THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE FORMATION IN SENIOR PRESCHOOLERS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of the formation of environmental knowledge in children of older preschool age. In modern conditions, the problem of the formation of environmental knowledge in preschool children is important and relevant, since the foundations of environmental education are laid even in the younger preschool age, all this affects the formation of the child's personality. The author of the article emphasizes the relevance of the problem, which is outlined in such state documents as the Law of Ukraine «On Environmental Protection», which states that an environmental policy aimed at the rational use of natural resources, preservation of safe and harmless for humans and living nature environmental conditions. The Constitution of Ukraine sets out the requirements for the rational use of nature, the formation of an ecological culture, all of which are one of the priority areas of national education reform. The Law of Ukraine «On Education» (Article 57) emphasizes the need to educate children to care for the country's natural environment. Education of elements of environmentally appropriate behavior, development of a positive, emotional and valuable attitude to the environment are defined among the requirements for the content of preschool education in Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine «On Preschool Education». Therefore, educators face the task of forming ecological knowledge and nature-appropriate behavior in children, the ability to notice the beauty of nature, admire natural objects and phenomena, and feel the aesthetic beauty of nature. Beauty awakens the moral qualities of a person. As one of the means of forming environmental knowledge in older preschool children, the author of the article considers the ecological path. The essence of the ecological path and the importance of its use in the educational process of the preschool education institution for the formation of ecological knowledge in older preschool children are revealed. An ecological path is an important component of an ecological development environment. Approximate topics of various forms of work on the ecological path are given.