Are gardens useful for promoting early age science education? Evidence from analysis of children’s drawings

Abstract

This study analyzes pre-school children’s mental representations of their idea of ​​a garden, before and after implementing an educational project. A total of 39 and 43 pairs of drawings (pre-post) are analyzed in children aged four and five years, respectively, using two methods: (1) a quantitative approach, based on counting the frequency with which elements linked to curricular scientific content appear (sun, water, earth, animals, plants and trees), and (2) a qualitative approach, based on the degree of richness and specificity of such elements in the drawings. Both methods provide important information on children’s interest in, and their affective-emotional relationship with, the garden and their learning of science. The choice of curricular scientific content that is explicitly focused on in the garden is considered important from the point of view of teaching, since such content can condition the construction of children’s mental models of a garden, as well as scientific content in higher educational stages.

Enhancing Oral Language Skills in 5-Year-Old Children Through Drawing Activities in the Classroom

“…Similarly narrative skills have a significant impact on children's language as well as emergent literacy skills (Puspitasari et al, 2023). There is a positive link between drawing activities and subject areas such as math and science (Aragón et al, 2023). As noted by Sunday and Conley (2020), drawing can be used as an effective interdisciplinary teaching tool to help children progress in other areas of learning.…”