Integration of Environmental Protection Concepts in the Teaching of Science and Araling Panlipunan in Public Elementary Schools of Talisay District Division of Batangas

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

We people are the stewards of our planet Earth. We are here not as masters but as protectors of it. We have the responsibility of preserving it not only for ourselves but most especially for the next generations that will come. Lapus (2010) said that our children will inherit the Earth from us. We must make sure that this inheritance is in great condition for them to cherish. Our mother earth, no matter what the reasons are, has to be protected. As a teacher of a hundred students whose life is at stake, the researcher finds it important to save them as a future steward of our mother Earth.

METHODS

The descriptive method was used in this study. The subjects are 42 teachers from elementary schools of the Talisay District. Data gathering was done through a survey-ranking questionnaire, rating it as 5 for highest integration and 1 as non-integration, to determine the integration of 6 Environmental Protection factors in Science and AP which are: energy conservation, water resource conservation, waste management, biodiversity and forest protection, land resource conservation, and air pollution control.

RESULTS

Generally, the findings of this study showed that there was a high integration protection concept in the teaching of Science and AP. Still, there were concepts integrated to a moderate extent. Furthermore, there were problems encountered by teachers in integrating such concepts and the assistance extended by the school heads was at a satisfactory level.

DISCUSSIONS

Results show that there is a need to propose an action plan to enhance the integration of environmental protection concepts such as applying formal integration of concepts in every lesson, teachers should be able to adopt strategies like using multi-media, coordination of school heads and teachers to discuss solutions with the problem encountered, frequent class observation, and lastly the school should establish linkages among the Local Government Organization (LGO), Non-Government Organization (NGO) and the community as well for proper implementation.