Abstract:

The adoption of sustainable and ecological behaviors is an increasingly urgent and fundamental need to respond to the environmental challenges facing our planet nowadays. For this reason, it is essential to promote awareness among citizens, both older and especially younger ones. The proposal of educational activities aimed at developing in children a sense of responsibility is a valuable element in achieving the main ecological goals of Agenda2030. This is both towards the people of their own and future generations and towards the resources that the planet offers. In fact, with this experimental research work, three other aims were pursued in addition to the described one: to observe the growth of critical thinking and problem-solving skills; to verify the acquisition and significant reworking of knowledge regarding the world of pollinators, and more specifically of Apis mellifera; to attest to the efficiency of the use of the scientific-experimental method.

The scientific method is an effective tool for creating meaningful learning situations that involve the peculiarities of each child and allow them to acquire knowledge in a profound way, in this case related to the ecological sphere, because it is based mainly on the direct experimentation of the pupils.

The classes involved in this research are two thirds of a primary school in Venice, one used as a control group and the other as an experimental group. By studying the main subject of the educational proposal, Apis mellifera, from a scientific point of view and by deepening the anatomical knowledge of the apoid, the class gradually came analyze and reflect on its ecological role in the pollination process and in the ecosystem. To make the proposal close to everyday life, the class was invited to get to the bottom of the causes that are leading to the reduction of the apoid and to formulate workable solutions.

The environmental education and ecology are usually treated with a qualitative rather than quantitative approach. During the evaluation phase objective data were considered to ascertain the learning of scientific content while children's personal reflections were considered for the development of the ecological spirit.

The results obtained showed that the study of the topics through direct experimentation and the active involvement of the pupils promoted the occurrence of permanent and deep learning in them. From the evaluations obtained by the experimental group, it was possible to deduce a greater understanding and acquisition of knowledge compared to the control class, which mainly used the format of the frontal lesson.

The study of pollinating insects and apoids using the scientific-experimental method also proved to be an important element in the development of critical-ecological thinking and a sense of responsibility. This is because analytical observation and direct experimentation of the anatomy of Apis mellifera enabled the children to gain a significant understanding of how plant pollination occurs and the importance of safeguarding the responsible insects.

In conclusion, the formulation of hypotheses about ecological actions to save bees and the constant questioning of what was encountered allowed the pupils to develop the desire to deepen their knowledge, making them independent and autonomous in their future learning processes.

Keywords:

Education, environment, scientific method, Primary School.