International Journal of Educational

Science and Research (IJESR)

ISSN(P): 2249-6947; ISSN(E): 2249-8052
Vol. 5, Issue 6, Dec 2015, 27-38
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

DESIGNING COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS USING EXISTING MATERIALS ON MAIN SUBJECTS
RUN TIAN & TADAHARU ISHIKAWA
Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
ABSTRACT
The importance of interdisciplinary environmental education (EE) in elementary school is recognized
worldwide, but a practical approach for such instruction has not been established. Especially in China, The
interdisciplinary approach is difficult to implement because of the separation of subjects under the professional teaching
system. The present study proposes an implicit EE program that does not require plenty of extra hours, materials, and
teachers, as it will relate the environment-related articles appearing in the current textbooks of major subjects. The idea
was tested by analyzing one set of textbooks used in an elementary school in China. Case studies on the scenario of
domestic wastes and the composite scenario of animals and food are presented in this paper, and the feasibility of the
concept is discussed. The analysis showed that exercises for calculation training in the form of story problems in

they learn in Social Studies and Science. Further, the stories in Language will have the same function of EE if
environmental issues are given deeper consideration in the process of composing the textbooks.
KEYWORD: Environmental Education, Elementary School, Cross-Subject, Implicit Program

Received: Sep 23, 2015; Accepted: Nov 13, 2015; Published: Nov 18, 2015; Paper Id.: IJESRDEC20154

Original Article

Mathematics are useful in leading children to deepen their interest in and understanding of the environmental issues

INTRODUCTION
The term environmental education (EE) appeared around 1970, and its importance became recognized
worldwide through the Beograd Conference in 1975 and Tbilisi Conference in 1977 [1]. EE aims to develop in
students the internal capacity, such as respect toward and concern for the environment, as well as practical ability
to solve associated problems by nurturing social commitment with scientific knowledge, technological application,
and logical explanation. Elementary school education plays a basic role in EE, especially with respect to internal
development [2].
Germany, one of the leading nations in EE, began the evaluation of EE programs and teaching materials
for elementary school children in 1980 based on three criteria, namely, local concentration (lokale konzentration),
interdisciplinary approach (interdisziplinaritt), and hands-on orientation (handlungs orientierung) [3]. These
criteria are currently adopted in EE guidelines in many countries. Among them, the interdisciplinary approach
(i.e., EE coverage in many subjects) is often regarded as the most important to build up the overall capacity of
students, as frequent discussion from different angles would deepen childrens interest [4].
In practice, however, the interdisciplinary EE program has not been properly organized owing to the
many requirements for each subject regulated by national criteria. In the case of Japan, the EE guideline lists
environment-related topics from each subject, but the links among them are left to teachers to address, without any

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Run Tian & Tadaharu Ishikawa

suggestions for integration [5]. In the case of China, the target of this study, the interdisciplinary approach is more difficult
to implement because of the requirements of the professional teaching system in elementary school; a professional teacher
takes charge of one subject, which is different from other countries where one teacher (usually the homeroom teacher)
teaches all of the main subjects.
The current study presents a scheme for comprehensive education in elementary school that could accommodate
interdisciplinary EE under the present Chinese system. In the proposed type of EE, environment-related topics in the
existing textbooks of school subjects are used to construct a number of scenarios, and then interfaces among the originally
independent topics are designed under specific scenarios. The concept was tested by analyzing one set of textbooks used in
an elementary school in China. Case studies on the scenario of domestic wastes and the composite scenario of animals
and food are presented, and the feasibility of the concept is discussed.
Study Framework
Background
The guideline on elementary school education in China provides 24 school hours for EE in six years of education
(90 minutes per semester on average), which is less than 79 school hours as the actual results in Japan [7]. According to a
survey by Yao in 2008 [8], however, only 60% of schools in city areas and 6% in rural areas satisfied the above criterion.
Liu [9] reported three reasons for the low rates: teachers indifference to EE, lack of a practical EE program, and lack of
professional EE teachers.
However, the underlying practical condition seems more complicated. The professional teaching system enhances
the independence of one subject, and each teacher is occupied with efforts to motivate children to achieve high marks for
them to succeed in the competitive examination for excellent junior high schools. As a result, schools assign many hours to
major subjects, which are important for the examination. EE is not provided with enough hours for teachers to design a
program or plan a series of classes on environmental scenarios, except for specially assigned schools (Green schools).
Further, positions for professional EE teachers are limited. In addition, the chance of supplemental EE by NGOs is less
developed in China compared with other countries. The authors do not intend to criticize the above system but consider a
possible form of EE befitting the current system, given that reforms to the present educational system focusing on EE will
cause friction at many sides. The basic idea of this study is to form an implicit EE program by connecting the
environment-related topics contained in the existing textbooks of school subjects. The program will not need plenty of
extra hours, materials, and teachers if the teachers of existing subjects are interested in environmental issues.
Outline of Comprehensive EE
From the viewpoint of program topics, Social Studies and Science are the closest to EE: Social Studies cover
topics on environmental issues in daily life, whereas Science includes those on the anthropogenic changes in natural
environment. Meanwhile, Language and Mathematics are not directly related to EE. However, textbooks for Language
contain a variety of stories introducing the linguistic rules and new characters at each stage of childrens growth, in which
environmental issues can be mentioned. Textbooks for Mathematics prepare exercises for children to master their
calculation skills; exercises can be related to EE, such as story problems. If the stories and exercises are well connected
with the environment-related topics in Social Studies and Science through a number of scenarios, the implicit EE program
will lead children to the essential ideas for environmental consciousness.

