Abstract:

Objectives:
The research had two purposes related to each other. First, we wanted to verify how, through active biology teaching, it is possible to transmit complex concepts, such as biodiversity, even to children in preschool. The aim was to raise awareness among children to the ecological value of biodiversity through the use of laboratory teaching, and ecological observational methodologies, such as the squares technique. This research also had the purpose to investigate how the knowledge of biodiversity and its value could also have positive impacts on skills related to sustainability, making the children reflect on the consequences that human actions could have.

Methodology:
The didactic activities were based on the principles of Outdoor Education and active biology teaching that aims to focus on the child's direct experience with the object of study, in order to generate interest and curiosity towards the natural world. Therefore, active and questioning methodological approaches have been favored because they led the pupils to learn by doing and through those questions that guide the reasoning and the formulation of hypotheses. Central in the planning of the activities has been the use of the scientific method and the observational-comparative method.

Results:
At the end of the didactic experiment, the children demonstrated that they understood the concept of biodiversity and its ecological implications. Through practical experiences, the pupils understood that the loss of biodiversity is mainly linked to anthropogenic causes and, therefore, that the human being is an active agent in the environment and cannot be considered disconnected from it. We can state the activities proposed, using active methodologies, allowed the development of skills oriented towards sustainability, making the children reflect on the consequences of human actions.

Conclusions:
The obtained result demonstrated that the starting hypotheses had been verified and confirmed.

Keywords:

Biodiversity, ecology, laboratory approach, nature, outdoor education, outdoor school, scientific method.