FAMILIARITY WITH BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN ANIMAL FAIRY TALES OF SVETLANA MAKAROVIČ

Glede na to, da letno določene živalske vrste izumirajo, je prvi korak k drugačnemu odnosu do narave, naravovarstvena osveščenost. Živali lahko opazujemo, drugič nas na njihovo prisotnost opozori v jutranji rosi lesketajoča se pajčevina ali kakšna druga sled, velikokrat nam ostajajo skrite ali pa se nam predstavijo v knjigah z magično močjo besed. V skupnem diplomskem delu so raziskane in analizirane živalske pravljice Svetlane Makarovič, v katerih so glavni in stranski literarni liki živali. Osredotočila sem se na zapise karakteristik živali v pravljicah, bodisi realne bodisi izmišljene. V prvi vrsti so pravljice namenjene otrokom. Otroci se s pravljicami seznanijo že v predbralnem obdobju književnega razvoja. V tej dobi otroku ponudimo pravljice, kjer je glavni književni lik otrok ali njegova predmetna stvarnost, pa tudi živalske pravljice. V diplomskem delu, sem poiskala odgovor na vprašanje, ali lahko otroci na podlagi lastnega vedenja, razumejo kdo je glavni in stranski literarni lik. Glede na to, da je vzgojiteljica ena izmed prvih oseb, ki otroke seznani s pravljicami, sem analizirala znanje vzgojiteljic o živalih, ki se pojavljajo v izbranih pravljicah Svetlane Makarovič. Mnenja sem, da je ključnega pomena za nadaljnjo poznavanje pravilna prva seznanitev z določeno živalsko vrsto. Za drugo skupino anketirancev, so bili izbrani osmošolci in devetošolci petih osnovnih šol po Sloveniji. Le- ti končujejo osnovnošolsko izobraževanje in znanje o živalih, ki si ga je posameznik pridobil v osnovni šoli, marsikdo ne bo nadgrajeval, saj vse srednje šole ne vključujejo pouka biologije. Potemtakem bi do takrat pridobljeno znanje moralo zadostovati za splošno poznavanje živali. Ugotovili smo, da med učenci ni večjih razlik v poznavanju in da na to ne vpliva spol ali okolje v katerem se nahaja šola. Prav tako je bilo ugotovljeno, da kljub postopnemu vedno večjemu zanimanju za okolje in osveščanju o živalskih bitjih, je še vedno veliko manjka o poznavanju bioloških značilnosti pri vzgojiteljicah.While certain animal species become extinct every year, the environmental awareness is the first step to a different attitude towards the nature. We can observe animalsanother time their presence is seen as a cobweb glimmering in the morning dew or some other trace, yet many times they remain hidden to the eye, or they are presented to us in books with the magic power of words. The joint thesis researches and analyses Svetlana Makarovič’s animal fairy tales wherein animals are the main and side literary characters. I have focused on written animal characteristics in the fairy tales, whether real or fictitious. Fairy tales are primarily designed for children. The children are familiarized with them already in the pre-reading period of their literary development. In this period, children are offered fairy tales wherein the main literary character is a child or its subject reality, and also animal fairy tales. In the thesis, I have sought the answer to the question – ‘Can children, based on their own knowledge, understand who the main literary character is and who the side one is?’ In respect of teacher being one of the first who introduces fairy tales to children, I analysed teachers’ knowledge of animals that appear in selected fairy tales of Svetlana Makarovič. I am of the opinion that of the key meaning to further knowledge is the correct first acquaintance with a certain animal species. For the second group of interviewees I chose pupils of the eight and the ninth class from five different elementary schools across Slovenia. These pupils are finishing elementary school education, and the knowledge of animals gained by the individuals during the course of elementary school will not be upgraded by many of them as not all secondary schools include biology classes. Consequently, the knowledge gained to that point should be sufficient for general knowledge of animals. We established there are no major differences among the pupils in knowledge neither is that influenced by the gender or the environment wherein the school is placed. It was also established that despite gradual and ever increasing interest in the environment, and rising awareness of animal creatures there is a great lack of knowledge of biological characteristics among teacher