Primary Science Programme - Western Cape

Since the early 1990s, the PSP has worked towards integrating environmental education and awareness into our work with teachers of Natural Sciences, Language & Literacy and Social Sciences.

In recent years, we have paid more attention to this work and have tried to build teachers’ environmental awareness and understanding; and to resource teachers to work with their learners in this important area.

We develop courses and resource materials to engage scientifically with crucial environmental issues such as sustainability, evolution, biodiversity, inter-connectedness, climate change and the carbon cycle.

We have developed full-colour information and activity cards that bring the world into the classroom – our African Skies Astronomy Cards, our Indigenous Plant and Animal Cards, our Bird Resource Pack with Bird Call tapes, our Natural Phenomenon Cards and our Water Cycle poster. (See Teacher Support Materials and Classroom resources)

Termly workshops support teachers to make full use of the Edith Stephens Wetland Park, using the context to investigate a range of issues from biodiversity to water issues.

We have developed a handbook (Learning about Environment at the EdithStephens Wetland Park) to resource teachers to link this experience to the curriculum and for practical outdoor and classroom environmental activities.

We have encouraged teachers to bring their learners to the Edith StephensWetland Park to experience the unique pleasure of visiting this Park situated in the middle of urban townships and informal settlements.

We have alerted teachers to the Environmental Calendar and encouraged them to follow it with their learners – focusing, in turn, on Water, Wetlands, Marine life and so much more.

We have received generous support from the Old Mutual Foundation to explore Environmental Education within our school-focused projects, using their Out of the Box resource.