STORYTELLING AS AN EDUCATIONAL ACTION: A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL TO SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Storytelling holds great significance for the teaching and development of moral, ethical, social, affective, and cognitive values in school-age children. Associated with this powerful tool is environmental education, so necessary in today's world. Therefore, this article aimed to understand the relevance of storytelling as a tool for environmental education in the education of 2nd-year students in the first cycle of elementary school through a proposed methodology. The study sample consisted of 63 children aged 7 to 8 from four municipal schools in the city of Umuarama (PR). To achieve this, a methodology of literature review was used to locate and consult essential sources, and for the development, storytelling of three stories based on the technique known as stories narrated with the aid of a book was employed. Additionally, within this methodology, various interaction and knowledge exposure activities were proposed after storytelling, such as group discussions, drawings, and dramatizations. The activities took place between March and May 2023. Consequently, we observed that storytelling as a methodology for environmental education provides knowledge to pave the way for environmental sensitivity, regardless of students' socioeconomic profile, in an informative, transformative, and comprehensive manner, to assist in addressing the major challenges of each study location. Despite time constraints, the methodology is easy to implement, interdisciplinary, cross-cutting, and can be developed continuously throughout the year.