EMPOWERING YOUNG ECO-CITIZENS: A PARTICIPATORY SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN IN PRIMARY EDUCATION

Theodoros Kartsoukis, Anatoli Kesidou

Abstract


This article presents a participatory sustainability action plan implemented in two Greek primary schools through the European eTwinning project entitled “Plastics plastics…everywhere!”. Aiming to empower students as young eco-citizens, the project engaged 5th and 6th grade pupils in both schools in a series of hands-on, cross-curricular activities focused on environmental responsibility, plastic pollution, and climate action. Students investigated everyday waste habits, explored EU environmental policies and created collaborative outputs such as posters, digital stories, a newspaper, and a board game. Through experiential learning and tools like Padlet, Canva, and Twinspace, they cultivated digital literacy, critical thinking, and civic engagement. The project culminated in a community awareness campaign and a school-wide sustainability event at each participating school. This study highlights the potential of environmental education to promote student agency and ecological consciousness from an early age. It demonstrates how participatory methodologies and international collaboration can transform sustainability from an abstract concept into a lived experience, shaping students’ values, skills, and attitudes as active global citizens.

 

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Keywords


sustainability education, environmental citizenship, primary education, plastic pollution, eTwinning collaboration

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i10.6214

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