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Paper Number: 1292

The Importance of Early Childhood Earth Science Education: Understanding of the Planet That We Live On Is a Fundamental Step Toward Sustainability

Vickers-Rich­­, P.1, Trusler, P.W.2, Ramos-Horta, J. 3, Hough, M. 4, Seegets-Villiers, D. 5, Greenwood, H. 6, & Low, H. 7

  1. School of EAE, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia, pat.rich@monash.edu

  2. School of EAE, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic 3800, Australia

  3. Dili, Timor-Leste

4. School of EAE, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic 3800, Australia

5. School of EAE, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia

6. School of EAE, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic 3800, Australia

7. School of EAE, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic 3800, Australia

The Earth Sciences are so much a part of everyday life. So much that we use every day, and so many economies around the world are based on earth resources. But over the past few decades the earth science content in schools, especially in pre-Secondary, and even Secondary, are light on. This lack of content has been the driving force behind a number of programs initiated by UNESCO’s International Geosciences Program Projects IGCP493 and 587 working in cooperation with PrimeSCI!/ Monash Science Centre at Monash University in Australia. These programs have involved a number of geoscientists around the globe as well as artists, documentary makers, and wide range of teachers and volunteers to generate in depth science experiences for youth, with an emphasis on primary and early secondary level s. These programs naturally also reach the general public – the Mums and Dads and Grandparents as well. It is critical for the future of our planet to encourage the curious mind, give confidence to young people to value their own ability to analyze data, to put them in direct and ongoing contact with the very researchers studying our planet. Exhibitions, publications, Family Science Nights, the LabRats (for passionate science youth), Curriculum Development globally by Researchers in Cooperation with Educators – and more – all make up the activities of PrimeSCI! and IGCP493/587.

Figure 1. Brochure for travelling Figure 2. Book in Timorese Tetum on

exhibition on Earth History. the geology of Timor, for primary.