Experience in environmental education of preschool children

Experience in environmental education of preschool children

From the experience of a teacher in environmental education of preschool children
Author: Natalya Vladimirovna Merzlyakova, teacher of the “Solnyshko” kindergarten, Municipal Educational Institution “Ynyrginskaya Secondary School”, Choisky district, Altai Republic.
Description: this project can be used (by changing the tasks according to the age of the children) in working with children in kindergarten, starting from the middle group and including the preparatory group (age of children from 4 to 7 years).
This material will be useful and interesting for kindergarten teachers. The attractiveness of this project lies in its accessibility, short-term nature, effectiveness, information and emotional richness. The advantage of developing this project also lies in the fact that in our rural areas, the implementation of this project is included in the immediate environment of children. Explanatory note: “Tell me - I’ll forget, Show me - I’ll remember, Let me try - I’ll understand.” (Chinese proverb) Relevance of the chosen topic Environmental education occupies an increasingly wider place in the development and upbringing of preschool children. The goal of environmental education for preschoolers is to form the beginnings of an ecological culture, to develop a consciously correct attitude towards nature in all its diversity, towards the people who protect it, to treat oneself as a part of nature, to understand the value of life and health and their dependence on the environment. Problems of environmental education are pressing problems of our time. This encourages the search for effective ways to solve it. A child is born a researcher. An unquenchable thirst for new experiences, curiosity, a constant desire to observe and experiment, to independently seek new information about the world, are traditionally considered as the most important features of children's behavior. Experimentation as a specially organized activity contributes to the formation of a holistic picture of the world of a preschool child and the foundations of cultural knowledge of the world around him. Research activities and experimentation help build relationships between the teacher and children on the basis of partnership. Experimentation in the older group is an important part of the educational process. The main form of work with preschoolers and the leading activity for them is play. But why exactly does play help a child develop? The fact is that the child’s brain is designed in such a way that if the baby is not interested in this or that subject, no matter how hard you try, he will not be able to remember and understand it properly. Ultimately, a situation may arise when the child completely begins to reject this or that activity. This means that the baby needs to be interested. Then experimental games come to the rescue. Therefore, I chose the topic of self-education “Games and experiments as a means of environmental education for children of senior preschool age.” The purpose of the work on the topic of self-education: study of play and cognitive-research activities as a means of environmental education of preschoolers. Objectives: - to study the characteristics of cognitive activity through gaming activities, namely environmental games;
- develop in children the ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships based on a basic experiment; — to develop environmental literacy in preschoolers. Children's experimentation is an important process of self-education for children. It helps children better remember the actions performed and the results obtained. In addition, at this time there is an active development of thinking and usually hand motor skills. Of course, when preparing for school, such games are simply irreplaceable - they prepare children for adult life and allow them to understand complex processes. All children (and many adults) like to gain knowledge without unnecessary stress. This helps you absorb more information in a shorter period of time. If the lesson in the senior group of the kindergarten is organized correctly, then in the end the child will be fully prepared for school life, and will also receive a load of useful additional knowledge that will help him at an older age. Games for the older group are the main source of knowledge about the world around us and its features. The game method has a number of goals that must be fully realized during various types of classes. The goals of the experiments are to create an interesting environment for each child. Games for the older group should develop knowledge about the world around us and the properties of various substances with which children will interact (water, sand, and so on). Experiments are also a great way to teach children how to handle certain objects, use them for their intended purpose in order to achieve the desired result. Experimentation in the senior group allows children to open up and show their knowledge in practice. Any business or activity must have its own objectives, which must be accomplished within the given period of time. So games have them too. Experimentation in the older group develops cognitive interests in children who are almost ready for school. This is extremely important, as lack of passion leads to loss of focus and concentration. And this has a detrimental effect on future performance. Games also develop children's thought processes and thinking in general. Sometimes to solve a given problem it is necessary to take a non-standard approach. If a person does not have the opportunity to develop his thoughts, then the right decision will not come from anywhere. Experimentation games in the older group should form in children a humane, tolerant and correct attitude towards people and the environment. In addition, at the end they also have to learn some discipline and rules of behavior. All experiments conducted with children must be somehow systematized and divided among themselves. The most successful way is to “split” by month. This helps to formulate the most appropriate approaches to gameplay, taking into account all the features of a particular month. It should be understood that at different times of the year, children's experimentation differs significantly from each other. Therefore, you should take into account the characteristics of your place of residence and the current time of year. So, for example, you can’t play in the sandbox in winter, and in the snow in the fall. Therefore, you should take into account the characteristics of your place of residence and the current time of year. Thus, I drew up a work plan for the school year on a creative topic with children of senior preschool age in the “Solnyshko” kindergarten. Download From the experience of a teacher in environmental education of preschool children

