Schoolchildren’s use of poetry and paintings in conveying environmental messages

Abstract

Pupils aged 12-14 from the University of Ghana Primary and Junior High School conducted studies off the coast adjacent to Accra, including a field visit to explore the effects of climate change on the country's biology, ecology and physical environment. They composed poems and made paintings about the coast and sea as means of conveying their views about climate change. Content analysis of these compositions using a count of word descriptors revealed that particular themes or messages tended to recur in both poems and paintings. Both of them depicted Ghana as a beautiful place that was suffering from the negative impacts of climate change. There were, nevertheless, differences in the ways in which these two art forms were used to convey messages. For example, poems used words to stress the national importance of the seas, their value as assets of God's creation and the need for everyone to work together in order to manage them at sustainable levels. Paintings, on the other hand, used images to identify specific causes of pollution and climate change and to illustrate the uses of the seas. It is argued that the creative arts should play a more significant part in the science curriculum. Not only could they bring science to life in the classroom, but they could provide powerful mechanisms whereby young people communicate their own views on environmental issues to other members of society, especially non-specialists.

Environmental Topics in Biological Learning: Systematic Study of National Journal Article Indexed Sinta

“…On the other hand, the research results on the use of images to identify the causes of air pollution revive science learning and is a very appropriate mechanism in allowing students to communicate their views on environmental issues to other members of society (Gebbels et al, 2011).…”

“…Therefore, various topics and environmental issues are discussed in the curriculum of primary, secondary and higher education in various countries, including Indonesia. The main goal is to prepare students to individually and collaborate able to take positive actions in the environment, in addition to information transfer, improving knowledge, values and attitudes (N. Ardoin et al, 2018; N. M. Ardoin et al, 2020) To achieve these goals, various learning strategies and models are used, such as integration with mathematics to achieve quantitative abilities (Goldstein & Flynn, 2011), the art of drama to uncover social-science aspects of biology (Kinchin, 2011), poetry and drawing in the exploration of the impacts of climate change (Gebbels et al, 2011); various aspects of sustainable life education (Slingsby & Barker, 2003), the complexity of climate change (Olander & Doi: https://doi.org/10.22236/j.bes/535922 ISSN: 2614-1558 | 251 Olander, 2016), to explore the views of prospective teacher students about the relevance of science practising education in society (Mustanen & Uitto, 2020).…”