Biodiverse edible schools: Linking healthy food, school gardens and local urban biodiversity

Biodiverse edible schools link local urban nature and healthy food

Fischer, L.K., Brinkmeyer, D., Karle, S.J., Cremer, K., Huttner, E., Seebauer, M., Nowikow, U., Schutze, B., Voigt, P., Volker, S., Kowarik, I., (2018). Biodiverse edible schools: Linking healthy food, school gardens and local urban biodiversity. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

Nurture thru nature: Creating natural science identities in populations of disadvantaged children through community education partnership

Experimental evidence provides some support for nature-based interventions in improving academic performance in language arts and science

Camasso, M.J., Jagannathan, R., (2018). Nurture thru nature: Creating natural science identities in populations of disadvantaged children through community education partnership. Journal of Environmental Education, 49(1), 30-42.

Children's interest in school garden projects, environmental motivation and intention to act: A case study from a primary school of Cyprus

Attending to student psychological needs may increase effectiveness of environmental education programs in promoting pro-environmental motivation and intention

Christodoulou, A., Korfiatis, K., (2018). Children's interest in school garden projects, environmental motivation and intention to act: A case study from a primary school of Cyprus. Applied Environmental Education & Communication

Place-based outdoor learning: More than a drag and drop approach

Place-based outdoor learning extends the success of the Forest School approach

Lloyd, A., Truong, S., Gray, T., (2018). Place-based outdoor learning: More than a drag and drop approach. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21, 45-60.

First Nation pedagogical emphasis on imitation and making the stuff of life: Canadian lessons for indigenizing Forest Schools

Incorporating First Nations pedagogy in Forest Schools in Canada requires an appreciation of imitative learning

MacEachren, Z., (2018). First Nation pedagogical emphasis on imitation and making the stuff of life: Canadian lessons for indigenizing Forest Schools. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21, 89-102.

Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: No tools, no toys, no art supplies

Nature kindergarten programs in Victoria, Australia are built around local conditions and influences versus imported Forest School practices

Christiansen, A., Hannan, S., Anderson, K., Coxon, L., Fargher, D., (2018). Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: No tools, no toys, no art supplies. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(1), 61-75.

Recognizing connection to nature: Perspectives from the field

Advancing the field of connectedness to nature requires collaboration and resource sharing of coherent, replicable, and context-sensitive measurement tools

Perrin, J.L., (2018). Recognizing connection to nature: Perspectives from the field. Environmental Education & Communication, 17(1), 3-13.

Birds in the playground: Evaluating the effectiveness of an urban environmental education project in enhancing school children's awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards local wildlife

Urban children experience gains in knowledge and attitudes towards local wildlife while participating in a bird feeding and monitoring project

White, R.L., Eberstein, K., Scott, D.M., (2018). Birds in the playground: Evaluating the effectiveness of an urban environmental education project in enhancing school children's awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards local wildlife. PLoS ONE, 13(3)

Why forest gardening for children? Swedish forest garden educators' ideas, purposes, and experiences

Forest gardens in urban settings can promote outdoor education goals with less investment of resources than for traditional school gardening and forest excursions

Almers, E., Askerlund, P., Kjellstrom, S., (2018). Why forest gardening for children? Swedish forest garden educators' ideas, purposes, and experiences. The Journal of Environmental Education, 49(3), 242-259.

Back to the Garten: Ontario kindergarteners learn and grow through schoolyard pedagogy

Inquiry-based learning in the outdoor classroom may promote children’s autonomy

MacDonald, K., Breunig, M., (2018). Back to the Garten: Ontario kindergarteners learn and grow through schoolyard pedagogy. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education

Sustaining schoolyard pedagogy through community academic partnerships

Schoolyard-focused community academic partnerships can be effective in enhancing students’ understanding of ecological principles and increasing their awareness of environmental issues

Breunig, M.C., (2017). Sustaining schoolyard pedagogy through community academic partnerships. Leisure/Loisir, 41(3), 467-490,.

The Hare and the Tortoise go to Forest School: Taking the scenic route to academic attainment via emotional wellbeing outdoors

Young children from disadvantaged backgrounds participating in a 3-year Forest School show increased well-being and academic development

McCree, M., Cutting, R., Sherwin, D., (2018). The Hare and the Tortoise go to Forest School: Taking the scenic route to academic attainment via emotional wellbeing outdoors. Early Child Development and Care, 188(7), 980-996.

