THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTALEDUCATION IN GAINING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: THE SAMPLE OF ECOLOGY BASED SUMMER CAMP PROJECT

The century we live in, the environmental problems that arise in connection with the fast depletion of natural resources now show their effects globally. Especially after the Industrial Revolution, people were reduced the environmental values to vehicle position in their economically enrichment race and these values were used unconsciously and doomed to extinction. However, these people don’tknow that they have been chopping down their own branch with their unconcerned attitudes. Uninhibited global environmental problems threaten the future of humanity as a common concern of all people. For constructing a more healthy human-nature relationship, giving people environmental awareness through environmental education is required. Ecology Based Summer Camp Project which was held in 2011 in cooperation with Ni de University and TUBITAK can be given as anexample of awareness-raising activity. This and similar projects play a key role in overcoming many environmental problems by providing students and their teachers with environmental awareness.