This guide was compiled by a group of concerned young people from countries across Europe and the Mediterranean. The contributors are all from various backgrounds and various cultures who are not professionally dealing with environment however are devoted to nature and agree in working together for the environment. The diversity of the group enabled us to utilize the individual skills, backgrounds and ideas to form a pack which may be useful to nature lovers who are engaged in sharing nature with children and araising environmental awareness.
The guide has been designed in such a way that all contributors have agreed on the topics included as the basic ones to begin with. Each topic covered in this pack includes both information and activities for trainers so that they may receive a general background information and ideas on how to teach the topic. The guide was not designed as a textbook to be used in the classroom. It has the intention to provide some knowledge and more sensitivity on nature. It is important for the contributors of this book that the activities should not be used in such a way that they create a competitive atmosphere within the group.
We feel field trips are a valuable means for children to experience nature and form a relationship with the natural world. However, we do not recommend trips to zoos as they do not represent animals in their natural habitats and detract from the beauty of animals free in their natural environment.
For this pack, we have shared the knowledge that we possess and given examples to inspire ideas for trainers. Because this guide was compiled by and for a broad group of people, the information provided is very general. It is important that trainers adopt the information for their own region, and use the book as a gateway to find information for their own specific areas.
This guide provides information on subjects including basic ecology, biodiversity, and human impact on nature. The first two topics aim to help children find their ways in feeling and learning nature while the third topic will help them realize their responsibilities towards nature.Climate change cikti
It is to the discretion of the trainer to use knowledge appropriate to the age and level of education of the children. We believe that it is essential to use the drawings in the book as a tool to help children visualise the topics.
The information provided in this book is also available on a website (www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwdoga/), where information will be periodically updated. As we think everyone possesses knowledge which will enrich this project, the feedback from the volunteers utilizing this guide would be greatly valued by the contributors. We feel that this guide is not a finished product but is part of an ongoing process, which will evolve in time with knowledge to suit the future needs. For this reason we have provided an evaluation form on the website.