A safe place to grow: Children, animals and caring in a life science classroom

The ecological systems of the earth are in crisis. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact an elementary school life science education program based on an ethic of care had on children's ability to value the natural world. It is a study of how care-based science education supports personal connections to animals and nature; and how strength-based science education emphasizes creativity as a means for students to explore and express scientific knowledge through the arts. This qualitative study was conducted in a life science classroom filled with a wide variety of animals: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals the students studied and developed caring relationships with. The participants were 55 fourth, fifth and sixth-grade students who spent two years studying the natural world both inside the classroom and outside in the field. Invertebrates, trees, birds, mammals and wildflowers were studied in fourth grade. Evolution, and the study of vertebrate animals, were studied in the fifth grade. As teacher researcher, I collected data including audio-taped interviews, observations, field notes, and artifacts including children's creative projects expressing their factual understanding and thoughts about the animals and the natural world. This study revealed themes reflecting children's caring for animals, scientific knowledge, creative expression of knowledge, and the natural world. The themes are illustrated through four “portraits of care” based on students' voices, experiences, and class-work. The findings indicate that caring relationships with animals supported personal connections to the natural world and scientific knowledge. Children had better understanding and retained knowledge due to their personal connections to the animals. The concepts of evolution and interdependence of living organisms enhanced their relationships with animals and nature. Through the arts, students expressed scientific knowledge in ways that had personal meaning and a high level of active engagement. Concerned about the environment, some students used their knowledge to affect the behavior of others by creating school newspapers and websites. Inasmuch as an ethic of care in life science supports personal connections to understanding and valuing the natural world, the implications include the recommendation that preservice and inservice science education should support these connections.