Introduction:

A living sustainable resource for teachers helping children ages 7-14 years to be aware of the need now to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle and an introduction to understanding climate change. It uses a unique and fun approach combining outdoor experiences, love of story telling, a respect for traditional people, guided imagining and visualising activities, fantasy and fables and meditation.

Climate Change and the need to live more Ecological Sustainable lives are difficult concepts for adults to grasp let alone for our children.

This Wise Lives Now! programme uses a variety of approaches to simplify and demystify the issues to make it easier for children to understand the present and future effects of Climate Change on this present and future generation and the need to moderate our life styles ie living sustainably - living more simply. Importantly it provides many practical ways in which children can respond and feel as if they can really make a difference to the wellbeing of their world now and for the future.

Children’s disconnection to their Natural world

As a society we are slowly realising how our children are becoming increasingly ‘out of sync’ with their natural world as a result of modern consumerism and pop culture. Brown (2004)
Therefore fundamental to the program is a ‘changing of heart’, changing children’s relationship and their approach to their natural world.
Though ‘tuning in’ of children to the environment or ‘the reconnecting process’ to the environment can be introduced at any stage level we feel it is important that children who have had an opportunity to develop a better relationship to the environment at an early age will be more open, responsive and caring to the environment at later stages. Thomas and Thompson (2004), Chawla (1990)

Because we see a need to assist children to develop a deep respect and love for their environment as vital to how they will respond and embrace the program we encourage teachers to introduce children to the activities for Improving Children’s Relationship to Environment as soon as possible. In the programs we refer to this time as ‘magic space’…it could also be ….magic place …sacred space or place….special spots…dreaming space … or your preference.  If a favourable environment is not available then we encourage teachers to begin introducing children to simple relaxation and meditation exercises that help bring the natural world to the children through their imagination. 

They may be taught as a block of work over the term or semester or spread out over the year and integrated into and supporting other HSIE or Science and Technology units of work.
In cd rom form or download direct the programmes are very I.T. friendly and work extremely well for schools with Interactive Whiteboard or Smart Board technology.
 
Because of its appropriateness and relevance for giving children of all ages a simple and practical introduction to sustainability and climate change each stage begins with an exploration of The Lorax. This provides those children who have been exposed to the programme an opportunity to revisit and refresh their knowledge, for those children beginning it offers a simple and precise introduction to the issue of sustainability.
As children advance to the next stage, some learning activities will be revisited and their treatment will involve a more involved exploration of learning activities.

Click on Earthcarer  “Wise Lives Now!” program overview for  more details of the program or click  “Wise Lives Now!” snapshots button which offers brief practical  examples of some of the activities used in the programs or go direct to the following Stage relevant to your teaching needs for a program overview and how to purchase  the cd rom or access program on line.

Stage 2 Years/Grades 3/4/5, ages 8 to 10

Stage 3 Years/Grades 5/6/7, appropriate ages 11 to 14 

Next - Snapshots