Discussing Nature, 'Doing' Nature: For an emancipatory approach to conceptualizing young people's access to outdoor green space

Active engagement with green space can shift children’s view of nature from being abstract and inaccessible to a place where, even children with disabilities, can feel connected to the natural environment

Von Benzon, N., (2018). Discussing Nature, 'Doing' Nature: For an emancipatory approach to conceptualizing young people's access to outdoor green space. Geoforum, 93, 79-86.

A forest-based environment as a site of literacy and meaning making for kindergarten children

A forest environment provides kindergarten children with rich opportunities for literacy and meaning making

Streelasky, J., (2018). A forest-based environment as a site of literacy and meaning making for kindergarten children. Literacy

Education for what? Shaping the field of climate change education with children and young people as co-researchers

Climate change education can become an entirely new field of educational experience and inquiry when it is inclusive of and led by young people

Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Rousell, D., (2019). Education for what? Shaping the field of climate change education with children and young people as co-researchers. Children's Geographies, 17(1), 90-104.

Contact with urban forests greatly enhances children's knowledge of faunal diversity

Contact with urban forests can greatly enhance children’s knowledge of native animals

Sampaio, M.B., De La Fuente, Albuquerque, U.P., da Silva Souto, A., Schiel, N., (2018). Contact with urban forests greatly enhances children's knowledge of faunal diversity. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 30, 56-61.

Young children claiming their connection with nonhuman nature in their schoolground

Four-year-old children express an authentic need for connecting with nonhuman nature in their schoolground

Tsevreni, I., Tigka, A., (2018). Young children claiming their connection with nonhuman nature in their schoolground. Children, Youth and Environments, 28(1), 119-127.

Listening in: Spontaneous teacher talk on playscapes

Nature-based events tend to elicit science-relevant teacher talk

Kloos, H,, Maltbie, C., Brown, R., Carr, V., (2018). Listening in: Spontaneous teacher talk on playscapes. Creative Education, 9, 426-441.

Wild Pedagogies: Six initial touchstones for early childhood environmental educators

Wild Pedagogies proposes a different way of being in and learning about the world

Jickling, B., Blenkinsop, S., Morse, M., Jensen, A., (2018). Wild Pedagogies: Six initial touchstones for early childhood environmental educators. Australian Journal of Environmental Education

Ecological identity, empathy, and experiential learning: A young child's exploration of a nearby river

Nature and parent working together can become key contributors to the development of a child’s ecological identity

Humphreys, C., Blenkinsop, S., (2018). Ecological identity, empathy, and experiential learning: A young child's exploration of a nearby river. Australian Journal of Environmental Education

Cultivating positive youth development, critical consciousness, and authentic care in urban environmental education

Physical and social features of an urban environmental education leadership program act as affordances in promoting youth assets and critical consciousness

Delia, J., Krasny, M.E., (2018). Cultivating positive youth development, critical consciousness, and authentic care in urban environmental education. Frontiers in Psychology, 15

What difference do role models make? Investigating outcomes at a residential environmental education center

Students who identified known adults as role models exhibited enhanced environmental responsibility, character development and leadership, and attitudes toward school

Stern, M.J., Frensley, B.T., Powell, R.B., Ardoin, N.M., (2018). What difference do role models make? Investigating outcomes at a residential environmental education center. Children's Geographies, 24(6), 818-830.

Youth e-participation as a pillar of sustainable societies

A game-based and expert-supported approach engages youth in urban planning for a sustainable future

Rexhepi, A., Filiposk, S., Trajkovik, V., (2018). Youth e-participation as a pillar of sustainable societies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 174(10), 114-122.

Connecting brawn, brains, and people: An exploration of non-traditional outcomes of youth stewardship programs

Stewardship programs should be place-based and build trust among participants, leaders, and partner organizations

DuBois, B., Krasny, M.E., Smith, J.C., (2018). Connecting brawn, brains, and people: An exploration of non-traditional outcomes of youth stewardship programs. Environmental Education Research, 24(7), 937-954.

Rethinking preschool physical design: Enhancing environmental stewardship among children

Physical design elements of preschool settings should maximize children’s interactions with nature

Shaari, M.F., Ahmad, S.S., Ismail, I.S., (2018). Rethinking preschool physical design: Enhancing environmental stewardship among children. Asian Journal of Behavioural Studies, 3(13), 128-139.