Impact Factor(JCC) : 4.3912

NAAS Rating : 2.72

Designing Comprehensive Environmental Education in

Elementary Schools Using Existing Materials on Main Subjects

29

The EE guideline in Japan classifies the items of EE to four categories [10]: (1) wastes and resources, (2) nature
and life, (3) energy and global warming, and (4) Earth-friendly society. In this study, several sample scenarios were created
based on this classification. This work shows a scenario on domestic wastes from #1 and a composite scenario of
animals and food from #2. The textbooks adopted by the elementary school attached to the Northeast Normal
University were used for the investigation. The textbooks have different publishers but are common for each subject (Table
1). All of the textbooks are provided for 12 grades from 1A to 6B. In addition, the published textbooks follow the official
composition following the education guideline for each subject. Textbook selection by schools generally depends on the
convenience for teaching.
Table 1: Textbooks Used in this Study
Subject
Social
Studies
Science
Language
Mathematics

Publisher
Beijing Normal University Press
Educational Science Publishing House
Changchun Press
Beijing Normal University Press

Case Studies
Domestic Wastes Scenario
Table 2 shows the units that contain topics related to domestic wastes. The topics appear about once a year on
average. The three topics in Social Studies and Science (2, 3, and 7) are the main issues in the units, discussions on which
will include environmental problems. However, the four topics in Language and Mathematics (1, 4, 5, and 6) are sample
stories and example exercises, and teachers may not use them to raise childrens awareness of the environment. Each
material is summarized as follows:
Table 2: Units Containing Topics Related to Domestic Wastes
Grade
1A
1B
2A
3A
4B
5B
6B

Social Studies

Science

Language

Mathematics
(1) Classification

(2) Waste can be utilized

(3) I love my hometown
(4) Oceans
(5) Beautiful future
(6) Fraction calculation
(7) The environment

In the unit Classification in Mathematics 1A, many examples for classification familiar to children are
presented; furniture, stationery, fruits and vegetables, drinks, and wastes (Figure 1). From the figure of garbage
boxes, teachers can lead children to consider which waste is for incineration or recycling, and which waste is not
waste but can be reused. From the examples of fruits and vegetables, they can consider that peels and cores may
be eaten through certain methods of cooking. From the examples of drinks, the future of containers, such as cans,
plastic bottles, and cartons, can be discussed. Short quizzes for 10 to 15 minutes (a quarter of one school hour)
will help the class consider about the practical meanings of classification in relation to waste problems.

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Run Tian & Tadaharu Ishikawa

(a) Fruits, Vegetables, and Drinks

(b) Wastes
Figure 1: Illustrations for Classification Examples (Mathematics 1A)

Pages on Waste can be used in Social Studies 1B introduce many examples of handicraft made from used cans,
cardboards, foam, polystyrene, and other materials (Figure
(Fig
2a). Although these pieces will not last long and may
return to being waste, children will learn that the definition of wastes is not unique;
uniq
waste materials may be
reused. If the teachers of Social Studies lead the children to remember the classification in Mathematics in the
previous semester by communicating with the teacher of Mathematics, then the children can grasp the general
ideas of EE across the two subjects.

