what my institution placed serious value upon and because I was a student of that institution I also placed serious value upon it. The same idea must be applied to a university's teaching of environmental sustainability. This is discussed in David Orr's "What is Education For?" Through choosing a curriculum a university chooses what it places value onto, by making the environment a priority it showcases to the future generations that environmental wellness is an important responsibility for them to take ownership.

Our education should be aimed at educating people who love the world they lie in and who are ready to become peacemakers and healers of the world (Orr 55). A sustainable society “consists” of citizens, workers, specialists, technicians, etc, who are ready to work in order to build and support such society. One of the ways to provide such education is to “get outdoor”. The skills and abilities develop in real world and not in artificial situations in class. In this regard, we may refer to the Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”. One should “touch” the real world problems and get personal experience from it. Shadows in the cave are the retrospectives of the real knowledge. To acquire the knowledge, we should leave the “cave”. We can learn theory separated from practice and this will not have any result. Instead, we should understand that every individual is a part of the natural world, thus, education should be based on ecological literacy as “health of our planet” is one of the most urgent questions of the modern social community.

The National Curriculum for Science (2013), anticipates to advance all pupils’ scientific knowledge and conceptualise understanding through the segmented scientific approaches; biology, chemistry and physics. In addition, pupils should have an awareness of the nature, processes and approaches used within science, through the various scientific enquires that enable pupils to answer questions related to the world and life. Finally, the aims of the science curriculum also consider that children must have the resources to fund the knowledge that is necessary to use science in the, present and future tense states the Department of Education (2013).

This should be firmly implanted in a child’s mind so that he may constantly be aware that man has a special responsibility to protect Nature. Students should be made aware of their responsibility and duty towards protecting nature and prevent its wanton destruction which unfortunately seems to be order of the day. Some simple practices like encouraging planting of trees periodically in their neighbourhood, watering the plants and nurturing them, digging pits for rain water harvesting should be taught. These and other would foster in a child caring and sharing attitude towards nature and life on earth and a deep appearance of the flora and fauna.

Since students in grades 3 through 5 typically learn better by incorporating all three learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) into their daily classroom work, instructors for these grades may find it easier to create and design lesson plans. Including sustainable development on a basic level into the curriculum at this age is generally not difficult because science and reading classes have usually touched on the subject of recycling or the environment. A simple, low-cost activity would be for students to make reminder plates for light switches and thermostats in their homes or schools (see Appendices A and B). This lesson allows students to be creative in designing the reminder plates and it allows them to teach their families and friends about conserving energy. Another easy, low-cost activity that can actually be done in all grades is creating bird feeders from milk cartons (see Appendix C). This lesson teaches students how to take already developed materials and reuse them to create something new. Students can also learn about how solar energy supplies more than just sunlight and heat to our planet by making solar sweet tea right in the classroom (see Appendix D). This lesson calls on students’ observation abilities and allows them to express their findings in their own words. The class may

This report is designed to investigate the rationale behind teaching Education for Sustainability (EfS) in early childhood education, through investigating the relevant issues and concept of sustainability in relation to the pedagogies and principles of early years education. The initial part of this report will focus on three issues of sustainability, all falling under the greater sustainability concept of waste management. The report will then go on to articulate the role and importance of EfS in early years principles and pedagogies. Finally, some teaching strategies for teaching EfS will be outlined.