Observation as the main method of environmental education for preschool children

Observation as the main method of environmental education for preschool children

Observation as the main method of environmental education

Teaching methods are ways of joint activities between the teacher and children, during which the formation of knowledge, abilities and skills, as well as attitude towards the surrounding nature, is carried out. In the process of environmental education in a preschool institution, teaching methods such as visual, practical, and verbal are used. Visual methods include observation, looking at paintings, demonstrating models, movies, filmstrips, etc. Visual methods most fully correspond to the possibilities of cognitive activity of preschool children and allow them to form vivid, concrete ideas about nature. Among the various methods of environmental education of preschoolers, an important place should be given to observation. Its essence lies in the sensory knowledge of natural objects, in their knowledge through various forms of perception - visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, olfactory, etc.

Observation is a specially organized by the teacher, purposeful, more or less long-term and systematic, active perception by children of objects and natural phenomena. The purpose of observation can be the assimilation of various knowledge - establishing the properties and qualities, structure and external structure of objects, the reasons for the change and development of objects (plants, animals), seasonal phenomena. To successfully achieve the goal, the teacher thinks through and uses special techniques that organize the active perception of children: asks questions, offers to examine, compare objects with each other, establish connections between individual objects and natural phenomena. The meaning of observations. The observation method in environmental education of preschool children is the main one. The need and significance of its use are associated, first of all, with the nature of the knowledge available to preschool children. The main stock of knowledge accumulated by a child in preschool age is ideas, i.e. images of previously perceived objects and phenomena. The more specific and vivid the idea, the easier it is for the child to use it in practical and cognitive activities. And this requires frequent direct meetings with nature, observation of its objects and phenomena. Observation allows children to show nature in natural conditions in all its diversity, in the simplest, clearly presented relationships. Many connections and relationships of natural phenomena are accessible to direct observation and visible. Knowledge of connections and relationships forms the elements of a materialistic worldview of nature. The systematic use of observation in the process of environmental education teaches children to notice its features and leads to the development of observation, and therefore, the solution of one of the most important tasks of mental education. Observation of nature is also an inexhaustible source of aesthetic impressions and emotional impact on children. The inclusion of various senses in the process of observation ensures the completeness and specificity of the knowledge being formed. Observation must be accompanied by precise speech from the teacher and children so that the acquired knowledge is assimilated. Since observation requires concentrated voluntary attention, the teacher must regulate it in time, volume and content. There are the following classifications of observations: 1. types of observations according to the nature of cognitive tasks; 2. types of observations by duration; 3. types of observations by number of children. Types of observations according to the nature of cognitive tasks. 1. Analyzing or recognizing observations. The purpose of these observations is to form in children ideas about the diversity of plants and animals, objects of inanimate nature, to recognize the characteristics of certain objects, their properties, characteristics, and qualities. 2. Observation of the growth and development of plants and animals, as well as changes in inanimate nature. The purpose of these observations is to generate knowledge about the stages of growth and development of plants and animals, seasonal changes in nature. 3. Recreative observations. The purpose of these observations is to develop the ability to establish (recreate) a whole phenomenon or natural object based on its individual characteristics (parts). For example, to determine by color whether a fruit is ripe or unripe, by a fallen seed, which tree it belongs to, by the trail - which animal has passed, etc. Types of observations by duration: 1. short-term; 2. long-lasting. Types of observations by number of children: 1. frontal; 2. group; 3. individual. General requirements for organizing surveillance. Each type of observation requires a kind of guidance from the teacher. At the same time, there are general requirements for conducting all types of observations: 1. The purpose and task of the observation must be set clearly and specifically. In all cases, the task should be educational in nature, force the child to think, remember, and look for an answer to the question posed. 2. For each observation, the teacher needs to select a small circle of knowledge. Children's ideas about natural objects are formed gradually, as a result of repeated encounters with them. Each observation should give children new knowledge, gradually expanding and deepening their initial ideas. 3. The organization of observations should be systematic, which will ensure their interconnection. As a result, children will form a complete, deep understanding of the surrounding nature. 4. Observation should contribute to the development of children’s mental and speech activity. Activation of mental activity is achieved by a variety of techniques: setting a specific and accessible observation task, using survey actions as a method of observation, drawing on children's experience, pronouncing the results of observation, comparing one object with another, presenting questions of varying degrees of complexity. 5. Observation should arouse children’s interest in nature, the desire to learn as much as possible about it. 6. The knowledge acquired by children during the observation process should be consolidated, clarified, generalized and systematized using other methods and forms of work. These methods can be a teacher telling a story, reading a book about nature, drawing and modeling, keeping nature calendars, talking about what they saw. 7. As a result of each observation, children should form an idea or an elementary concept about a particular object or natural phenomenon. 