Unsettling food security: The role of young people in Indigenous food system revitalisation

Children have a key role to play in revitalizing the critical connection between access to Indigenous food systems and Indigenous food security

Bagelman, C., (2018). Unsettling food security: The role of young people in Indigenous food system revitalisation. Children & Society, 32(3), 219-232.

Nature-based learning for student achievement and ecological citizenship

Nature-based learning recognizes and addresses the needs of both students and the natural world

Chawla, L., (2018). Nature-based learning for student achievement and ecological citizenship. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 20(1 & 2)

Developing ecological literacy in a forest garden: Children's perspectives

Forest gardens can be used to foster children's ecological literacy

Hammarsten, M., Askerlund, P., Almers, E., Avery, H., Samuelsson, T., (2019). Developing ecological literacy in a forest garden: Children's perspectives. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning,, 19(3), 227-241.

Using culturally-relevant experiential education to enhance urban children's knowledge and engagement in science

An experiential science education program with a focus on cultural relevancy and eco-justice increased urban children’s knowledge and engagement in science

Djonko-Moore, C., Leonard, J., Holifield, Q., Bailey, E.B., Almughyirah, S.M., (2018). Using culturally-relevant experiential education to enhance urban children's knowledge and engagement in science. Journal of Experiential Education, 41(2), 137-153.

Fostering children's connection to nature through authentic situations: The case of saving salamanders at school

Authentic conservation project is used to promote an enduring positive relationship with nature

Barthel, S., Belton, S., Raymond, C.M., Giusti, M., (2018). Fostering children's connection to nature through authentic situations: The case of saving salamanders at school. Frontiers in Psychology, 8

Use of children's literature to support an emerging curriculum model of education for sustainable development for young learners

Children’s literature can be an integral component of education for sustainable development for young learners

Bhagwanji, Y., Born, P., (2018). Use of children's literature to support an emerging curriculum model of education for sustainable development for young learners. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 12(2), 85-102.

The effectiveness of a head-heart-hands model for natural and environmental science learning in urban schools

Disadvantaged youth showed improved academic performance after participating in an environmental and science education program using a head-heart-hands approach

Jagannathan, R., Camasso, M.J., Delacalle, M., (2018). The effectiveness of a head-heart-hands model for natural and environmental science learning in urban schools. Evaluation and Program Planning, 66, 53-62.

Learning in the Finnish outdoor classroom: Pupils' views

Reflection on learning may raise students’ awareness of what they’re learning in an outdoor setting

Sjoblom, P., Svens, M., (2019). Learning in the Finnish outdoor classroom: Pupils' views. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning,, 19(4), 301-314.

Preschool educators' interactions with children about sustainable development: Planned and incidental conversations

Giving children a voice can empower them to act as agents of change for a more sustainable future

Bautista, A., Moreno-Nunez, A., Ng, S-C., Bull, R., (2018). Preschool educators' interactions with children about sustainable development: Planned and incidental conversations. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50, 15-32.

Running Wild: Engaging and empowering future custodians of place through creative nature-based play

Creative nature-based play embedded in the participatory arts fosters children’s connection to nature and promotes their ability to act as agents of change in their local environment

Beer, T., Cook, A., Kantor, K., (2018). Running Wild: Engaging and empowering future custodians of place through creative nature-based play. Journal of Public Pedagogies,, 3

Developing a nature-based four-year-old kindergarten program: OAK Learning Center at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, WI (USA)

Developers of a nature-based public preschool describe its development and perceptions of success in academic, physical, social and emotional development and connectedness to nature realms

Ashmann, S., (2018). Developing a nature-based four-year-old kindergarten program: OAK Learning Center at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, WI (USA). International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(1), 35-43.