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MAGAZINE Preschooler.RF

The main goal of environmental education is the formation of the child’s correct attitude towards the nature around him, towards himself as a part of nature. Love for nature, a conscious, careful and interested attitude towards it, must be cultivated from early childhood, therefore I pay great attention to environmental education.

I have identified the following tasks:

• To form in preschoolers a conscious attitude towards nature, its phenomena and objects
• Improve the skills and abilities of observing living and inanimate objects of nature
• To develop ecological thinking, creative imagination and speech in the process of experimental and research activities of children
• Develop basic standards of behavior in relation to the natural world and the environment in general.

In my opinion, ecology can be integrated into all types of children's activities. Thanks to this opportunity, my work turns out to be both useful and interesting for both me and the children.

To successfully implement the assigned tasks, I have developed:

• A set of educational activities using ICT.
• A long-term plan for educational activities with preschool children has been developed.
• The experimentation center has been improved (experiments, experiments, observations), a natural corner with various plants, a vegetable garden has been created on the windowsill where children grow onions, garlic, beans, parsley, dill, oak trees, cucumbers, and flowers.
• The card index has been replenished, including a selection of presentations, environmental games, physical education lessons, riddles, poems and songs about nature.
• The children's mini-library with works of children's literature and various encyclopedias is constantly updated.

In my work on environmental education I use various traditional and non-traditional forms, methods and techniques, taking into account the age and individual characteristics of children.

The use of fiction in combination with small forms of folklore evokes a range of feelings in children - emotion, admiration, tenderness, delight. They instill in children a belief in the weight and significance of words.

To help children in an entertaining way identify the features of natural phenomena, seasonal changes in nature, determine the qualities of an object, the habits of animals, I use riddles, poems, proverbs, sayings, and nursery rhymes.

In nursery rhymes, all the phenomena and forces of nature come to life: the sun, rainbow, thunder, rain, wind, seasons live as animated beings. Children seem to come into contact with them themselves: they ask the sun for warmth and affection.

An important source of knowledge about nature is observation. One of the tasks of my work is to improve children’s skills in observing living and inanimate objects of nature. In the process of observation, children learn to peer, admire, rejoice and admire the beauty of nature; they develop observation and curiosity, a kind, caring attitude towards natural objects. Observation makes it possible to introduce children to natural phenomena and the relationship between living and inanimate nature. I organize observations with children when introducing children to plants and animals, the weather, the work of adults in nature, during classes and excursions, on walks, in a corner of nature, etc. Developed cycles of observations of living natural objects.

First of all, a corner of nature where indoor plants are kept helps to introduce children to nature and cultivate a love for it. Children see plants in this corner of nature every day; under my leadership, children systematically observe and care for them. Working in a corner of nature has great educational value. Children develop a caring, caring attitude towards nature and develop a responsible attitude towards their responsibilities. In the process of care, children gain an understanding of the diversity of the plant world, how plants grow and develop, and what conditions need to be created for them. Also in the corner of nature there is natural material, visual aids, educational games, card indexes of riddles about animals and plants, observations in nature, literary expression, physical education lessons, finger games, a nature calendar (children regularly record the weather and the state of wildlife that they observed on the street ). Various models are substitutes for real objects (globe, weather calendar, drawings-models of plants, animals and other natural objects, natural phenomena).

One of the effective and most interesting means of environmental education for children is gaming technologies, which include various types of games. I use environmental games primarily for the purpose of clarifying, consolidating, generalizing, and systematizing knowledge. While playing, children better acquire knowledge about objects and natural phenomena, learn to establish relationships between them and the environment, learn about ways of adaptation of living beings to the conditions of their habitats, about the sequential change of seasons and about changes in living and inanimate nature. Great opportunities for developing environmental feelings in relation to the world around us lie, first of all, in didactic games.

