Earth Friends is an
environmental education program
designed for children ages 3-8
Giving young children a foundation of where we live and how we live will unite a generation beyond geography, politics, and race. While adults come from a place of fight and save and fear, young minds are eager to learn about and love our planet and all life on it.
where we learn
to love and care
for our home
Today, 4 in 5 parents feel climate education should be taught in schools, 58% believe before kindergarten, and educators agree that the formative years are where habits form and neuroplasticity is in our favor. This is known as the “climate education gap.”
the Earth Friends program
the objective
to establish a foundation of environmental education in young children ages 3-8 that will prepare them to learn to love and respect our natural and built environments, other people, and their own health and well-being
The success of integrating environmental education into early childhood education curricula depends on certain criteria.
inclusion of hands-on activities, developmentally appropriate practices, and social emotional learning
repetition of concepts through movement, music, and routine
community events and initiatives that incorporate both the families of the children and the school
instituting sustainable routines throughout the operations of the school or center
Environmental literacy must be embedded throughout daily routines, interactions, and activities with young children. Once that takes place, climate action and environmental activism will naturally evolve in the children who have been permitted the self-agency to learn about the world around them and to understand their impact on it.
program structure
5 modules
The program consists of 5 modules. Each 6-week module introduces a subject of environmental awareness.
Q: DOES THIS WORK
WITH AN EMERGENT
CURRICULUM?
25 lessons
Each module consists of 5 lessons. The 20-min lessons include activities, experiments, visuals, school integrations, and more.
A: YES! FOR CHILD-CENTERED, OPEN CURRICULUMS, YOU CAN USE THE CONENT ANY WAY YOU LIKE.
5 community gatherings
Each module ends in community.
A gathering for the school, the children, and the families to celebrate what the children are learning.
the 5 modules
Module 1
Earth
natural element
climate zone
atmosphere
Rather than
teaching
climate change,
we explore an appreciation for our planet that gives
us all we need
to live.
Module 2
habitat
shelter
environment
biodiversity
Rather than
teaching
biodiversity loss,
we explore the many unique plants and animals
we share
our home with.
Module 3
farm
soil
food waste
insect
Rather than
teaching
food waste,
we explore an awareness
of our food,
where food comes from, where waste goes.
Module 4
energy
power
renewable
pollution
Rather than teaching pollution we explore the abundance of Earth’s renewable energy to move, go, and grow.
Module 5
material
natural resource
respect
impact
Rather than teaching over consumption we explore the value of things that humans can create.
the 5 lessons in each module
Each week the children have the chance to conceptualize the material in a new way.
week 1: LEARN
week 2: UNDERSTAND
week 3: OBSERVE
week 4
CONNECT
week 5: LOVE
Each lesson includes:
curious questions
engage minds, question what we know, express ideas, create possibilities
vocabulary words
from basic to big words, a literacy journey in understanding our world
good choices
how we apply what we are learning to our every day life, our actions and behaviors
class activities
learn hands-on, get creative, experiment with science, move our bodies
school supports
teacher-led activities throughout the week with consistent school support
family suggestions
experiences, activities, and discussions to learn outside of the classroom with family
gather in community
Community is
a vital aspect of environmental awareness.
Who are we? Who do we share Earth with? What is the power of the collective?
To celebrate each module, host a community event. It is fundamental to interact with what the children are learning and for them to share an experience with their teachers, family, and friends.
Why teach
Earth Friends in your classroom?
Young children need enthusiastic and positive, humans to share the truth of our world.
We have an opportunity to show them the magic of where they live and how they live so they will care for what they’ve learned to love later.
We must create new educational infrastructure.
While most preschool children cannot use letters to spell words, some are tracing letters, some are organizing letters to spell their name, some are singing their ABCs. Now, imagine a child entering first grade with no familiarity with letters. How might that child feel at school or how might that child interact with their peers? It is possible that the child would fall behind academically, not engage as much socially, and could significantly lack a means to express themselves and their talents.
Similar to how language starts with an understanding that letters exist, we can give children the understanding that planetary systems, ecological relationships, and production cycles exist. What they do with that information is far less important than knowing that information is out there.
At this early stage of academia, environmental education can be seen as an educational infrastructure. In the years to come, children will be met with the complexity of natural and humanitarian challenges, opportunities to act, and a deeper understanding of their impact and that of their peers, but at this formative age, environmental education is successful solely as introduction and observation
The Earth Friends Program can set the foundation for the years to come.