Growing a nature kindergarten that can flourish

Guiding principles for developing a nature kindergarten focused on place-based learning, environmental stewardship, Indigenous ways of knowing, and an emergent curriculum

Elliot, E., Krusekopf, F., (2018). Growing a nature kindergarten that can flourish. Australian Journal of Environmental Education

Exploring urban design strategies that maximize the benefits of urban nature for children's well-being

Integrating high-quality natural areas into dense urban settings offers benefits to children, other community members, the municipality, and the natural environment

Mangone, G., (2018). Exploring urban design strategies that maximize the benefits of urban nature for children's well-being. Ecopsychology, 10(4)

Four methods for engaging young children as environmental education researchers

Engaging young children as co-researchers recognizes their agency and right to be involved in matters of relevance to them

Green, C., (2017). Four methods for engaging young children as environmental education researchers. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 5(1)

Growing democratic citizenship competencies: Fostering social studies understandings through inquiry learning in the preschool garden

Garden-based inquiry learning can foster the development of democratic competencies in preschool children

Casey, E.M., DiCarlo, C.F., Sheldon, K.L., (2019). Growing democratic citizenship competencies: Fostering social studies understandings through inquiry learning in the preschool garden. The Journal of Social Studies Research

Preschool children's knowledge about the environmental impact of various modes of transport

Swedish preschool children are aware of the environmental impact of different modes of transportation

Borg, F., Winberg, T.M., Vinterek, M., (2019). Preschool children's knowledge about the environmental impact of various modes of transport. Early Child Development and Care, 189(3), 376-391.

The Environmental Commons in Urban Communities: The potential of place-based education

Place-based stewardship education in urban communities promotes knowledge, skills, and motivation needed for sustaining common-pool resources

Flanagan, C., Gallay, E., Pykett, A., Smallwood, M., (2019). The Environmental Commons in Urban Communities: The potential of place-based education. Frontiers in Psychology, 10

Fluid or fixed? Processes that facilitate or constrain a sense of inclusion in participatory schoolyard and park design

Authentic participation of children in playspace design offers challenges and opportunities

Kreutz, A., Derr, V., Chawla, L., (2018). Fluid or fixed? Processes that facilitate or constrain a sense of inclusion in participatory schoolyard and park design. Landscape Journal, 37(1), 39-54.

A coordinated research agenda for nature-based learning

A diverse team of stakeholders presents a framework for research to advance the understanding and implementation of nature-based learning

Jordan, C., Chawla, L., (2019). A coordinated research agenda for nature-based learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 10

The psychological and social benefits of a nature experience for children: A preliminary investigation

Spending time in nature has psychological, social, and pro-environmental benefits for children

Dopko, R.L., Capaldi, C.A., Zelenski, J.M., (2019). The psychological and social benefits of a nature experience for children: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 63, 134-138.

Impacts of outdoor environmental education on teacher reports of attention, behavior, and learning outcomes for students with emotional, cognitive, and behavioral disabilities

Students with special needs demonstrated longer attention spans and fewer disruptive behaviors while participating in outdoor learning activities

Szczytko, R., Carrier, S.J., Stevenson, K.T., (2018). Impacts of outdoor environmental education on teacher reports of attention, behavior, and learning outcomes for students with emotional, cognitive, and behavioral disabilities. Frontiers in Psychology, 3

Young children's contributions to sustainability: The influence of nature play on curiosity, executive function skills, creative thinking, and resilience

Nature play can contribute dispositions and skills relevant to sustainability

Ernst, J., Burcak, F., (2019). Young children's contributions to sustainability: The influence of nature play on curiosity, executive function skills, creative thinking, and resilience. Sustainability, 11(15)

Greening of daycare yards with biodiverse materials affords well-being, play and environmental relationships

Playspaces with diverse vegetation and environmental microbiota are not only safe, but also provide rich opportunities for creative play and learning

Puhakka, R., Rantala, O., Roslund, M.I., Rajaniemi, J., Laitinen, O.H., Sinkkonen, A., ADELE Research Group, (2019). Greening of daycare yards with biodiverse materials affords well-being, play and environmental relationships. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16)

Green schools in Taiwan -- Effects on student sustainability consciousness

Green schools and non-green schools have similar effect on the sustainability consciousness of students in Taiwan

Olsson, D., Gericke, N., Boeve-dePauw, J., Berglund, T., Chang, T., (2019). Green schools in Taiwan -- Effects on student sustainability consciousness. Global Environmental Change, 54, 184-194.

Exploring human-nature relationships amongst young people: Findings of a quantitative survey between Germany and South Africa

Young people in Germany and South Africa are detached from the natural world

Gräntzdörffer, A.J., James, A., Elster, D., (2019). Exploring human-nature relationships amongst young people: Findings of a quantitative survey between Germany and South Africa. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 14(7), 417-424.