The Development and Implementation of an Action Skills Unit and Its Impact on the Environmental Attitudes of Edgar Fifth Grade Students

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to determine if the involvement of Edgar fifth grade students in a citizen action skills and participation unit would impact their environmental attitudes. The process started by identifying potential community projects for students to be involved in. The idea of adding storm drain stenciling and building wood duck nesting boxes to an already existing water unit proved to be the best alternative. A curriculum was developed for teaching a comprehensive water unit that would include student involvement in citizen action skills instruction emphasizing persuasion and ecomanagement. A pre survey was then identified to measure student attitudes toward the environment prior to involvement in the water unit. After administering the pre survey and analyzing the results, the water unit was implemented. After completing the unit and community projects, students were given a post survey to determine the results of implementing the citizen action skills and participation unit plan. It was found that student's environmental attitudes were impacted in some areas, and not in others. The areas that showed impact were those directly related to the unit plan that was taught.