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• Teaching eco-ethics through knowledge of children's cognitive growth
• Teaching the concepts of eco-ethics
• Teaching children the fundamental principles of eco-ethics

• Lesson Plan: The Earth is our home
• Lesson Plan: Eco-Ethics

• Using Maps to Teach Eco-Ethics
  
• Eco-Ethics ABCs for Children
  
• Our planet is in danger

Teaching ecological knowledge and ecological thinking should be based on scientific knowledge of children's cognitive growth and their social development. Socialization and enculturation of children is not an easy task. Children live in environments formed by previous generations and their way of thinking reflects their cultural background. They develop higher mental functions by internalization of beliefs, values and knowledge of their culture.

The main problem is that our children have been taught and have inherited wrong anthropocentric ideas of the world. They continue to spoil many of the things around them as the previous generations did. People on Earth must decide how to develop and enforce new values.

The role of adults in guiding the development of children's cognitive processes and their social development is crucial. We believe that eco-ethical ideas will find the way to children's hearts only if it is taught along with family monitoring. Social interactions of children should be encouraged to reveal their understanding of eco-ethics through discussions, reports, games, role plays, creative projects and practical activities.

Bearing this in mind we divided our Task Force into units including information group, search group, a group of lecturers, research group and photo-correspondents. All of these groups are supervised by teachers of different subjects. Parents are also involved in our Task Force activities.

Our strategies in the development of children's cognitive growth and their social development include:

• Provision of students with valid eco-ethical information and the encouragement of students to constantly search for new information.
• Teaching eco-ethical knowledge and eco-ethical thinking in eco-ethics lessons.

The aims of eco-ethics lessons may be defined as follows:

1. Teaching children to respect everything around them, every living and non-living thing on Earth.
2. Making children understand the differences in people's characters temperaments, abilities and experiences.
3. The development of children's abilities to solve interpersonal conflicts by:
   1. formulating the problem
   2. finding alternative solutions for the problem
   3. envisaging the consequences of every action of all participants of the conflict and the environment
   4. the involvement of students in activities which help them to develop positive self-concepts and learn the rules of socially acceptable behavior
   5. promoting and teaching environmental awareness and human responsibilities
4. Brainstorming local ecological problems and undertaking problem-solving actions under the guidance of adults (teachers, parents and all people involved).
5. Evaluation of students' performances in eco-ethical activities.
6. Issuing placards, posters, and newspapers with the results of undertaken activities.
7. Giving rewards to students and encouraging them to create new ideas and construct their creative projects. As we know, children learn better in an environment that encourages experimenting. Play activities, being central components in the social development of children give the opportunity to experiment and to learn about behavior.

Whose can is this?

Once we were playing in the yard
And suddenly saw a big trash can.
We never noticed it before
and were puzzled, asking 'Why?'
And 'When?'
A terrible smell, which we couldn't stand,
Wrappers and bottles around the can...
We asked whose can it was and heard:
'It's nobody's can'.
We asked the neighbors passing by
We were excited, almost cried:
'Who will take this can away?'
But people were deep in their thoughts.
Well, we were stubborn, as we had been taught.
We made a placard and marched through the yard
Shouting: 'People! Why do you pretend that it's nobody's land?'

Promoting and teaching environmental awareness and human responsibilities must be considered the main aim of coordinated efforts of parents, teachers, scientists and all other people on Earth. Many people, especially children, are not able to look at the world from the perspectives of others.

Most children, when asked to define the space they need to live in, confine this space to their own homes. Having built a narrow and self-centered world, people do not accept responsibility for their neighborhood, district, city, country and planet they live on. The graffiti on the walls of every block of flats, broken benches in the yards, and lots of litter in the streets are the evidences of an ego-centric attitude towards everything beyond the boundaries of people's own homes.

What is the way out? First of all children must be taught to evaluate themselves, to compare themselves with others, develop positive concepts of self-awareness and to judge the morality of people's behavior. Teaching eco-ethics we use situations with eco-ethical dilemmas: "It is a cold, rainy evening. You see a small kitten (or puppy) in the street. You bring it home, but your mother doesn't approve your bringing the animal home. What will you do?" You were playing with your friends in the school yard. You climbed the tree, suddenly the branch under your feet crashed. Would you run away and leave everything as it was or would you try to do something?" The list of dilemmas can be endless and any teacher can use them in real situations, helping children, especially teenagers, evaluate themselves and compare themselves to others.The members of our "Green Planet" organization use self-evaluating tests such as "You and your image", Lusher Color tests and many other things. Next, the test "How green are you?" will follow. It was made by Antonenko Alexander, a member of our Task Force, School 15, Sevastopol:

a) Your home
b) Your home, the yard and the street you live in
c) Your city
d) Your planet

a) Your home
b) The yard and the street
c) Your school area
d) Your city

a) Take part in cleaning
b) Convince other people to clean, writing articles for newspapers or making placards
c) Do nothing because you think there are people who are responsible for cleaning

a) Collect waste paper
b) Use recycled paper
c) Collect plastic bottles and tins

a) Leave your rubbish on the beach?
b) Put your rubbish in the first bin you found?
c) Take your rubbish home?

a) Feed the animals in winter
b) Plant trees and flowers
c) Make birds nests

a) Do you always buy meat?
b) Do you buy fish and meat?
c) Do you buy dairy products?
d) Do you buy fruit and vegetables?

