Curriculum Design to Enhance the Quality of Learning about Soil with Living Environment Studies at Its Core

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present a curriculum design that promotes children's active learning. Centering around living environment studies of playing with soil, we have developed lessons that relate Japanese language to arts and crafts and nutritional education, while also considering connections with science and social studies from the middle grades. The results were promising from an engagement perspective: in surveys administered after the teaching practice 96.7% of children answered that they enjoyed playing in the soil, or at least liked it a little. The children were able to feel close to the soil and become familiar with it. The behavior of children and survey results of their parents also suggested that pupils’ expressiveness and critical and creative thinking abilities can improve through such active classes conducted in nature.