An Analysis of Strategies for Teaching Environmental Concepts and Values Clarification in Kindergarten

This study was initiated to evaluate a Kindergarten unit on the environment and associated pollution problems. The research design was a modified rotation design, permitting each group to act both as a control and experimental group. Two groups (each involving 17 students) were used in the study. The data indicated that many Kindergarten children can form concepts concerning issues and citizenship responsibility. The writers speculate that the instructional procedures used in this unit hold promise for use with other similar groups. (RH) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC makes every effort * * to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality.of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. *********************************************************************** AN ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS AND VALUES CLARIFICATION IN KINDERGARTEN Covey K. Bryant Carbondale School Dist. 95 Carbondale, Ill. 62901 Harold R. Hungerford Science,Education Center Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Introduction and Research Questions U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EOUCATION &WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION Der tvt 01 tAS PEEN REPRO I.E1LED ALC 11 V WECE svFD I wON T.1 PE. RON 1900 0{711,10 PO; NI', Or vg 0. oviNON; 1,11_ tv-, 001 C NI PRE %1 NAT i()NA1 rJ1r,tr or ft. :: 000.1001. 01. 00, IC . The writers have been able to identify no empirical studies dealing with environmental education concept formation and values clarification with respect to kindergarten children. If one assumes the necessity for formal instruction dealing with the environment and related issues and implementing said instruction at an early age as possible, the importance of such research becomes apparent. This particular study was initiated in an effort to evaluate a one-month kindergarten unit on the environment and associated pollution problems used by 'the senior author in the Carbondale, Illinois elementary schools during the 1975-76 school year. Three research questions were posed for the study: 1. W111 kindergarten children who have experienced the environmental education unit identify a significantly greater number of environmental problems than children receiving a control treatment? 2. Subsequent to the identification of environmental problems which they perceive as important, will kindergarten children be able to verbally communicate personal responsibilities (value positions) relative to those problems? 3. Subsequent to the identification of environmental problems which they perceive as important, will kindergarten children be able to verbally communicate the responsibilities of other people (value positions) relative tg those specific problems? * . 9 A complete record of all data, instructional models, instruments, :r and statistics associated with this research is available as an unpublished (N) Masters Thesis of the same title written by the senior author at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (62901), 1976.