Elementary school 7th and 8th grade students' knowledge levels about enviromental education: Kırıkkale case.

Environment is the settings or the conditions where living things are in and pursuetheir lives. The negative effects of humankind to the environment in which they live causeenvironmental problems growing in time. Educating people to have consciousness onenvironmental issues is important for solution of environmental problems and protection ofthe environment. Consequently, environmental education is the greatest factor in gettingconscious individuals.The main aim of this study is to examine the elementary 7th and 8th grade students?knowledge on and awareness of environmental issues. This is a survey study. The populationof this study is the all elementary schools in central district of Kırıkkale; the sample of thestudy is the 7th and 8th grade students in the selected elementary schools in spring semesterof the 2005-2006 education-year. 144 students from 7th graders and 68 students from 8thgraders, totally 212 students, are included in the study. Administrations are conducted withinthe regular course sessions. ?Environmental Education Test?, which has 24 items, is used asthe measurement tool. Some of the items are selected from international studies like TIMMSand PISA. According to findings of the study, 7th grade students are more successful inmultiple choice type items; however, there is a different distribution pattern for each open-ended question. Additionally, in all type of items, achievement of male and female students isclose to each other.Keywords: Environmental Education, Pollution, Environmental Consciousness