Didactic games are a multifaceted and complex phenomenon. This is a method and form of education, an independent play activity, and a means of comprehensive personality education.

I use didactic games not only in children’s free activities, but also include them in classes, targeted walks, as well as in experimental activities. Games with various natural materials (vegetables, fruits, flowers, stones, seeds, dry fruits) are very effective, which bring children as close as possible to nature, and always arouse keen interest and an active desire in children to play. For example: “Children on the branches” , “Tops and roots” , “Which tree is the leaf from” , “Wonderful bag” , “Guess what you ate” , “Find the same plant in the bouquet” , etc. Special joy and Children are interested in outdoor games of a natural history nature, which are associated with imitation of the habits of animals, their way of life: “Little Frogs and a Heron” , “Mice and a Cat” , some games reflect the phenomena of inanimate nature: “Droplets” , “Sun and Rain” , "Cheerful breeze" . The joy gained in the game helps to deepen children's interest in nature and the development of physical qualities.

In my work I use experimental research activities. Children are born explorers. And this is confirmed by their curiosity, constant desire to experiment, and desire to independently find a solution to a problem situation. My task is not to suppress this activity, but, on the contrary, to actively encourage it. I include experimental research activities in games and activities; it can be associated with children’s work in a corner of nature and in the garden.

The most effective way to implement the tasks of environmental education is to organize project activities. I have developed environmental projects “Young Nature Defenders” , “Let’s Help the Birds in Winter” , “Amazing Insects” , “Mushrooms - Mushrooms” , “Love and Know Your Land” , etc.

The general objectives of these projects were:

• to form in children and parents a sense of belonging to all living things, a humane attitude towards the environment and a desire to show concern for the conservation of nature.
• create an environmentally friendly environment on the territory of the preschool educational institution for the implementation of the priority direction;
• develop the cognitive skills of children and parents while mastering research methods of understanding nature;

organize practical environmental activities of children and parents;

• implement one of the forms of work with parents of design and research activities “Ecological Mail” .
• develop mutual understanding and mutual assistance between children, teachers, parents, the need for constant self-development of environmental culture;
• develop initial geographical concepts, familiarity with the simplest methods of orienteering;
• to educate children to have an attentive, reasonable, and caring attitude towards the natural environment.

The novelty of environmental projects lies in the use of information and computer technologies. The main fact that ensures the effectiveness of the educational process is the personal involvement of children and parents. By using new, exciting technologies, this inclusion can be achieved. Projects allow children and parents to participate in environmental actions ( “Clean Morning” , “Feed the Birds in Winter” , “So that the Trees Grow Big” , etc.). Working on environmental projects is a unique opportunity for children and parents to express themselves and benefit the surrounding nature of their native land.

Expected project results:

• creation of an environmentally friendly environment on the territory of the preschool educational institution
• increasing the level of knowledge on ecology in children
• improving the level of knowledge and environmental competence of parents on the topic of the project.

I pay a lot of attention to working with parents. I consider the main goal in interaction with the family to be achieving unity in raising a child. To achieve this goal, I organize environmental holidays for children and parents, outdoor entertainment events, exhibitions, performances, excursions, training games, tea parties, consultations, workshops, master classes. I select material for information stands and communicate individually.

All the work contributed to the unity of families and teaching staff, instilling in children a love for their home, for nature in general, the formation of a more holistic perception of the world, and the development of an environmental culture among preschoolers.

Analyzing the results of the work, I came to the conclusion that the formation of knowledge and skills in environmental education in children is most productive if it occurs in the context of practical, project and play activities, when conditions are created under which the knowledge acquired earlier becomes necessary for them, as it helps solve a practical problem and therefore are learned easier and faster.

Children have become emotionally active in the classroom, they have formed their own style of behavior and activity in nature, the level of their environmental education has significantly increased, which is expressed, first of all, in a qualitatively new attitude towards nature, participation in educational games, exhibitions, and competitions. Students from my group are regular participants and winners of competitions at various levels.

The experience of my work has shown that purposeful, systematic work on environmental education of preschool children, in an interesting, entertaining form, helps children see all the beauty of nature, reveal all its secrets and laws, instill in children kindness, a responsible attitude towards the world around them, the people who live near.