Sustainability and mindfulness using the example of the oceans
Transformative Education
Workshop Kindergarden Laas
As part of a project with the Laas kindergarten, Daria Habicher was able to teach the children in a playful way what sustainability means - using the example of a mindful approach to the oceans. The children learned how the ocean ecosystem works, who lives in it, why it is so important for humans, and how it can be protected. With the help of various objects, materials, and documents, the workshop should stimulate all the sensory organs of the children and in this way promote joy and curiosity in dealing with the oceans. You only protect what you have learned to know and love. This requires special and emotional experiences.
HOW DOES THE OCEAN ECOSYSTEM WORK?
WHO LIVES IN IT?
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR HUMANS AND HOW CAN IT BE PROTECTED?
Sustainability may seem like a vague concept at first glance. This is precisely why it is often not easy to communicate it, whether to children or adults. At the same time, however, it is a very important concept when it comes to shaping the future. In order to teach children the underlying values and principles in a playful way, we worked with the concept of mindfulness towards nature and people.
The aim of the highly interactive project was to teach the children the importance of mindfulness towards nature and people in a playful way and in a relaxed atmosphere. This was done using the example of the oceans, because they are one of the most important ecosystems that make life on the planet possible.
Module 1: What makes our oceans tick?
Module 1 aimed to explain the concept of mindfulness (sustainability) simply and using the oceans as an example. The children should learn what oceans are, how they work and why they are so important for humanity. They talk about which animals live there and how humans have an influence on the oceans - in a positive and negative sense. The children should understand the basic features of the ocean ecosystem, "experience" it in the best possible way and, in the best case, learn to love it.
Module 2: How can I protect the oceans?
In Module 2, the children changed to the first-person perspective. The question was what they can personally do to protect the oceans. For this purpose, always in relation to ocean protection, some concrete challenges and possible solutions were pointed out. Examples include using less plastic, participating in waste collection campaigns, eating only selected fish and little fish, cycling a lot, etc.