8. In the process of observation, it is necessary to remember about cultivating an emotionally positive and competent attitude towards nature as a whole. Preparing for observation. The teacher must: – determine the place of observation in the system of upcoming work; – content of knowledge, skills and abilities in accordance with the program; – choose an object for observation (plant, animal, inanimate object), which should be interesting for children and at the same time accessible to perception; - think over the organization of children - how to place them so that the object is clearly visible to everyone, so that you can freely approach it and act with it (feed, play, etc.); – prepare all the items necessary during observation (thermometer, magnifying glass, bowls of food, water for observing animals, etc.). Guide observations in different age groups. Younger age. When thinking through the organization and management of children’s observations, the teacher needs to take into account the characteristics of mental processes and the level of cognitive activity of children. It is known that the attention of young children is attracted by bright, moving objects. Therefore, it is better to organize the first observations of animals rather than plants. At this age, children do not yet know how to keep the goal set for them, accurately follow the plan proposed to them, or summarize the observation. The volume of generated ideas is quite limited. In this regard, at the beginning of observation, the main task of the teacher is to attract the children’s attention to the object. You can use a variety of surprise gaming techniques. For example, unexpectedly bring an animal to the group, or you can interest the kids with the help of puppet theater characters and funny toys. Then an examination of the object is organized. Considering that children’s attention is primarily attracted by the actions of the animal, the teacher uses various techniques to encourage it to engage in active behavior (feeding, playing), and then draws the children’s attention to how the animal eats and looks at what sounds it makes. The teacher asks the children questions, encouraging them to name this or that action. In this regard, examination techniques are of great importance. Examination of objects helps to identify their sensory attributes. For example, in order for kids to know what kind of fur a kitten has, they are asked to gently stroke it and determine whether it is fluffy or smooth. The teacher also uses imitation of movements and sounds. For example, he invites children to fold their palms and move them like a fish with its tail, meow like a kitten, etc. In the second half of the year, comparison can be used during observation in the younger group. The teacher selects two animals or plants and offers to compare them. You can compare a living object with the image in the picture. The main task of comparison is to establish signs of difference between one object and another. Kids will see that animals and plants differ from each other in size, color, pattern of movement, etc. Questions asked of young children should be of a reproductive nature, i.e. When teaching children, the teacher clearly poses the question, directing their attention to signs, for example: “Who?, What?, What color?, Look at the sparrow and dove: which one is bigger?” From the age of three, individual search actions can be included in observation. For example, while feeding a kitten, offer it different food: meat, fish, vegetables - and after observing, ask the children what the kitten likes to eat most. At the end of the observation, in order to enhance the emotional impression of children from communicating with animals or plants, it is advisable to sing them a song, read a poem related to the topic of observation, or play a game where the corresponding character acts. Observations of animals and plants in younger groups should be carried out repeatedly. It is useful to repeat them both with the whole group and with small subgroups and even individually. It is very good if observations are associated with play or visual activity. Average age. Pupils in the middle group already have some stock of specific ideas about nature. Looking at surrounding objects, they are able to perceive them in detail. However, independent observation at this age is still imperfect. Children cannot identify characteristic features of difference or see common features in several objects. Pupils in the middle group gradually learn to accept the observation task set by the teacher. And if this task coincides with practical activity, then it is perceived quite easily, for example: “The hamster will live with us, we will learn to care for it.” During observation, children listen to the teacher’s questions and, following the plan given by him, examine the object. As a result of observation, with targeted guidance, each of them can create a holistic image of the observed object and give its verbal description. The increased perception capabilities of five-year-old children make it possible to complicate the content of observation. Children are taught to consider not only animals, but also plants, and they can offer both one and two objects at the same time. Now, during observation, each child (or a small group of 2-3 people) receives an object (or several) for individual consideration. This is the so-called observation using handouts. Starting from the middle group, long-term observation of the development and growth of animals and plants is organized. The scope of ideas that are formed during observation in the middle group also expands significantly. Children continue to be introduced to the appearance features of some plants and animals, the components and characteristic features of each of them are highlighted. By watching animals, children also learn about how they move, what they eat, and where they live. Gradually, preschoolers begin to understand some connections and relationships between natural objects. On this basis, it becomes possible to develop knowledge about some adaptations of animals and plants to the environment. Observation in the middle group begins with the teacher setting a cognitive task, which often coincides with practical activity, for example: “We will look at a sparrow and we will draw it.” During observation, the teacher uses various techniques to help him focus the