“Nature Devotees” Team Increases
Environmental Awareness
“Nature Devotees” Team
Increases Environmental
Awareness
“Nature Devotees” Team Increases
Environmental Awareness
Nadera Al Samak from Mamounia Elementary School B, Hana’a Al-Sayyed from Al-Zaitoun Preparatory Girls Schools C, and Rana Abu Dahrouj from Rimal Preparatory Common Education School C observed that students at their schools show little interest in environmental issues and do not understand their responsibility to protect the environment. They believe this lack of awareness is due to the limited access students have to parks and other pleasant environmental spaces in Gaza because of the siege and resulting isolation. As a result, students are often uninformed about environmental issues and their impact on their lives and community.
After taking part in Acting As Innovator Round I, the three teachers decided to concentrate on tackling the challenge of enhancing students’ interest in environmental issues, encouraging a sense of empowerment in contributing to them, and increasing awareness of the most crucial issues.
The three teachers worked together towards a common goal of integrating environmental awareness and values into the students’ learning experiences. A total of 92 students were divided into three teams: Techno Birds, Nature Activists, and Valley Defenders. Each team addressed different environmental issues using various tools and skills. The Techno Birds, consisting of 2nd graders, learned to create stop-motion videos and improved their English skills by producing videos about their environment. The Nature Activists developed podcasts, posters, and artwork to raise awareness about environmental issues within their school. The Valley Defenders focused on pollution in the Gaza Valley, collecting data through collaboration with other educational institutions to create an awareness campaign in their school and community.
The project’s success was evident not only in the students’ improved positive attitude towards the environment and understanding of important environmental issues but also in their increased sense of empowerment and self-assurance. The students’ awareness campaigns motivated their schools and local communities to embrace positive environmental actions such as planting, garden cleaning, and watering plants and flowers.
The AAAI program aims to train 400 teachers from public, private, and UNRWA schools in the West Bank and Gaza over 3 years. The first round involved 24 teachers from different parts of Palestine. Forming 12 teams and supported by 8 mentors, the participants developed various creative projects under two main themes: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Integration and Application of STE(A)M Approach in Education.
For more information about the three teachers’ and their students’ project, please click here.
For more information about the AAAI program, please click here.