Özet:

The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of the primary school students on the environment through their drawings. Thus, two primary schools in Samsun centre were chosen for the study and totally 211 students of which 38 at first grade, 64 at second grade, 59 at third grade and 50 at fourth grade were included in the study. In the study, the students were asked to draw on firstly “Environmental pollution” and then “Clean environment” separately. After that, each student was interviewed to hear their explanations on their drawings and they were asked questions like “What is the environmental pollution in your opinion?”, “What are the factors causing environmental pollution?”, “How can we prevent the environmental pollution?”, and “What should we do for a clean environment?” The paintings of the students were analyzed with reference to their explanations in the interviews. As result of these analyses it was seen that all the paintings include the “domestic trash” causing environmental pollution in all grades. In addition to this environmental problem, it was found that air pollution and low number of students with compare to first two, considered the sea pollution within the scope of the water pollution. Other environmental problems had always never been referred in the drawings. The students made paintings on clean environment where there is no trash with rivers, trees and green. As a result, it is seen that the primary school students have very limited knowledge of environmental pollution; they think that the trashes are the main reason of the environmental pollution and the pollution can be prevented if the trashes are collected regularly.

Anahtar Kelimeler: