Environmental consciousness and education relationship: Determination of how environment-based concepts are placed in Turkish science curricula

Collected data from textbooks were presented in three categories: Science curriculum, biology curriculum, physics and chemistry curriculum. Results are presented in Table 3.

Textbooks	Chapters related environment
Science
Grade 4	To know our environment, human and environment
Grade 5	Living creatures and their interaction with nature
Grade 6	Environment and plant
Grade 7	Ecosystem, to become a conscious environment friend
Grade 8	---
Biology
Grade 9	Ecology
Grade 10	---
Grade 11	---
Physics	---
Chemistry	---

When the 4th-8th level science textbooks are investigated, as seen from the table 3, the subjects related to environment are not seen in the 8th course books. In others (4th -7th), it was determined that the environment is restricted by only one unit or subject. It was also seen that the related subjects are dealt very generally and superficially. In grade 4, science textbook includes the unit of “to know our environment, human being and environment”. In this section, under the heading “environmental recognition” knowledge about environment, elements forming environment, between human beings and environment relationship are taken into consideration, and some basic information related to environment is given to students. In grade 5, there is one unit called “living beings and their interaction with nature”. In this unit, living beings in natural habitat and interactions among them are examined. Having said this, direct explanations about environment are not made, interactions between living beings and environment and nature are covered, and especially benefits of decomposing livings to the environment are examined instead. In grade 6, the section of “environment and plant” is located in the textbook. In this section, having introduced plants, the profits provided by plants to environment and human beings are mentioned. In grade 7, environmental subjects are encountered in detail among the grades. In this section, the effects of ecosystem and ecosystem degradation on the environment are covered in detail, and the subjects such as erosion, water and air pollution, energy inadequacy are touched on as well.

In the course books in related areas, no subjects were determined related to environment.

When the biology 9th-11th level textbooks were investigated, related to environmental subjects, under the title of ecology, some theoretical information were given to the students only in the 9th level textbooks.