The biosphere and living things are an important lesson that children should know. This knowledge will bring them to realize that they are not alone on this Earth and that there is an environment to be aware of.
If the environment in which these living things are not cared for, then it will be humans themselves who will experience difficulties.
Basic Teachings
Children should know that the biosphere is where living things depend. While living things themselves are not only humans, but there are animals and plants.
They must know that as humans who have been created in the most perfect form, they are responsible for the environment, including the living creatures in it.
From an early age, children are taught about what animals are around them. Which animals can be killed and which animals cannot be killed. Which plants can be eaten and which plants contain poison.
The benefits of this knowledge will be very broad. Children become aware that they cannot think as long as they are happy and do not lack anything.
They must be invited out of the house and feel that they are not alone on this Earth. There are many living things with different shapes and needs.
When, for example, children are invited to enjoy the beauty of nature and they want to urinate, they should not do so in streams or in holes. This flow is used by many living beings so that it must be kept clean and pure.
They are not allowed to urinate in the hole for the sake of respecting the owner of the hole. The holes could have been inhabited by small animals which would have suffered if they were washed away by the urine.
They also shouldn't disturb the plant because when the plant is hurt, the plant can die. Love and care cannot only be grown by giving a spectacle about the biosphere and the various types of living things in it.
Children should be invited to experience firsthand how to get to know other living creatures. It is not easy to do this because of the busy schedule. However, every adult or parent must remember that children are the next generation.
If they don't have extensive knowledge, they will be a weak generation. People who are not knowledgeable will be very easily intimidated. Only by being given packaged rice, they can submit to the unjust rulers.
It is different if these children have broad knowledge and experience many things related to life. They will become a generation of character who will one day be able to become caring leaders.
Leaders who don't dream of making themselves better or living more luxurious lives. They will grow up to be happy leaders when they see their people happy.
They will also be sad when they see their people sad. So broad is the effect of this environmental lesson. Who else will take care of the environment if not everyone, including children.
For this reason, parents are also expected to begin to have extensive knowledge regarding the biosphere and life in it.
Starting from the Nearest Environment
The easiest lesson to give to children about the biosphere is to invite them to garden or plant something. You don't need a lot of land. Enough with egg shells and green beans. Use eggshells to plant sprouts.
Give the shells wet cotton, then place one shell with wet cotton in a place exposed to sunlight and one shell placed in a dark place without light.
Every day, the children were asked to pay attention to what was happening. Let them express what they see. When the shells are exposed to the sun, the sprouts are growing well, they will be amazed.
When looking at shells that are not exposed to sunlight they will give a different expression, it's time to explain the benefits of sunlight.
On the shell there is wet cotton. How about providing two more shells with dry cotton and mung bean seeds. Put one in a place with enough sunlight and the other in a place with no sunlight.
Children will be amazed and even wonder why the green beans in both shells without wet cotton can not grow. Parents can explain the function of water for life. If the sun is there but there is no water, living things cannot live.
From this very simple experiment, children will look amazed and they can understand that for one life, there are many factors that support each other. Without the completeness of these factors, life cannot take place properly.
It's not easy enough to teach what the biosphere is and how it relates to living things. It's very easy and doesn't have to spend a lot of time, effort and money.
Knowledge is actually very easy to obtain. This whole universe is a storehouse of knowledge. What is needed is the desire and willingness and commitment to explore the existing knowledge with an open heart.
One Pot of Millions of Life
When your child understands a little about the relationship between the biosphere and the life of the creatures in it, invite your child to experiment again. Invite the children to make compost. The time needed to make this compost is quite long, up to two months.
But during that time, the children were invited to pay attention to the smell and texture of the compost material. Where does that smell come from and why leaves put in a compost bin can change.
Next start talking about the microorganisms that are in that one container. Use microscopes and other experimental equipment.
If necessary, make a photo album related to life in a composting container. How children will understand that in just that one little container, there is so much life.
In addition to the compost container as a lesson, continue by planting something from the compost. Why compost can make plants grow better. This needs to be researched.
Then look at the earthworms that make the soil fertile. Watch what happens to the worms when a chicken eats them. Chicken manure that is scattered can also be used as fertilizer.
These life links will make children understand that there is a beautiful cycle that makes life even more beautiful. They will have intelligence related to nature. They will love nature and the environment. They will know that in that one tree there is a lot of life.
Not only the tree itself but there are animals that depend on it. Humans also need trees as a clean source of oxygen. When there are no trees, the surrounding temperature will be quite hot.
On the other hand, when there are lots of trees, the temperature in the environment can drop and the coolness will make people live more comfortably. This is the beauty of learning from what is felt near life.