• Mostly "a": You are not very green, you think it's not your job to do such things.
• Mostly "b": You are trying to be greener, but sometimes you fail. Try to learn more about nature. Think before you act.
• Mostly "d": You are really green! You think it's your responsibility to keep our planet clean.

The most effective way of teaching children responsibility is to involve them in cooperative work where group effort is paramount.

• School ecological congress was held
• Pictures of polluted places (beaches) were taken and newspapers, proclamations and placards were issued
• Some parts of Omega and Kamishovaya beaches were cleaned
• A group of our Task Force prepared lectures on eco-ethics (see photo below)

1. Homo sapiens is not the ruler of earth but a part of nature. The role of the human species in this world must be re-discussed and re-defined.
2. Nature has its own ways and designs and our task is to learn these.
3. Survival of our world is possible only if we establish a balanced co-existence of all its parts.
4. People should accept human responsibility for other ecosystem components.
5. Survival in our world is possible only if we manage to control our ancient animal instincts, develop new values and aims and further ideals such as virtue, altruism and love.
6. Economy and ecology are different sides of one coin. People should minimize the use of natural resources for selfish ends: reduce, re-use, recycle.

Many children lack emotions essential for their development because their parents are busy working to earn money to live, to buy them toys, computers and computer games and thus deprive their children of simple hugs, kisses and attention. A lot should be done by scientists and teachers to help show adults how to be good parents and role models. For example, there are many parents who drink more than they should, often leading to a life which depends upon the help of those around them.

Their children experience everyday tensions which may lead to disruptive behaviour. Something must be done with television programs and films that contain scenes of violence, crime and other upsetting topics. Television itself makes children more passive, creates the illusion that everything in life is easily done or achieved.

A scientific approach to teaching eco-ethics should be combined with a more integrated influence of words, colors and music on children. Scientific aspects of the phenomenon of word, color and music perception and its influence on people have attracted the interests of artists, musicians, writers, psychologists and teachers. The German poet and scientist Goethe (Farbenlehre, 1810) wrote: "Colors have great impact on our soul; they can evoke feelings, emotions and thoughts, comforting and exciting, they can make us sad or happy."

Teachers should use every opportunity to show the beauty of the world to students using films, pictures, music and color. Attempts have been made to use integrated influence of word, color and music in English and literature lessons and teachers could see the results of such influence. The creative abilities of children have grown greatly. They take part in developing eco-ethics ideas in fairy-tales and poems.

Goal: Pupils will learn about Earth, its components, the people, the place of a human being on Earth and the relationship of people with living and non-living things on Earth.

Objectives: By the end of the lesson pupils will be able to describe our Earth and its main components and to explain why it is important to help our Earth now.

Materials: Pictures, a globe, cassettes with sounds of nature, coloured paper and pencils, glue, scissors

I. Introduction.
Setting the goals. Warming up. Motivation. (Music, sounds of falling water, rustling leaves, birds singing).

T: Good morning, dear children! You are listening to the sounds of nature. Where can you hear such sounds? You are right — you can hear them in the forest, near the river or on the beach.

We have invited children from senior classes who like nature and take care of it. They are members of Green Planet Task Force. You also can join our Task Force. But first you should learn a lot about our Earth and help it in any possible way.

Today we shall learn more about Earth (members of Green Planet Task Force recite a poem about Earth)

Great wide beautiful wonderful world,
with the wonderful water round you curled,
and the wonderful grass upon your breast.
World, you are beautifully dressed!
The wonderful air is over me,
and the wonderful wind is shaking  the tree.
It walks on the water, and whirls the mills,
and talks to itself on the top of the hills.

 (William Brightly Rands)

II. Elicitation

T: What words do we use to describe our Earth?

P1 - big
P2 - beautiful
P3 - round
P4 - blooming

T: Well done. Now look at this globe — this is our Earth. What colours can you see on the globe?

P1 - blue
P2 - green
P3 - yellow
P4 - brown

T:  Remember our song about colours? (children sing a song)

Blue is the colour of the blue skies.
Blue is the colour of the blue-blue sea.
The colours of the rainbow
All around me.
The colours of the rainbow
Are beautiful to see.
Green is the colour of the green grass.
Green is the colour of the leaves on the trees.
The colours of the Earth
All around me.
The colours of the Earth
Are beautiful to see.

T: Where can we find the colour blue?

P1 - in oceans and seas
P2 - in rivers and lakes
P3 - in streams and ponds

T: Is there much water on Earth?

