Green Career Education through Fairy Tales and Stories
This workshop introduces pupils to environmental career exploration through storytelling (reading a nature-themed fairy tale), identifying the main skills and strengths of its heroes, and discussing green jobs.
The duration is 2-3 lessons (each 45 minutes):
- Lesson 1: Community circle, reading a story, identifying green jobs
- Lesson 2 (and Lesson 3): Working with cards and creating their own eco-job
Inspiration for the tool
Slovak innovation factory
Rationale: Why is this needed?
This method helps children discover their skills and interests in nature-friendly careers from an early age. It supports their self-development, ecological awareness, and imagination while making links between personal strengths and real-world green professions.
Objectives
By the end of the activity, participants will be able to:
- Connect their own experiences in nature with green careers.
- Identify the main skills of story heroes and relate them to real-world jobs.
- Reflect on their own abilities and explore how they can contribute to nature and sustainability.
Resources needed
- Suitable literature or eco-themed fairy tales (e.g., The Little Trees, The Kingdom of the Forest Guardians, or resources from Padlet)
- Kiwi Cards or other Job Cards
- Creative materials: colouring pencils, markers, scissors, glue, cut-out pictures, drawing paper
- Resources for Educators (Padlet)
Activities
1. Community Circle
Start with a circle discussion:
- What do you like to do in nature?
- What do you think is most important in nature?
2. Reading a Story
Read or show a story with an eco-theme (fairy tale, book, animation).
3. Working with the Story
- Explore the skills of the main characters.
- Brainstorm eco-jobs linked to those skills.
- Example questions:
- Which skills of the characters stood out to you?
- What jobs could they do with these skills?
- Which of these professions help nature, animals, or plants?
Tip: Use Kiwi or Job cards. Place cards of main characters on the floor and ask children to match them with occupations that fit their skills. Discuss which jobs can benefit the environment.
4. Discovering Children’s Own Skills
Ask:
- Which of these skills do you already have?
- Which would you like to develop?
- Which jobs seem interesting to you?
- Which jobs help nature?
Tip: Spread Kiwi or Job cards around the room. Children choose the jobs they like most, then discuss which are beneficial for nature and sustainability.
5. Creating a Dream Eco-Job Card
- Ask children to choose the eco-job that interests them most right now.
- Using creative materials, they design their own “eco-job card.”
- On the left side: write/draw the skills needed for the job.
- On the right side: write/draw the skill they would like to learn first.
6. Reflection
Conclude with a circle reflection, using questions or emoticons:
- Which activity did you enjoy the most? Why?
- What new things did you learn?
- What did you do best?
- Which job would you like to try or learn more about?
7. Conclusion
After the activity, the teacher can identify which eco-challenges, jobs, and skills interested the children most. These insights are valuable for planning further activities that support both self-discovery and exploration of the world of work.world of work.