Getting to know the plants around us

a learning experience through university extension

Abstract

University extension involves the interaction between the university and its surroundings, promoting social, community, cultural, and environmental development. One of the main educational focuses within university extension is the recognition of theoretical and pedagogical aspects that can improve and encourage learning. In this context, Environmental Education encompasses a range of knowledge, values, and environmental practices that come together to support civic education, emphasizing the right to a healthy environment. Based on prior concerns raised at the primary education level of School No. 446 Pueblo Puntano de la Independencia, the aim was to help 5th-grade students at this institution—located in the Mirador del Portezuelo neighborhood in the southern area of San Luis City, Argentina—become familiar with the plants in their environment. The project sought to foster the development of a cross-curricular, creative teaching approach that offers a variety of strategies. Through direct experiences, students strengthened skills in Literature, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and other disciplines by learning about plants within an interdisciplinary framework. This work focused on encouraging students' commitment to caring for native vegetation, consolidating their knowledge through exchange and contact with the world they interact with daily. Students not only shared knowledge about the uses of plant species but also expressed their critical views on the treatment of public spaces.