children’s attention on the features of appearance and on establishing the necessary connections and relationships. One important technique is asking questions to children. For children of middle preschool age, they are not only reproductive in nature, i.e. questions aimed at clarifying knowledge about the main parts of objects and their features: Who is this? What color is the fur? What shape is the body? Questions are asked aimed at children establishing elementary connections and relationships between natural objects, so-called search questions, for example: why does the telescope fish swim slowly, and the guppy swim quickly? Why does a hamster climb ladders so deftly? Particular attention should be paid to developing in children the ability to talk about the results of observation. To this end, the teacher thinks through techniques that activate children’s speech: asks the same question in different versions to different children, suggests pronouncing difficult and new words in chorus, chooses the most accurate designation of a feature from two or three proposed by the teacher, etc. Children are taught to compare objects based on differences and similarities. In the middle group, they begin to use stories from children’s personal experiences. For example, a teacher asks a child to remember what color the bark of a birch tree is, how he helps take care of the pets (plants) he has at home, etc. This technique contributes to the emergence of interest in observation, the desire to share experienced impressions, and the formation of generalized ideas about animals. During observation in the middle group, it is recommended to use artistic words - these are riddles, songs, nursery rhymes, poems related to the content of the lesson. The teacher can invite the children to remember the poems they know and read them to their peers. Pupils of the middle group begin to master simple ways of caring for plants and animals, therefore, during observation, the teacher can ask them to perform simple labor actions. Children need to form a clear idea of ​​the observed object, knowledge of some ways to care for it, and a caring attitude. Therefore, when completing the observation, you should use questions to find out how the children acquired knowledge. Questions need to be formulated in such a way that they are interesting to the children and lead to a generalization of the knowledge gained. For example: “Tell me how we will take care of the rabbit” or “How will you recognize a bullfinch if you see it on the street?” The result of observation can also be the practical activities of children: reflection of the observed object in a drawing, caring for it in a corner of nature, older age. At older preschool age, children are able not only to accept a cognitive task set by an adult, but also to independently set it during a variety of activities: play, work, and visual arts. Quite often, independent task setting in older preschool age is also associated with cognitive activity and the emergence of questions and contradictions during its course. The surveillance is becoming more and more systematic. Children can draw up a simple observation plan themselves and act in accordance with it. The children's perception becomes more dismembered (differentiated). Under the guidance of the teacher, preschoolers identify in objects characteristics that are characteristic and significant for their entire group. On this basis, it is possible to form a generalization. It is also characteristic of observation that children can examine an object not in isolation, but in the system of its connections with the outside world: place and habitat, adaptation to the environment. In the older group, the teacher introduces children to new objects that can be observed in the immediate environment, and to those that live in other climatic zones. Children continue to be introduced to the appearance features and lifestyle of animals (movement, nutrition, habitat, seasonal adaptations, protection from enemies, growth and development). At the same time, an important task that the teacher solves is to establish connections between the appearance of the animal, its lifestyle and habitat. The formation of more complex knowledge in children of senior preschool age requires the teacher to both complicate the organization’s methodology and conduct observation. Observation begins by setting a cognitive task for children, for example: “Today we will look at parrots to learn how to care for them.” Then the teacher offers to talk about the appearance of a natural object, and you can use models. He asks additional questions only in case of difficulties. Search questions aimed at establishing connections and relationships are widely used: why does a parrot have a short, strong, hook-shaped beak? What kind of food can a parrot eat? Why does a parrot easily climb the walls of its cage? When organizing observation, it is necessary to strive to ensure that the children’s examination actions are conscious. To this end, survey activities are used to verify impressions obtained during observation. The teacher, with the help of questions, encourages children to understand the method of acquiring knowledge: how did you find out about this? Check it out. Labor activities are widely used to ensure the development of skills and abilities in caring for plants and animals. It is necessary to use riddles, poems, and interesting stories in the observation process, as all this helps to expand the knowledge of preschoolers. The main tendency in the cognitive activity of children in the seventh year of life is the desire for generalization. This is explained by the fact that the children’s ability to see significant signs in objects and natural phenomena has increased. Observation becomes more independent. The teacher’s task is to form generalized elementary concepts in the process of observation, to lead children to understand increasingly complex patterns that exist in nature, and to foster independence. When organizing observations with children of this age, the teacher selects material that contributes to the systematization and generalization of knowledge, helping to see significant signs in objects and natural phenomena. Based on the identification of these essential, general features, children form elementary concepts: “animals”, “plants”, “living”, “non-living”, “winter”, “summer”, etc. The teacher helps students see the general patterns between the habitat and the appearance of plants and animals, between the conditions of existence and their needs, way of life.

