Name: ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION THROUGH THE CURRICULUM
Uploaded: 2021-11-01
Duration: 8 min 35 s
Description: . . 1. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION THROUGH THE CURRICULUM.

. . 1. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION THROUGH THE CURRICULUM. 

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ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION THROUGH THE CURRICULUM

KwaZulu-Natal  Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs

ABSTRACT  
 
This lesson planning technique focuses not only on knowledge acquisition within the South

African General Education and Training (grade R to 9) curriculum framework but promotes the

building of learners’ action competence to deal with local contemporary sustainability issues.

The lessons are developed through a process of critical reflection on the inter-linked social,

economic, ecological, and political aspects of local contemporary stories taken from newspaper

articles. Through this issues-based approach learners as well as teachers are encouraged to

participate and contribute to democratic decision-making processes that have an impact on their

constitutional right to social justice and a healthy environment.

KEYWORDS  
Lesson planning; action; curriculum; newspaper articles

. . 2. BACKGROUND. South Africa’s track record of human rights abuses and unjust legislation is well documented.. 

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South Africa’s track record of human rights abuses and unjust legislation is well documented.

The adoption of the new constitution in 1996 with its emphasis on human rights, social and

environmental justice necessitated a review of all legislation and the introduction of laws and

policies based on the fundamental principles of the constitution (democracy, human rights, social

and environmental justice). In line with this mandate, a new outcomes-based schools curriculum

was launched in 1997which introduced the concepts of environmental and social justice into the

formal curriculum at the General Education and Training level (grades R to 9). This new

approach with its associated challenges for teachers was reviewed and streamlined in 2000 and a

revised curriculum based on grade specific assessment standards introduced in 2002. Teachers

and curriculum support staff (subject advisors) were thus expected to understand environmental

and sustainability issues as well as change their approach to teaching and learning in order to

implement the new curriculum successfully.

Social and environmental justice General Education and Training (GET)

Explain briefly the structure of the NCS…….

Enhancing capacity to implement the new policy

Our task as NEEP-GET (National Environmental Education Project for General Education and

Training) was to support curriculum developers and implementers(subject advisors and teachers)

to bring out the link between social justice and a healthy environment in each of the eight

Learning Areas(Subjects). Clusters consisting of subject advisors from all eight Learning Areas

met monthly over a period of three years. During cluster meetings (one-day workshops)

participants were allowed the space to critically look at environmental issues and the new

curriculum. To build on knowledge gained during cluster meetings, participants were given

“work-away tasks”. These tasks were often of a practical nature that involved the implementation

of ideas that emerged in the cluster meeting. The follow-up cluster meeting would start with

participants reflecting on, and sharing experiences and challenges they faced with the work-away

task.  Initial explorations of the concepts environment and environmental issues showed that most

subject advisors viewed environment as a physical “entity” out there that one could study,

conserve and look after. Environmental issues mentioned were of a global nature, like global

. . 3. 'Environment': A Web of Interactions , Policy Decisions National laws styks people living Inss Of Dive/sity • in thi LITI BIO-PHYSICAL International treaties Local -'Jobs & ECONOMIC Resources Pollution. 

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'Environment': A Web of Interactions
, Policy Decisions
National
laws
styks
people
living
Inss Of Dive/sity
• in thi
LITI
BIO-PHYSICAL
International treaties
Local
-'Jobs &
ECONOMIC
Resources
Pollution

warming, climate change, the ozone layer problem and deforestation in Brazil in spite of the fact

that some members were living next to the Durban South basin! (Highly polluted area). Subject

advisors could see how environmental learning infused/be part of Social Sciences, Natural

Sciences and Languages by can be focusing on topics such as water conservation, pollution,

ecology, and waste management. They however found it difficult to see it being an integral part

of all the other Learning Areas. Even after being introduced to the more holistic understanding of

environment, (O’Donnoghue, 1994) with its associated inter-linked economic, social, political and

ecological dimensions, one Mathematics advisor constantly reminded us that “Maths is Maths!...

you can’t infuse environment into Mathematics concepts!