In the unit I love my hometown in Social Studies 2A, a number of illustrations show wastes being thrown on the
streets and children discussing with the teacher ways for keeping their town clean and beautiful (Figure
(Fig
2b). Their
ideas for improving the town environment are also illustrated on the next page. The lesson demonstrates the
extension of the waste problem from the home to the town, and the Social Studies teacher can explain the
connection.

(a) Creating Handicrafts

fts Using Used Materials

(b) Ideas to Keep Towns Clean

Figure
ure 2: Solid Wastes (Social Studies 1B and 2A)

The unit Oceans in Language 3A introduces poetic articles on the beauty and mystery of the oceans,
accompanied by illustrations of various aquatic
a
lives and resources (Figure 3a). The unit is not related to wastes.
Interestingly, the illustration shown in Figure 3b is inserted in the unit The age of electronics, which comes
before Oceans and presents the negative impacts of modern civilization.
civilization. The illustration implies the disposal of
waste to oceans. The waste problem is thus expanded to the ocean. If the Language teacher shares the topics of
waste disposal problems with the Social Studies teachers, then the former could comment on ocean pollution.
p

Impact Factor(JCC) : 4.3912

NAAS Rating : 2.72

Designing Comprehensive Environmental Education in

Elementary Schools Using Existing Materials on Main Subjects

(a) Ecosystems in the Ocean

31

(b) Pollution of the Ocean

Figure 3: Oceans (Language 3A)

The unit Beautiful future in Language 4A starts from the story of a little blue skirt written by an American: A
girl was awarded the first prize for contributing to the class, and she was given a blue skirt. In seeing the beautiful
skirt, her mother felt proud of her daughter, but at the same time, she considered the girls shirt as well as hands
and legs to be too dirty. She washed the girl and changed her shirt. Then, she felt that their home was too dirty for
the cleaned girl to live in. They cleaned their home. The father was glad to see the cleaned home and his beautiful
girl when he came home in the evening, and he thought he should clean the garden and the entire house the next
morning. Upon seeing their beautiful house, the neighbors thought they must clean their own houses and streets.
As a result, the entire town became beautiful. If the Language teacher shares the idea of environmental
conservation, he will lead the children to remember what they learned in Social Studies 2A. In this way, Language
can contribute to EE if the textbooks provide the stories that satisfy not only the requirement of Language learning
but also promote ideas on the environment.

(a) Girl and her Reward

(b) Discussions

Figure 4: The Blue Skirt Story (Language 4A)

At the end of the unit Fraction calculation in Mathematics 5B, many exercises are prepared in the form of story
problems. Figure 5 shows an exercise with the topic recycling used paper. The importance of recycling is
written in the first sentence, and information on the amount of used paper and recycling ratio is given in the text
of calculation conditions. In their calculation, children will know that the amount of used paper is huge. A careful
teacher would indicate that the present recycling ratio in China (1/10) is much smaller than the world average
(1/2). In this way, Mathematics can contribute to EE by taking the topics related to environmental problems in
story problem exercises.

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Run Tian & Tadaharu Ishikawa

Figure 5: Story
tory Type Exercises on Waste Problem (Mathematics 5B)
5B

A quarter of Science 6B is devoted to environment issues; the problem of waste disposal is the largest topic. The
volume of garbage produced in Beijing is shown at first (Figure
(Fig
6a), then the treatment methods and their merits
and demerits are explained
ained (Figure 6b), and the importance of collection of garbage by type (Figures.
(Fig
6c and d),
which appeared in the unit Classification
Classifi
in Mathematics 1A (Figure 1b), is emphasized in the last part. This
recurrence was not plotted by the publishers, given
given that the two textbooks have different publishers (Table 1).

(a) Garbage dumping

(b) Merits and Demerits of Landfill

(d) Garbage Collection Boxes

(c) Collection of Garbage by Type
Figure
ure 6: Illustrations in the Unit on Waste Problems

"Animals and Food composite scenario

An important factor in EE is human dilemma. People enjoy the urban life in modern society, which offers
convenient traffic, a variety of appliances, and plenty of delicious food, but not the hazards caused by them, such as air and
a
water pollution, destruction of nature, and global climate change. Human beings must find the point of compromise
through comprehensive and balanced consideration. The contradiction between Value of lives and Food from lives
was taken as an example for teaching and discussing the human dilemma. Table 3 lists the articles on animals

and food
indicated by the symbols A and F,, respectively. To save space, only those articles important for the scenario composition
are described.

