Assessing the contributions of green building practices to ecological literacy in the elementary classroom: an exploratory study. Issue 11 (2nd November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zangori, Laura; Cole, Laura
• Is Part Of: Environmental education research. Volume 25:Issue 11(2019)
• Page Start: 1674
• Page End: 1696
• Publication Date: 2019-11-02
• Subjects: Ecological literacy -- green building practices -- elementary classroom -- built environment; Environmental education -- Research -- Periodicals; 333.7207
• DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2019.1662372
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4622

Abstract

Abstract: Ecological literacy in the elementary classroom typically focuses on abiotic and biotic relationships, without including how human activity and ecosystems interrelate. A possible way for students to make these connections is through their school building. To that end, we examined ecological literacy outcomes for 5th-grade students in two classrooms, one classroom was a green classroom and the other was non-green. This study was exploratory with no curricular intervention. Results indicated that students' overall ecological literacy did not grow across the school year; however, students did use their physical classrooms to make human-ecosystem connections. While students were aware of ecological impacts of the two classrooms, they described these impacts differently. Students in the green classroom conveyed a positive human-ecosystem impact relationship while students in the other classroom used more negative tones. Implications suggest that students do use their building to make human-ecosystem connections, but require curriculum to further support their ideas.