What an environmental enquiry is for
Children care deeply about animals, plants and the planet, and they hear a lot about environmental problems. An environmental enquiry gives them space to think about why nature matters, who it belongs to and what we owe to living things and future people.
Rather than delivering a message, the enquiry invites children to weigh different values, such as usefulness, beauty, fairness and care, and to notice when those values pull in different directions.
Free activities to download
Ready-to-run EduTrend Contents philosophy enquiry workshops for primary, middle and high school. Each free download includes a step-by-step session plan, facilitator notes, three student worksheets and an assessment checklist. Full 20-week programmes are available in EduStore.
Does the Tree Matter?
Primary · Ages 5–7
Foundation · 30 min
Young children look closely at a tree and enquire into whether things matter even if they cannot feel or talk.
Who Owns the Park?
Primary · Ages 8–11
Developing · 45 min
Pupils enquire into whether shared places belong to everyone, to no one or to nature itself, using a flower-picking story.
The Last Tree on the Island
Middle School · Ages 11–13
Intermediate · 50 min
Students follow an invented island story where each family cuts one tree a year, and enquire into shared resources and future generations.
Is Nature Valuable in Itself?
Middle School · Ages 12–14
Intermediate · 50 min
Students compare instrumental and intrinsic value using invented cases of remote wild places and enquire into why nature matters.
Duties to Future Generations
High School · Ages 15–18
Advanced · 60 min
Students analyse arguments about obligations to future people and apply them to long-term environmental decisions.
Liked the free activities? Go further with a 20-week programme.
Each free activity comes from a full EduTrend Contents programme: a Family Guide or Teacher's Guide with one-page session plans for 20 weeks, plus an Assessment Toolkit with rubrics, trackers and certificates. Choose the one for your child's age or your class below. Instant PDF download after checkout.
P4C-161 · 20 WEEKS · $29
Nature Questions at Home
Family · Ages 5–11 with a grown-up
Big questions about nature at home.
P4C-162 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Nature and Environment Enquiries
Primary · Ages 5–11
Class enquiries on sharing and caring for nature.
P4C-163 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Environmental Ethics Lab
Middle school · Ages 11–14
Environmental value and future generations.
P4C-164 · 20 WEEKS · $45
Environmental Enquiry Leaders
High school · Ages 14–18
Lead environmental enquiries for younger children.
Photos: Annie Spratt, Sandra Seitamaa, Maxence Pira / Unsplash
Nature and the Environment
Explore nature and the environment with five free printable philosophy activities, from whether a tree matters and who owns the park to the last tree on the island, intrinsic value and duties to future generations. For longer learning, choose a 20-week programme for families, primary, middle or high school.
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Nature and the Environment