Impact Factor(JCC) : 4.3912

NAAS Rating : 2.72

Designing Comprehensive Environmental Education in

Elementary Schools Using Existing Materials on Main Subjects

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Table 3: Articles on Animals (A) and Food (F)

Grade
1A
2A
2B
3A
3B
4B

Social Studies

Language
A-1 F-1

Mathematics

F-2
A-2, A-3

A-4
A-5
A-6

A-7

A-8

5A
5B

F3

A-9
A-10

6A
6B

Science

F-5
A-12,
A-13

F-4
F-6

A-1
1

A-14

Article A-2 (Animals are our friends) in Social Studies 2B asks children which animal they like the best and the
reason for their choice, expecting that they become friendly to other creatures. The next section A-3 (Wildlife protection)
indicates that many wild creatures are endangered and then emphasizes the need to protect them using many illustrations
and pictures. This topic is adopted for the exercise in the unit Addition and subtraction (A-4) in Mathematics 2B, where a
girls comment The better the environment is, the more wildlife species increase! is added (Figure 7a). It is the rare case
that a Mathematics textbook expresses a value judgement corresponding to that in Social Studies. This coordination across
subjects may have been plotted by the publisher, as both textbooks were published by one company.
Three articles on wildlife in Language (A-5, A-6, and A-10) appeal that animals and birds have families (parents
and children) as do humans, using poems and stories. The expected outcome is to encourage the childrens sympathy
toward other creatures, regardless of the differences in species of animals and style of expressions.

(a) Mathematics Textbook 2B

(b) Language Textbook 3A

Figure 7: Illustrations on Protection of Wildlife

In contrast to the psychological appeal in Social Studies and Language, Science describes the facts on human and
animal lives. A-9 in Science 5A introduces the idea of food chains showing the relation among typical animals: Birds eat
caterpillars before butterflies, snakes eat eggs before birds, and hawks eat snakes. Then, a question is put forth on the
results of anthropogenic changes to grassland with consideration for three factors: grassland, rabbits, and hawks. The
teacher expects the answer With the reduction of grasslands, the number of rabbits must decrease owing to the decrease of
their food supply, and with the decrease in number of rabbits, hawks will decrease in number because they cannot kill and
eat enough rabbits. The lesson clearly shows that animals are not friends among themselves; they kill and eat one another

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to survive. The Science teacher, who may not be aware of the articles that the children read in Language, will say that these
facts are scientific. However, how can the children find the point of compromise between them? Who can help them find
the answer in the present professional education system?

Figure 8: A Part of a Food Chain (Science 5A)

Topics on food appear six times in total, as shown in Table 3. Pages
Pag of F-3 inn the Science 4B textbook (before
the article A-9 on the food chain) provide information on human foods in daily life, and a research is recommended to
classify the foods from animals or plants as well as cooked or fresh (Figure
(Fig
9). The dish in the picture contains types of
meat. If the teacher encourages the children to remember
remember this part when they study the food chain, then the
th children will
realize that humans are also involved in the food chain to survive. The lesson will give them a deeper understanding of the
relation between humans and animals compared with the idea We are friends provided in their Language class.

Figure 9: Research Subject in Science 4B

Meanwhile, F-2 in Social Studies 2A introduces the production process of crops and vegetable. The unit expects
children to understand that food is produced through the effort of a large number of farmers, and therefore, people must
appreciate them and should not waste food. At this point, valid questions include How wide is the total farmland in
China? How are farmlands created? The textbook does not refer to these points, but children will easily notice that the
land was grassland and forest, where a variety of animals inhabited. One reason for not wasting food is that farmlands were
developed at the cost of wildlife. The realization will lead children to consider the meaning of the article on wildlife
protection (A-3) in Social Studies 2B.
Other articles on food, namely, F-4 in Mathematics 5B, F-5 in Social Studies 6A and F-6 in Language 6A,
emphasize the importance of not wasting food, which may be attributed to the eating habits in China, especially in urban
areas. Indeed,
ndeed, the environmental damage due to massive food production using excess chemical fertilizers and
agrochemicals, as well as the impoverishment and population outflow of farm villages, is growing in severity in China [11].
The circumstances may be too difficult
fficult for elementary school children to grasp, but suggestions will be useful as
introduction to studies in junior high school and higher education programs, given that this issue is one of the major
national problems for sustainable development.
The lastt unit of Science The environment summarizes the environment-related
environment related topics that the children learned
in Science for the last six years. The last page of the unit appeals for the need to protect endangered wildlife species, and
introduces the constructionn of natural reserves in China. The unit is concluded with the line Give your opinions for
preserving the environment (Figure 10). It is not easy to find solutions only in the domain of science. However, if the
Impact Factor(JCC) : 4.3912

