Study on practice for environmental education in connecting food and gardening in early childhood education

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350250
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Science education
• Research Institution: Osaka Ohtani University
• Principal Investigator: JIGE Mayumi 大阪大谷大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (20406804)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 環境教育 / 食育 / 栽培 / 保育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gardening and cooking activities are already practiced in Japanese early childhood services. We surveyed on the actual conditions, objectives of gardening and food education activities, and the existence of the viewpoint of environmental education. Children can prepare soil, plant seeds or seedlings and water them, observe growth, harvest crops, engage in cooking, eat, and maintain compost. Through this cycle of experiences, children develop an awareness of our dependence on the natural world (e.g., soils, plants, sunlight, water, and various organisms) and on other people (e.g., farmers, store clerks, and cooking staff). If educators could be add the aim of new environmental education to the practice of existing gardening and cooking activities, it is considered that activities up to now will develop into comprehensive activities including all aspects including nature experience, food education, and environmental education.

Free Research Field

環境科学