Integrating Eco-Art across the Ontario Elementary Curriculum

This study explores how a sample of Ontario elementary teachers integrate eco-art education into all subject areas of the curriculum. It situates itself within the current research, focusing on the benefits and challenges of the integration of environmental education, art education, and eco-art education. It also explores the current Ontario policy and curriculum which call for the integration of both arts and environmental education. This study provides examples of how teachers are interpreting these documents and bringing the policy into their own daily practice. It adds to the existing literature, as it provides support to teachers about how to implement integrated eco-art in their elementary classrooms and provides further research in the areas of integrated learning, art education, EE, and eco-art education. This qualitative research study uses semi-structured interviews to learn from a sample of Ontario teachers about the ways eco-art is being integrated in elementary classrooms. Findings indicate that the teachers are integrating eco-art with many subject areas, not all of which have been explored in previous literature. The teachers also indicate that integrating eco-art can lead to a sense of activism in students and provide meaningful learning experiences. Finally, this study outlines recommendations for how to support the integration of eco-art for policy makers, schools and teachers