NAAS Rating : 2.72

Designing Comprehensive Environmental Education in

Elementary Schools Using Existing Materials on Main Subjects

35

students can synthesize what they learned in other subjects, they could come up with various answers, including those for
the food problem. The scenario sharing in the implicit EE program among teachers will increase this possibility.

Figure 10: The Parting Words in the Last Unit in Science

DISCUSSIONS
Table 4 shows the standard time allocation in elementary and junior high school, and the percentage of minimum
credit requirement in high school in China [12]. Content-unclear subjects are eliminated. In elementary school, the hours for
Language and Mathematics stand out, whereas those for Social Studies and Science, which are the most
environment-related subjects, are less than the hours for even Gymnastics and Arts. By contrast, the percentages of hours
for Social Studies and Science increase in high school, with consideration for the childrens growth stage. Thus, Language
and Mathematics should be utilized for EE in elementary school through the proposed implicit program.
Table 4: Standard Time Allocation in Elementary, Junior High and High School (%)
School
Elementary
Junior high
High school

Sociology
7 to9
11 to 13
17.2

Language
20 to 22
20 to 22
8.6

Math
13 to 15
13 to 15
8.6

Science
7 to 9
7 to 9
15.5

English
6 to 8
6 to 8
8.6

Gym.
10 to 11
10 to 11
9.5

Arts
9 to 10
9 to 10
12.1

Three stories listed in the column of Language in Table 3 (A-5, A-6, and A-10), other than the story on the blue
skirt ((5), Table.2), expect the children to consider other creatures from a sentimental view. This was a common tone and
pattern in the other stories relating to different aspects of the environment (water, resources, etc.) in Language study.
Although Language study has the important theme of developing humanity, more practical stories to prompt actions for
improving the environment, similar to the blue skirt story, should be included.
Meanwhile, Mathematics exercises contain a variety of story problems. Table 5 lists the topics used for
calculation training. The meaning of each environmental issue is also explained briefly in the story problems. Choosing
topics for calculation training offers freedom, and if the topics are linked to the items in Social Studies and Science in the
same semester, then the childrens interest toward environmental issues will be deepened, as shown by the example in
Figure 5, where protection of wildlife is encouraged.

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Table 5: Topics of Story Problems for Calculation Training in Mathematics

Grade
1A
1B
2A

Topics
Garbage collection by type
Collection of plastic bottles
Handicrafts using used cans**

Grade
4A
4B
5B

2A

Sale of used goods at a bazaar

5B

2B

Wildlife increase in an improved environment**

6A

3A
3B

Number of insects that frogs eat

Wasted water by careless tap operation

6A

Topics
Volume of garbage transported by trucks
CO2 consumption by trees
Recycling amount and rate of used paper
Budget saving by stopping the wasting of
food
Decrease of fish population caused by water
pollution**
Capacity of water resources in China**

The Social Studies and Mathematics textbooks analyzed in this study were published by one company. The four
topics in the Mathematics exercises marked with double asterisks in Table 5 have counterparts in lessons in Social Studies.
The publisher may have considered the linkage of contents across subjects. Thus, encouraging publishers to design
linkages among textbooks with environment-related topics will enhance the implicit EE program, and it may raise the
teachers consciousness toward the environmental problems they discuss.

CONCLUSIONS
This study proposed an implicit EE program, which facilitates interdisciplinary EE under the current elementary
school education system in China. The implicit program does not need plenty of extra hours, materials, and teachers, as it
connects the environment-related articles appearing in the textbooks of major subjects.
The case study on a set of textbooks showed that the design of several scenarios for the implicit program is
possible through teamwork among the teachers, and that exercises for calculation training in the form of story problems in
Mathematics lead children to deepen their interest in and understanding of the environmental issues they learn in Social
Studies and Science. Further, the stories in Language will have the same function as EE if publishers consider
environmental issues more in the process of composing the textbooks.
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