Promoting Permaculture

- Grade 7 - Ras Beirut

As part of Grade 7’s Interdisciplinary project revolving around empathy, students explored, in the frame of their biology curriculum, how interactions between different species contribute to permaculture, and how companion planting, used in permaculture, helps promote biodiversity and preserve the environment.

Students inquired into ways to be environmentally responsible and empathic, and found a strong link between their learnings about symbiotic relationships and permaculture. The 5E model was applied (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate). Students were engaged through a series of activities and games that enabled them to understand how permaculture fields depend on these relations to sustain themselves. To deepen their understanding, they welcomed Mrs. Rita Hajj, Head of IC’s Environmental Sustainability Program, who talked to them about the main concepts of permaculture. Then they undertook a field trip to the Halyoun permaculture field in Kififane to attend a workshop about permaculture, including mapping, experimental and planting activities. Certificates of attendance were granted to the students, who, after completing the workshop, reflected on their different learnings and created digital brochures, to raise the community’s awareness on the importance of adopting sustainable agricultural techniques in order to preserve natural resources and show empathy towards the environment.