Sustainability and Environmental Education: Content, Competencies & Approaches for Primary School Teachers

This LTP approaches the relation between environmental education and sustainability. The LTP is organised in four units structured in a common theme: One Earth. Each unit approaches one sustainable development goal (SDG). Different educational resources are used  to develop content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge about actions to protect biodiversity and water, actions for sustainable consumption and actions for energy consumption reduction.  

Methodology

 The LTP is focused on hands-on and digital educational resources for the development of primary school students’ sustainability competences.

Author(s): Bento Cavadas, Susana Colaco, Neusa Branco, Elisabete Linhares (Politécnico de Santarém, Portugal)

Credits: Cover Photo by the Politécnico de Santarém* Team, TAP-TS Partner

ECTS Credits: 1.5

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LTP Overview

Overview 
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⬇️ Below, you can view and download the Learning and Teaching package with all the activities included, in English ⬇️

Unit 1. Introduction to Sustainability and Environmental Education

Unit 1 is an introduction to sustainability and environmental education. Unit 1 content is oriented for teachers. Teachers exploring sustainability and environmental education can have a profound impact on students and society as a whole. Exploring environmental education is crucial for teachers because it addresses a range of issues that impact the planet, society, and individual. Teaching sustainability fosters a sense of global citizenship. Students become aware of their role in a global community and the interconnectedness of environmental issues worldwide.

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     Click to download Handouts for Unit 1

Unit 2. My Actions to Protect Biodiversity

Unit 2 focuses on the SDG 15 | Life on Land. The SDG 15 main purposes are to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

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Unit 3. My Actions to Protect Water

Unit 3 invites to discuss and reflect on practices which aim is to develop the primary school students' understanding about water being part of complex global interrelationships and systems. Different situations to stimulate the primary school reasoning about the Earth’ water amount, how water is distributed and how water is used in different cultural contexts are going to be presented.

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     Click to download Handouts for Unit 3

Unit 4. My Actions to Protect Energy

Unit 4 aims to improve students' understanding of the concept of energy, the distinction between non-renewable energy resources and renewable energy resources. The objective is to better understand how small individual choices for a more sustainable lifestyle can have an impact on saving energy and contribute to the adoption of energy-saving behaviours.

Click to see and download Unit 4     Click to download Handouts for Unit 4