In this article, the author considers ecosystems in a much more holistic way and encourages children to consider how all the interactions within that ecosystem affect the balance of it. There is hardly an ecosystem on Earth that has not been somehow affected by human interaction. Humans are the ultimate ecosystem engineers, and it is important to…

Plastic waste and the bee population are two topics often discussed in relation to the environment. A practical activity in a primary school classroom linked to these areas can help to fulfil some of the requirements of the science curriculum. A study of the life of bees shows the importance of pollinators and highlights the concern many people…

The experience of visiting a zoo as a child can be remembered decades later and potentially influences future environmental attitudes. In light of steadily growing criticism of the ethics and value of live animal shows, some zoos are seeking alternative means of delivering 'edutainment' to a broad audience. One such alternative is through theatre.…

The possible roles of culture, gender, and age-related factors in decision making about socioscientific issues (SSIs) have been underexplored. To study the impact of culture and cross-cultural understanding on students' decision-making, and how these impacts are possibly mediated by age and gender-related variables, 106 11-13 year old students and…

"BioBlitz" events are popular local wildlife surveys often engaging public audiences in a race against time to find, identify, and record as many different species as possible in a given timeframe. This study provides baseline assessment of the value of BioBlitz as a tool for public engagement and collection of environmental data in the…

Popular demand for school-based outdoor learning is growing throughout the world, but there is relatively little use of international comparisons to inform the development and support of this growth. Motivations for providing outdoor learning may vary within and across countries/areas. Through understanding how different purposes are being…

ARKive is an initiative of the UK-based wildlife and educational charity, Wildscreen, whose mission is to promote the conservation of the world's biodiversity through the power of wildlife imagery. ARKive aims to produce a comprehensive wildlife guide to the natural world for those who cannot travel there by working with the world's very best…

The idea of using site biodiversity action plans to introduce biodiversity management initiatives into school grounds is outlined. Selected parts of a case study, involving the use of such an action plan to record, monitor and plan for biodiversity on a university campus, are described and ideas for applying a similar plan to a school setting are…

The new campus of Queen Margaret University College in the United Kingdom is designed to be a sustainable educational and community resource. Early consultation with students and staff on the campus design revealed a strong desire for a sustainable environment, with plenty of green space for all to enjoy. In response to this, the design focuses on…

This article argues the need for, and provides, a dichotomous single access key for the identification of common British wild flower families. A minimum of technical vocabulary is used while at the same time retaining most of the recent botanical names of families. The key provides a user-friendly opportunity for school pupils to become familiar…

This study explored and documented Taiwanese students' alternative conceptions of animal classification. We examined the understanding of the "animal", "vertebrate" and "invertebrate", "fish", "amphibian", "reptile", "bird", and "mammal" concepts among elementary,…

Discusses the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Founded in 1889, it is Europe's largest voluntary conservation organization with some 965,000 members. One of the organization's main goals is environmental education in schools and colleges and the society's junior membership. Another main thrust is its reserves in England for…

This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere;…