P1 - Yes, there is.

T: Let's see how much water Earth has. Have a look at this apple and the globe. Are they similar in shape ?

P1 - Yes they are almost similar.

T: Imagine that this apple is Earth. If we cut the apple into four parts, three parts of it will be water and one part — land. (Assistants give white paper circles to each pupil.) Take your pencils and divide the circles into four parts. Colour three parts of the circle in blue.

T: Let's divide the land (one part of the apple and every circle) into two parts — one is habitable (people can live there) and the other is inhabitable. Do you know why?

P1 - There are high mountains and thick forests there. People can't live there.

T: You are right. Now if we divide the habitable part into four parts we shall receive 1/4 of the Earth that gives food. If people destroy or make dirty this part, there won't be food for all living things. Can living things live without food?

P2 - No, they can't.

T: Are there other things without which people, animals and plants can't live?

P3 - Yes, there are. They are: air and water. All living things need air, water and food.

T: Thank you. Now assistants will play with you (music).

Assistant 1. Imagine you are trees and plants in the forest. If you are a tree your hands will be branches. Open them wide. What are your feet then? They are roots. Now stretch your hands to the sun. When a tree stretches up what it is doing? It's growing. Now the wind is blowing. Your fingers will be leaves and they will tremble like this (show). How do you feel being a tree?

P1 - I like the forest, everything around me.
P2 - I enjoy watching animals play.
P3 - I am glad that I help to make the air fresh.

T: Now assistants will help you to work in two groups.

Group 1: Imagine you are aliens from other planet and you want to know as much as possible about Earth. You have five minutes to prepare questions.

Group 2: You are from Earth. Answer the questions. If you don't know the answers assistants will help you.

III) Practice

G1 What is Earth?
G2 It's a planet.

G1 How big is it?
G2 It is not very big.

G1 What is there on your planet?
G2 There are oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests.

G1 Who lives on your planet?
G2 People, animals and plants.

G1 What do they need to live?
G2 They need water, air and food.

G1 We like your planet. Here are our presents! (stickers of animals and plants)

T: Now I want you to listen to the sounds of nature again. How do you feel when you hear them? Work in pairs and tell each other about your feelings.

P1 - I like the sounds of singing birds. I think I am in the forest. I feel happiness.
P2 - I like the sounds of rustling leaves. It seems to me that trees are talking.

T: Isn't this world beautiful? But there are problems on our Earth. Look at these posters, made by the members of our Green Planet Task Force. What is bad on our Earth?

P1 - People make the water dirty.
P2 - They throw trash everywhere.
P3 - Factories and cars make air dirty.

T: Can we help our Earth? How?

P1 - We can clean it.
P2 - We can plant trees.
P3 - We can feed birds and animals in winter.
P4 - We can make pictures, posters and placards about our Earth.

T: Thank you very much. Now let's make our mini-projects about the problems on Earth.

Group 1, your project will be about the sea.
Group 2, your project will be about our land.
Group 3, your project will be about animals and plants.

You have 7-9 minutes to prepare your projects. You can draw pictures, invent a poem, make a poster. (Children prepare projects.)

T:  Now let's start presenting your projects.

Group 1 (a boy with a blue cap plays the role of the sea and the girls with pictures are blue sea waves).

(boy) I am the sea and these are my waves. We are fighting with trash nights and days.
(girls) We want to be clean, blue or light green. Please, help the sea.

(Pictures of the sea, clean beach, dirty beach are presented).

Group 2 (a boy with a picture of a dolphin)

Look at me! I am your friend though I live in the sea and you live on land. I need clean water. Help me and save. We can swim and play together!

Group 3 Once upon a time there lived a boy. He liked to throw trash everywhere.

"An apple core here, plastic bottles there, I don't care."
One night he had a dream:
"Trash around me! What a terrible sight!
Trash in the bathroom, Trash in the bedroom.
Trash in the kitchen. Help me to fight!"
And since that time he put apple cores, paper and plastic bottles only into trash bins. (a picture of a trash bin with a smile)

T: Great! You are wonderful!

Assistants: Do you know the main rules of our Task Force?

Behave yourself as part of nature
And don't forget — it is in danger!
Don't spoil the water and the air.
To everything around you be fair.

T: What have you already done to help our Earth?

P1 - We have cleaned our school yard.
P2 - We feed birds every day.
P3 - We have taken care of plants in school and in our school yard.
P4 - We always take care of our pets.
P5 - We have drawn pictures to show how beautiful our Earth is.

T: You are good helpers of our land. Now we give you badges with the symbol of our Task Force Green planet. Your home task is to think what we can do to protect our Earth — the first. Second — to feed the swans in Omega Bay. Now we will sing a song to our Earth.

This is the day. This is the day.
To the Earth we sing. To the Earth we sing.
We will survive. We will survive.
And be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day to protect our land
We will unite and be glad in it.
This is the day. This is the day
To protect our land.

T: Thank you. See you next week.