Environmental Education

This week in class, we learned a lot about other types of education, like place based education and environmental education. I found a particular interest in environmental education because it is something I would have loved in my own schooling.  “Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions” (www2.epa.gov).

Thinking as a teacher would, I asked myself, “How would I be able to get kids interested in about environmental education at such a young age?” What kinds of activities could they do on their own that could get them thinking about helping the environment? During this week’s Pinterest assignment, I searched “Environmental education” and found a great pin that gives a science experiment on how oil spills can harm animals. In this experiment, the children use liquid soap, water, corn oil, and vegetable oil to see which liquid changes the look and feel of the feather.  Also, they determine which liquid absorbs in the feather and is repelled by it. Once the feather is cleaned with the toothbrush and soap, they can then see if the feather is restored to its natural state.  All of their results are written down and they come to a conclusion at the end. This is a great experiment that is simple enough do with kids, while still being a very important issue in the environment to learn about. In fact, it something that I would find fun to do myself.