. . 4. . . . STARTING WITH PHOTOGRAPHS In order to explore and focus on local environmental issues, subject advisors were issued with. 

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STARTING WITH PHOTOGRAPHS 
 
In order to explore and focus on local environmental issues, subject advisors were issued with

disposable cameras and asked to take photographs showing their local environment. The

photographs were analyzed in order to highlight social, political, economic and ecological issues.

Various issues were identified, as well as possible topics to be covered in particular Learning

Areas. On reflection however, the chosen topics were divergent, scattered and did not show the

interrelatedness between the various political, economic, social and ecological issues. Something

Fig2 Subject advisors analyzing their photos                                                                        Fig3 Looking at the photo from different perspectives… 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                      
                            Fig 4 Making links between environment, Learning Areas and Learning Outcomes

. . 5. USING NEWSPAPER ARTICLES We also used newspaper articles to get people to identify and extract the various aspects of. 

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USING NEWSPAPER ARTICLES 
 
We also used newspaper articles to get people to identify and extract the various aspects of

‘environment” within the stories. At this stage we were simply trying to make sense of the

holistic interpretation of environment and gain deeper insight into how this model manifests in

FRAMING IDEAS 
 
During the C2005 teacher training workshops for grade 6(June 2002) I was challenged to support

teachers in integrating environment into all Learning Areas, within a one-hour session! This was

attempted by drawing a series of frames around a central photograph depicting a local

environmental issue. The frames followed a sequence, in line with C2005 curriculum design

• Identify the issue/concern to be studied (Political, social, economic, bio-physical)

• Concepts to be explored in order to understand the issue

• Learning Areas in which the concepts can be explored

• Outcomes that could be developed in the Learning Area

•  Learning activities learners could engage in to develop understanding

• Learning Support Materials that could be used in the learning process

. . 6. A framework to develop curriculum activities related to a picture. 

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A framework to develop curriculum activities related to a picture

On reflection, this framing technique was:

• Open-ended enough to be non-prescriptive

• Contextually responsive to local issues

• Helped curriculum developers and implementers to re-orientate their practice from

focusing on topics such as water, pollution, and waste towards a more integrated, issue-

The photographs, however, were open to diverse interpretations since we did not know the story

. . 7. . Bridges to happiness. POTOGRAPH WITH AN ARTICLE. 

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The problem with using photographs only was that we did not really know the story behind the

pictures, and often the topics chosen for investigation were diverse and covered many unrelated

issues. Using newspaper articles with pictures, gave us an understanding of the story behind the

picture. Knowing the stories helped teachers and subject advisors in identifying more relevant

topics/issues to be “taught” in the different Learning Areas.

Developing lesson plans using the article

Newspaper article from a local newspaper                                         
 
 
Learning activities which teachers and subject advisors came up with were not designed to allow

learners to be critical of the status quo, nor did it allow for investigating the underlying causes of

How could we encourage critical thinking?..

. . 8. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AS AN ENABLING CONCEPT…. 

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AS AN ENABLING CONCEPT…

It was decided to critically explore the concept sustainable development in one cluster meeting,

since it was the focus of all media at the time (WSSD, Johannesburg, September2002). A satellite

photograph showing the earth at night (Time magazine) was used, together with critical questions

to initiate discussion around the concepts “development” and “sustainable”. Some of the critical

• What does it mean to be a developed/ developing or underdeveloped country?

• If we are developing, what are we developing towards?

• What criteria are used to determine whether a country is developed or not?

Heated debates took place around social injustice, human rights abuses, and access to natural

resources globally. By refocusing this debate back to our local newspaper articles, subject

By analyzing several newspaper articles published at the time, we were now critically looking at

the causes of environmental issues, as well as finding the interrelatedness of political, economic,

. . 9. social and ecological aspects of the environment. The article analysis also shows the relationship. 

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social and ecological aspects of the environment. The article analysis also shows the relationship

between social justice, human rights and a healthy environment . This relationship, which is a

central principle of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) for GET, was clearly understood

and revealed by the picture framing activity which subject advisors were engaged in.

