Curriculum Content In Conservation For Elementary Schools Bulletin 1939

In view of increasing concern about the Nation's serious waste of natural resources and the growing interest in a permanent program of conservation education, it is fitting and desirable that schools should be able to secure help from the U.S. Office of Education in introducing the subject into the regular school curriculum. Courses of study and textbooks have long been planned for the teaching of nature study, general science, and current social problems. As a result, children have developed concepts about natural resources. However, while such instruction is valuable as far as it goes and necessary as a background, it is not sufficient to help pupils develop understanding and attitudes which lead to intelligent participation in conservation activities and, when they become adults, to prudent civic action. The purpose of this bulletin is to suggest educative values of conservation in their relation to curriculum content in such a way that the teacher can quickly consider them in her plans for teaching and better help her pupils to participate in conservation enterprises of worth to the community. The bulletin, one of several publications by the U.S. Office of Education in the field of curriculum materials for the teaching of conservation, covers the following topics: (1) Conservation Problems in the School Program: (a) Conservation as a social and educational problem; (b) Responsibility and facilities of the school in a Nationwide program of conservation; and (c) Lack of readiness and suggestions for meeting needs; (2) Significant Aspects of Conservation: (a) Guiding principles; and (b) Issues in conservation; (3) Nature and Scope of Activities: (a) Variety; (b) Freshness; (c) Possibilities for giving satisfaction; (d) Social significance; (e) Community participation; and (f) Relation to further living; and (4) Areas of Curriculum Content: (a) Wildlife; (b) Mineral resources; (c) Water; (d) Forests; (e) Soil, and (f) Other natural resources. A selected bibliography is also included. (Contains 47 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.].