Children’s representations about nature based on an affectively extended ecologic perception of life

Abstract

This article is supported by the perspective that mankind should relearn how to develop a feeling of belonging to Nature, and that environmental education should be seen not only as a group of informative activities aiming at “rational use of Nature’s resources”. The current study was aimed at identifying, by qualitative techniques (drawings and group dynamics), representations and affects related to Nature among nine students of 1st and 2nd grades of a Elementary School, in the city of Curitiba/PR/Brazil. Results presented a naturalist view of Nature, and the biophilic and topophilic relations of the children with the school’s grove. However, conflicts were observed relating to the belonging of mankind and their products to Nature. Such activities at school seem to be very important for the development of healthy relationships with the environment.

Keywords

• Educação Ambiental
• Afetividade
• Representações.