In order to encourage a deeper understanding of the environmental and sustainability issues

within the stories, the cluster group was asked to form different focus groups namely economists,

conservationists, social workers and politicians. The various focus groups were asked to read the

same newspaper article but highlight only their aspect of the story (using colour felt pen).

This activity gives individuals the opportunity to “see the story” from another perspective.

A public meeting or a mock parliamentary session is then role played between the economists,

social workers, conservationists, and politicians, where the issues within the story are delved into

deeper, showing how the different perspectives are interrelated. Individual issues and parts of the

story are then cut out and pasted around the central picture, using the picture-framing tool.

Issues around “sweet success in beesness”  newspaper article unpacked by teachers

. . 10. The various issues/risks/topics identified can be turned into focus questions for further. 

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The various issues/risks/topics identified can be turned into focus questions for further

investigation through the use of the Active Learning Framework, an open-ended planning tool

developed by Rob O’Donnoghue during the NEEP pilot project in 2001.

The active Learning framework (O’Donnoghue, NEEP pilot 2001)

. . 11. . A summary of the process of developing lesson plans using newspaper articles and “picture-framing”. 

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A summary of the process of developing lesson plans using newspaper articles and “picture-framing”

Sharing 
info 
Enquiry 
Reporting 
Action

REVISED
NATIONAL CURRICULUM STATEMENT
GRADES R-9 (SCHOOLS)
POLICY
Overview and Learning
Area Statements

Learning Programme : eg.Social Sciences(Geography)

Lesson plans :  Women weave their way to success 
 
 
Grade : 5

Active learning activities  
Learning 
Support 
Material

Expanded opportunities: 
Fast learners: 
Learners with learning barriers:

. . 12. Noisy nuisance. . . . A number of lesson plans aligned to the RNCS were developed, using various newspaper articles.. 

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A number of lesson plans aligned to the RNCS were developed, using various newspaper articles.

It was found that the planning method allows for the delivery of the RNCS outcomes and

assessment standards whilst at the same time addressing current environmental and sustainability

Examples of newspaper articles used to produce RNCS aligned lesson plans in all Learning Areas

Poverty alleviation through sustainable use of wetlands

Traditional medicine and commercial farming

. . 13. POTENTIAL FOR THIS PLANNING METHOD This emerging curriculum design tool responds to many of the recommendations of Agenda21,. 

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POTENTIAL FOR THIS PLANNING METHOD 
 
This emerging curriculum design tool responds to many of the recommendations of Agenda21,

chapter 36(Earth summit, Rio 1992) as well as the Gabarone Declaration (EEASA conference,

Botswana 2002) in support of a re-orientation of curriculum development policies and practices

towards education for sustainable development:

1. the technique is a new creative way of dealing with local environmental/sustainability

2. It emphasizes the relationship between human rights, social justice and a healthy

3. It fosters action competence through contextual, open-ended inquiry and takes an

1. It opens new possibilities for developing learning support materials that reflect action-

orientated and contextual approaches to learning.

2. It allows teachers to interpret global issues critically in local contexts, in order to build

critical perspectives in environmental education.

The most useful newspaper articles have been those from critical, investigative

taking a broader focus on environment rather than only reporting on biophysical issues.

This curriculum design approach is emerging within a context of constantly changing education

policy and practice and with environmental educators eagerly anticipating the Decade of

Education for Sustainable Development(ESD). Various regional and international declarations

have highlighted the need to re-orientate education, as well the role of education in promoting

It is hoped that this design tool will contribute positively towards this ideal.

. . 14. References. 1. Agenda 21, chapter 36, Earth summit 1992, Rio de Janeiro. 

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1. Agenda 21, chapter 36, Earth summit 1992, Rio de Janeiro

2. Gabarone Declaration, EEASA conference 2002

3. O’Donoghue,R,2001. Active Learning in OBE, NEEP pilot project

4. Photographs from NEEP cluster meetings 2001-2002

5. Basket weaving photograph by Annetjie Theron, subject advisor Ladysmith

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION THROUGH THE CURRICULUM

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