The importance of observations in environmental education of preschool children

In autumn, children observe the changes that have occurred in nature not only with flowers, but also with trees, they note that there are fewer birds (migratory birds have flown to warmer climes). Watching the leaves fall, children see that nature is beautiful in all seasons.

By organizing observation with children in a group room, the teacher introduces children to the mysterious world of indoor flora. Plants are static and, to the inexperienced eye of a child, lifeless. The teacher’s task is to show the originality and mystery of their life, their beauty, for the sake of which they are kept in the room. A particularly wonderful sight is a flowering plant, which you want to look at and observe without taking your eyes off. It is necessary to teach a child from an early age not only to notice, but also to feel and experience the beauty of flowering plants. Observing plants, the child learns to recognize a completely different form of life than the human one, begins to see in a green sprout a special living creature, the life and condition of which depends entirely on whether it is watered or not, a lot or a little, with cold water or room, clean water or with the addition of fertilizers. Only by observing can a preschooler understand how the life of a plant depends on the presence of heat, light and good soil. Learns to distinguish a healthy and strong plant from a weak and frail one. Concludes that beauty is a companion to health. In the plant world, this connection is especially clear. Thus, by observing indoor plants, the child will learn to understand their condition, and then will “sympathize” with them and help. Watering, replanting, and cleaning them from dust can provide effective assistance to green friends. At this time, the problems of mental, moral and aesthetic education are simultaneously solved.

A preschooler, having learned to observe and gone through the school of “green” education, will be able to independently see the beauty of nature. And in the forest, in the meadow, in the park, show observation and an inquisitive mind. This is understandable, because he already has the first and serious knowledge about the mysterious life of green friends, knows how to take care of them and enjoy them.

After observing plants and animals, children begin to take care of them, they develop certain work skills, and develop qualities such as curiosity, the ability to observe, think logically, and have an aesthetic attitude towards all living things. And most importantly, love and interest in nature is formed. “Love is work,” the children themselves believe, and every day they lovingly observe and care for the plants. And the corner of nature is considered a favorite vacation spot in the group.

