I am Teacher Mariam Badir, a trainee in the Fresh Graduates Capacity-Building Program Teaching the Basic Stage (Grades 1–4) implemented by Teach for Palestine, and I work as a primary school teacher at Ibn Khaldoun Applied School.
During my participation in the Climate Education training by Teach for Palestine, I acquired a set of skills that changed my perspective on the teacher’s role in the classroom. I realized that climate education is not limited to providing information about the environment and climate; rather, it focuses on engaging students in hands-on practice, empowering them to take leadership, and developing their ability to find solutions to environmental problems in their surroundings.
After completing the training, I began thinking about how to apply what I had learned in my daily lessons. While preparing the unit “Preserving Vegetation Cover” within Social Studies subject for Grade 1, I noticed empty soil areas around the school. I saw in them a real learning opportunity that connects the unit’s objectives with the principles of climate education I had been trained on.
Lesson Planning
I designed the activity to achieve several learning objectives aligned with the curriculum:
I prepared the necessary materials in advance, such as small seedlings, planting soil, digging tools suitable for students’ ages, and watering containers. I also coordinated with the school administration to obtain approval for using the outdoor spaces.
Beginning the Lesson
I started the lesson by displaying two pictures on the board: one of a green schoolyard filled with trees, and another of a bare soil area similar to our schoolyard. I asked the students:
"Which school would you like yours to be, and why?"
The students responded enthusiastically and chose the green school. I then asked:
"What can we do to make our school like that?"
Ideas began to flow:
I used their answers to review what they had previously learned about plant needs and connected them to the practical activity we were about to do.
Implementing the Activity
I divided the students into four groups, each consisting of five students. I asked each group to choose a leader and then assigned roles within each group:
I explained that every role is important and that the success of the activity depends on everyone working together.
We then moved to the schoolyard, where each group had a designated work area. The students began digging, placing the soil, planting the seedlings, and watering them. My role during this phase was to monitor and guide when needed without intervening directly.
Challenges During the Activity
We encountered some real-life challenges. One group found the soil hard and difficult to dig. Instead of giving them the solution, I asked:
"What could you try?"
One student suggested pouring a little water on the soil to soften it. They tried it, and it worked.
In another group, two students disagreed on who would plant the seedling. I guided them by asking:
"How can you cooperate instead of each working alone?"
They decided that one would hold the seedling while the other added soil around it.
These moments were the most valuable for me, as the students practiced problem-solving and negotiation skills naturally and authentically.
Reflection After the Activity
Back in the classroom, I asked each group to share two things: what we planted and what we learned. I listened to their answers and recorded them on the board. I then asked:
"What does the plant we planted need to grow?"
We connected their answers to the learning objectives of the unit.
We also agreed that each group would take responsibility for watering the seedlings they planted over the coming weeks. Each student drew a picture of what they planted in their notebook and wrote the plant’s name with the help of a classmate.
This activity was not just about planting seedlings—it was a direct application of what I learned in climate education training: making students leaders of their learning, connecting lessons to their real environment, and shifting the teacher’s role from simply delivering information to facilitating and supporting students in finding answers themselves.
I observed that when students worked with their hands in a real environment, they learned more than they would from theoretical explanations about plants. I saw first graders negotiating, solving problems, and leading their groups—skills I did not expect to see so clearly at this age.
Now, I firmly believe that real learning happens when students are given the opportunity to be part of the solution, and that a small step, like planting a seedling, can cultivate in them values of responsibility, teamwork, and environmental awareness.