The pilot tests consisted of 2 lesson plans conducted at the kindergarten school of Pera Chorio Nisou B’, involving 3 kindergarten teachers and 32 students and aiming to introduce children to innovative methods for learning complex topics. More specifically, the lesson titled “My Fish needs a Doctor”, was created to address key aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), revolving around ocean pollution and climate change environmental impacts, catered for kindergarten children including those who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH).
Lesson Plans and their Implementation
Pedagogical sequences and gamified activities were created with the purpose of enabling children to: 1) Understand the environmental impact of different professions (e.g. farmer, fisherman), 2) Learn about good practices that contribute to environmental sustainability, 3) Discover the link between environmental sustainability and green entrepreneurship, shaping a green entrepreneurial mindset from early on, 4) Comprehend seemingly complex topics through simple, familiar and playful activities, 5) Engage in interactive activities where they will observe, learn and think through play and demonstrate knowledge through creative means.
To help engage children in understanding the various threats posed to our oceans, teachers were encouraged to utilise the provided reading materials to familiarize themselves with these concepts. Visual aids such as images depicting polluted Vs clean oceans, were also provided which played a pivotal role for children in grasping a better understanding of the importance of ocean conservation, as well as being able to recognise the threats posed by human activities. To further enhance children’s engagement and understanding on the matters, activities such as roleplay, treasure hunt, painting, painting and more, were also incorporated in this learning adventure.
Teachers’ and Children’ Feedback
Overall, the lessons were received overwhelmingly positively by both teachers and children. Feedback stemming from both parties revealed that the lessons had clear objectives, engaging storytelling aspects, hands-on interactive activities, multidisciplinary integration and a focus on fostering a broader understanding of marine life and environmental stewardship. When asked to share one memorable moment from the project, one teacher stated: “One memorable moment was during the digital treasure hunt when the kids found all the hidden “pollution” items. Their excitement was really nice to see, and they cheered every time one of their classmates found an item that was polluting. It was rewarding to see them so engaged and being supportive of each other. “. This statement perfectly encapsulates the whole experience. A common feedback communicated was related to time restrictions and possible adjustments to fit all activities within the timeframes.