Thus, observations contribute to the accumulation in children of concretely figurative ideas and factual knowledge, which are the material for their subsequent awareness, generalization, bringing into a system, revealing the causes and relationships that exist in nature.

Nowadays, the problem of environmental education of preschool children has become very acute. In the age of speed and technology, there is not enough time to stop, look around, and observe our native nature. And the lack of communication between children and nature subsequently turns into callousness, immorality and disrespect for all living things. I think that we all must communicate with nature more often: with plants and animals, admire beautiful landscapes, listen to the rustling sounds of the forest, enjoy the silence. And caring for nature should become the norm of behavior for people of any age. Environmental education of preschool children has become a relevant direction in preschool education today.

My teaching experience shows that environmental education can and should be started from an early age. Your task, as teachers in working with children, is to lay down the first ideas and guidelines in the natural world. After all, it is the knowledge acquired in childhood that can later be transformed into strong beliefs.

I am sure that it is very important that every child from an early age understands: man and nature are interconnected, therefore caring for nature is caring for oneself, for one’s future. What harms nature harms man himself. My pedagogical direction is “Let's preserve our native nature.” Before you begin the direct formation of environmental knowledge and skills in children, you should get acquainted with the scientific, methodological and psychological-pedagogical literature: S.A. Veretennikova - “Introducing children to nature”; MM. Markovskaya - “Nature corner in kindergarten”; Technology N.N. Kondratieva - “We”; ON THE. Ryzhova - “Our home is nature”; Z.F. Aksenova - “Enter nature as a friend”; P.G. Fedoseeva - “System of work on environmental education.” Get acquainted with the programs: A. Veresova - “We are earthlings”; E. Ryleeva - “Discover yourself”; S. N. Nikolaeva - “Young ecologist”, “Welcome to ecology” O.A. Voronkevich, T.A. Koptseva “Nature and the Artist”.

Considering the characteristics of preschool age, I recommend taking into account didactic principles:

— systematic;

- visibility;

- availability;

— taking into account the age and individual characteristics of children.

Children receive basic environmental concepts in classes that can be conducted in individual, frontal, or subgroup form. It is in the classroom that children gain basic knowledge and develop basic cognitive processes and abilities. Classes provide an opportunity to clarify and systematize children’s personal experiences. But studies have shown that children develop a real interest in learning about nature and caring for it only in the process of daily communication with nature. K.D. Ushinsky said: “... that a day spent by a child among groves and fields... replaces many weeks on the school bench.” Therefore, among the various methods and forms of environmental education of preschoolers, observation takes the leading place. Why? Firstly, observation is a method of sensory knowledge of nature. The practice of preschool education and pedagogical research have proven that the correct organization of sensory perception of nature in a natural setting ensures the formation and development in children of clear ideas about animals and plants, and seasonal natural phenomena. Guiding observations makes it possible to teach preschoolers to focus on the most significant signs of observed phenomena and to discover relationships in nature. Secondly, through observations, children have the opportunity to see plants and animals in their habitat. Thirdly, observation contributes to the development of curiosity, observation, and a love for native nature is cultivated. Fourthly, observation is the most important source of knowledge about nature. In the process of observation, a variety of mental activities of the child are carried out: a search for answers to the questions posed; an important skill develops in children - to look, see, draw conclusions and generalizations, and compare.

The variety of natural phenomena that surrounds preschoolers indoors, in the kindergarten area and in the immediate environment allows for a variety of observations. Each time you need to think through the form, content, and methods of conducting observations. After all, our goal is to awaken children’s interest and cognitive activity, to develop observation, desire and ability to look at the world. And then observation, as an integral pedagogical process, becomes a joint intellectual activity of the teacher and children, in which the mental actions of an adult are aimed at planning and organizing observation, at solving educational problems, and the mental efforts of children are aimed at a fuller perception of the object, at searching and obtaining the necessary information. Since meaningful perception of objects arises early, the insufficient knowledge and experience of a small child does not allow him to see their essential aspects. Vivid impressions, especially those obtained from rapidly changing moving objects and phenomena, are the result of children’s involuntary observations. The pedagogical process aimed at forming observation should ensure the gradual accumulation and systematization of knowledge, as well as the formation of a conscious attitude of the observer to the observed. To successfully achieve this goal, it is necessary to think through and use special techniques that organize the active perception of children: ask questions, offer to examine, compare objects with each other, establish connections between individual objects and natural phenomena. The inclusion of various senses and forms of perception—visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, kinesthetic—in the observation process ensures the completeness and specificity of the knowledge being formed.

The attitude towards nature that arises in the process of observation is an attitude towards specific objects, which only gradually, with the systematic work of the teacher with children, takes on more general forms and extends to new objects. Practice shows that in the process of observation, children develop different shades of attitude towards nature.

Ya.A. Comenius saw in the surrounding nature a source of knowledge, a means for the development of the mind, feelings and will. It is very important to induce in a child a positive attitude towards objects and natural phenomena. The most effective means for this will be frequent direct observations. Such observations should be carried out directly in your group, in a natural corner. A natural corner should be created in the group, in which there should be certain plants corresponding to a given age, its inhabitants, as well as equipment for caring for them, a variety of materials for experimentation and experimental activities. By caring for and observing the inhabitants of a corner of nature, children learn to treat them with care and respect, learn what and how to feed them. The animal's response to the care and affection of a child, its attachment to the child, cultivates kindness and warmth in children. By communicating with animals, children learn a lot of new and interesting things from their lives. Preschoolers begin to understand that they can do good not sometime in the future, when they “become big,” but today, now.

Helping children see the originality and mystery of the life of plants and animals, understand the beauty of their native nature and treat all living things with care is the goal of environmental education for preschoolers.

To fully solve these problems, it is necessary to determine the tasks, the content of the work, draw up a long-term plan, and think through calendar planning, taking into account the age characteristics of children. At the same time, replenish the ecological development environment in the group, on the kindergarten site, with the necessary items, aids, plants, and inanimate objects. Compile and develop a card index of walks, environmental games, observation cycles.

All cycles of observations combine components of mental and moral education: children acquire specific knowledge through a sensory-sensual route, which ensures the formation of the only correct effective attitude towards living beings. After the observations, children accumulate a lot of impressions, which they express in drawing, modeling, and appliqué. If the groups have a large number of children’s works, then they can be used at various exhibitions and competitions.

Practice shows that it is necessary to significantly raise the level of environmental education not only among children, but also among parents, since it is the family that provides the first experience of interaction with nature and sets an example of attitude towards objects of the flora and fauna. You should actively involve parents in your work. Work with parents can be carried out through homework, excursions, holidays, surveys, open days, through educational work in corners for parents: consultations, leaflets, photo exhibitions. Thanks to the use of computer technology, parents have the opportunity to be aware of all environmental events and activities of the kindergarten, progress folders, screens, photo exhibitions and video sketches. They willingly respond and take part in preparing the release of mini-books and albums about children and their natural world.

After the work has been done, you can conduct a diagnostic study of children and find out how they learned the material, how they developed knowledge, skills, and what experience they acquired.

The diagnostics we have developed for children's environmental knowledge, skills and abilities allows us to more objectively, more thoroughly and accurately determine the result of our work. And the result is visible in children:

Thus, by introducing a child to the natural world through observation, we develop various aspects of his personality. We awaken interest and desire to explore the natural environment, arouse in the child sympathy for the “hard” independent life of animals, a desire to help them, show the uniqueness of life in any, even the most bizarre form, the need to preserve it, treat it with respect and care.

Thus, observation in nature is an important method of environmental education for children: it allows you to awaken feelings for nature, develop observation, sensory sensations and, thanks to them, a rich imagination. Observation broadens children's horizons, enriches their thinking with a lot of specific information about the mysteries of natural life, and teaches them to take care of it.